Hello All,

I have been following for a while and participating some as I am "this close" to a CRPS diagnosis. I am like so many of you, baffling my doctors. I am very grateful for light shed on my symptoms. I know CRPS varies greatly.

The jist of my complicated story is nerve injury during minor ortho procedure to left ankle, horrible pain and shooting nerve symptoms with some dysautonomia, then 9 months later 3.5 hour revision surgery by plastic surgeon removed neuroma and scarring- much relief and improvement of pain, temp and color better, then sadly needed another procedure 6 months ago for aggressive mass in sole of foot. Since then my foot doesn't know what to do with itself. Nerves feel somewhat scarred down again.

My entire foot tends to discolor, mottle and have a hard time maintaining it's temperature if ambient air is over 75 or under 45. I live in Texas and when I walked this past Fall (still 85 here) my foot would sting and turn red all over, feel hot to the touch. Foot is colder than the other at most other times. Symptoms completely resolve with elevation and my foot looks beautifully normal in the morning after being flat all night. If I walk short periods or ride the bike it also looks normal so long as it's not too hot or cold out. Blood flow is obviously impacted. Dependent position seems to really bring things on. The areas around my incisions begin to sting when my foot is down for even short periods of time, though standing is worse than sitting. I have had itchy, burning scars in the past but not in a limb I have to bear weight on and leave down. I still have some symptoms of traction neuritis and general nerve irritation and foot pain. Sometimes tingling goes further up the nerve tract but redness, etc. does not spread beyond the foot.

The dysautonomia seems to be the worst. I manage it and pain by limiting my foot's "down" time. I am tired of having a foot that looks and feels weird. My activities are limited. I do still ride my bike, do elliptical and swim, just for brief periods. I can touch my foot at all times and make a point to to massage, touch and try to treat it normally. Sheets never bother me. I have never had swelling or sweating difference. My pain would be much worse if I left my foot down all the time and walked a lot - the two things I most want to do.

I am taking nortryptiline 25 mg QHS, neurotin in the past killed my mood. I see my acupuncturist, a neurologist and take great care of myself. Neurology thinks CRPS but won't call it that. Two PM doctors didn't think it was CRPS since symptoms resolve with elevation. I have had some improvement since surgery but the autonomic symptoms just won't go away. If this is mild CRPS I'd like to get on with some kind of treatment. PM both offered to do a sympathetic block but I am leary of that since symptoms aren't florid. I know dysautomia can take time to resolve in lower extremity surgeries but usually does so after several weeks. Thoughts anyone? I want my life back and my husband and son do too!

Thanks and Healing Love to everyone,
Littlepaw