Sorry that I didn't see your post until just now...I was out of town in Disney World with my mom and aunt for the week.

I am not on any medications while pregnant...but I wasn't really on any prior to the pregnancy either. I had a very early miscarriage last year...and that's when I stopped using clonidine patches...and then when I found out I was pregnant this time I stopped using Lidoderm patches and cream. Other than those though I was off all other medications for over a year...more like two years I think. I have found that medications (and I tried a LOT of different ones) didn't help my pain enough to be worth all the side effects I was experiencing so I decided to stop them all. I've found lots of alternative ways to control symptoms, manage the pain, etc...none of which help a LOT...but they all add up to keeping me at a pain level where I can function. The Lidoderm patches and creams were only used as needed for either severe flare ups or if I was planning on doing something that I thought COULD trigger a flare up and were used as a preventative (sort of) to keep the pain from escalating too high.

When I have a bad pain flare up I have the following protocol that I use (ASAP...because the longer the flare up is going on the harder it is to get under control):

1. Hot/Warm bath with Epsom salts

2. Ultrasound heat therapy treatments on the areas where the pain is worst (bought unit on amazon.com)

3. tDCS treatment (once a day until flare up is under control and alternating sides for treatment since I have RSD on both sides of my body)

4. TENS unit treatments on the worst areas for at least one hour each

5. Heating patches (thermacare or generic brand) on the worst areas

I like to do the tDCS treatments after the bath and ultrasound treatments and before the TENS unit treatments because I am still relaxed from the bath (as much as you can be in a bad flare up anyway) and the treatments take 20 minutes and are performed in a dark, quiet room in my house with no other distractions. If you don't do these treatments then it's an easy step to skip in the process...it doesn't have any immediate effects on the flare ups that I can see...but the treatments do seem to extend the period of relief and my flare ups go away much faster than they used to prior to tDCS treatments.

I usually rest up the first day/night during a flare up but the next day I make myself start moving again. If I'm not up to anything big then I do some very basic stretching exercises that I learned in physical therapy. I make myself move but it's important during a bad pain flare up to not push too hard or it will make the flare up worse.

On a day to day basis for the pain...I take hot baths with Epsom salts every day at least once a day...more if I'm having a bad pain day that's no necessarily a bad flare up...just elevated pain levels for whatever reason. I also have a relaxing playlist on my iPod of instrumental music that helps me relax and calm down...which helps with the pain because stress is one of the biggest triggers for pain.

I avoid triggers as much as possible and this has been a HUGE key to keeping me functioning. I know my limits and have spent years finding ways to do things that minimize flare ups and that don't aggravate my pain. It is not an easy process...trying to figure out what your triggers are and then working out ways around them...but it is SO worth it because it keeps me functioning.

And...I make myself just keep going...every day. I have a bad day now and then where I take it easy...but these are definitely the exception rather than the rule...talking maybe one day a month if that. Even on these days I keep moving...I just rest a lot more and avoid anything that will trigger more pain or that's physically draining. It's hard sometimes to make myself get up in the mornings, go to work, do what needs to get done...but I just remind myself of how miserable I was when I was wheelchair bound and that gets my little behind in gear and moving.

I also have a great support system and most importantly a boyfriend who loves me. It makes everything a lot easier to deal with. My boyfriend helps and supports me...but he doesn't make me feel broken...if you know what I mean? I feel like I can do anything...but when I can't he does things for me to help me out without my having to ask...or if I do need to ask there's no argument or resentment from him. He never makes me feel like I'm a burden. These days I really don't need him to do much...I'm very self reliant (and stubborn) so I can get things done on my own...it's only on bad days that I have him help me out with anything.

Hope some of that helps...if you have any more specific questions let me know.