I'm sorry...this ended up being very long...but I hope it helps.

First...I'm sorry that you are in pain and struggling so much. I have a 12 month old daughter and I completely understand how being a parent can be a struggle with this horrible condition and what an extra complex layer that is on top of everything else.

I have been there with the docs...getting bounced around and no relief from meds or procedures (the sympathetic block I got actually caused my CRPS to spread almost full body instead of just being in my ankle). The meds they had me on actually caused seratonin syndrome on top of the spread and I was a real mess for a while. I ended up wheel chair bound for almost a year before I finally found a doctor that I was able to develop a good relationship with who really wanted to help me (and it was a primary care doctor of all things). I hope that this new doctor you have is able to help you.

As someone who hasn't responded well to meds or procedures...my main focus has been on restoring FUNCTION versus dealing directly with the pain. This helped me a lot, as I found once I regained the function I was better able to cope with the pain and manage it. It's very easy to get caught up in the focus of the treatments to be on getting rid of the pain...but when you're like me and just just don't respond to meds and procedures...you get frustrated and the doctors get frustrated by their not being able to help or offer you anything. I was having a ton of different problems and once I got off all the meds we found out that some of those problems were caused by the meds. Then I was able to focus on what was preventing me from getting my life back and we tackled one problem at a time.

The first was that I was not sleeping...the pain was so horrible that I was lucky to get 15 minutes together of sleep and no more than 2-3 hours total a day. You can't function like that...and you certainly can't cope with the pain when you can't even rest. So I was given something that helped me get 3-6 hours of sleep a night...but that was 3-6 hours straight and it made a HUGE difference on how rested I was.

Then I was having problems with dizziness and blurry vision (caused by random spikes and drops in blood pressure...thank you malfunctioning sympathetic nervous system). We got me on clonidine patches. This solved this problem.

Then I went through at home physical therapy with a therapist that came to the house. This was SO wonderful. I lucked into a wonderful therapist who helped me slowly get out of the wheel chair and using a walker. It took about 6 months. She also was able to work with the doctor to get me a portable TENS unit...which helped with the pain...not a lot but enough to make a difference. I still use the walker (4 wheels with a seat) and this helps with balance and to keep the weight off my leg which means I can last longer walking. I also have balance issues...so it helps with that...and I always have a place to sit if I need it.

On my own...I was talking to everyone on here to get other ideas on how to help manage the pain. Some of the things that worked: heat patches, hot baths with epsom salts, and 4 F's diet (has REALLY reduced flares). I also got the tip from here to listen to soothing music with earbuds versus on a speaker...this helps me a lot with flares to manage the pain.

I was able to go back to work full-time in a job that has me on my feet all day...but I didn't stop there. I tried out a treatment I read about on here...tDCS...you can do a search and find the thread and there is LOADS of information on that thread about it. My doctor wrote me an Rx for the unit and I did the treatments on my own at home. Now...I didn't get much pain relief from it but here's what I did get: improved sleep (was able to get off the meds and now get a full 8 hours a night most nights), fewer flare ups, and flare ups that don't last as long (a day or two instead of a week or two). These changes have made a HUGE difference in my life and my ability to cope with and manage the pain.

I keep looking for things to help with the pain too. Someone on here recently wrote about a new device called Quell...and I have just received mine and am hoping it will help me with the pain. I keep hoping...but until I find that magical thing that can help me with the pain I am going to keep focused on managing the pain I have the best I can. Every little thing that helps with pain (no matter how small the relief is) is worth it. But it takes a lot of discipline to keep up with those things. For me...those things that help me with the pain the most are: using the walker, heat patches, hot baths with epsom salts, 4 Fs diet, and the TENS unit. Hopefully I can add this new Quell device to the list.

Sorry to ramble on...I don't know what all you have tried and I wanted to give as much information as possible. I've learned so much on here that has helped me from everyone's stories and advice so I just sort of throw it all out there and hope that at least something I have said helps. Let me know if you have any questions about anything.

I hope you get some relief soon and that this doctor is able to help you. Take care.