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Old 11-30-2007, 08:10 AM
tayla4me tayla4me is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 486
15 yr Member
tayla4me tayla4me is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 486
15 yr Member
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Dear Ali,
I have looked at your photos on the site and there is obvious oedema and dystonia of RSD but there is nothing to indicate that you have hypoxic tissue damage.
I know you report colour changes and sometimes it is very dark and looks black but this does NOT mean there is permanent damage particularly if very soon after your leg is pink or red again.
This discolouration is from vasomotor problems. The sympathetic nervous system dilates and constricts the vessels, in RSD you will often see a vast range of colours within a very short time and the fact that you legs and feet pink up again means there is sufficient oxygen getting to you legs most of the time.
I do support the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy, I have had it myself. It does send oxygen at a much higher concentration than we breath into all the cells of our body and thus sends more blood to the nerves. It also helps to improve oedema which will in turn improve pain and circulation.

I am trying to explain in a way that is easy to understand for you but please do not be worried that any discolouration is necessarily a sign of permanent damage being done to the skin through lack of blood supply.
It is called transient which means it comes and goes. Hopefully you will soon be able to meet up with a Pain Team that will treat you correctly and all of this will just be a bad dream.
There are some occasions where some people have permanently blackened feet and hands but that is usually ischaemia caused by Peripheral vascular disease where the peripheral vessels do not have the ability to provide oxygen to the extremeties. This is as I said, more common in people who smoke or have diabetes and other chronic illnesses which compromise blood flow.
Thinking of you Ali,
Love Tayla
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