Hi and thank you to all Neurotalk members who take the time to read this!

I am glad to have a supportive community like this to join.

I was diagnosed with CRPS in my lower left leg about 2 years ago. It has been a long road since then trying to get the pain under control as the disease just keeps progressing.

I was in denial about the pain for a long time after the injury to my left ankle. Get this - all I did was hit the top of my left foot/ankle HARD with the kitchen cupboard door. It never healed, stayed swollen and bright red and eventually was diagnosed as RSD/CRPS by a physiatrist.

From there we started on meds. At times I have taken neurontin, cymbalta, lyrica, etc. I am currently taking lyrica and cymbalta.

I completed the full-time, month-long, pain management program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. This was a major commitment and I am glad I did it although my extreme, burning pain has remained basically unchanged. I took a 6-week medical leave to attend this pain program.

I recently saw a "super specialist" for CRPS for an evaluation. He has recommended 4 bier blocks a week apart and if those are unsuccessful, a 5-day inpatient phentalamine (?) challenge. I will be asking questions about these recommendations in the RSD area of the site.

I am currently on a 12-week medical leave from my full-time job of 15 years as an IT manager at a major university. I think I am at the point of considering disability. I would love to return to my job but I am in so much pain every day and the required energy and stress involved in my work is perhaps more than I can handle.

Thanks for reading and for being there,
CRPSCURE