Hi Jo welcome to NT.. and welcome loretta jewell as well.

I know you will find the support and information you need here at NT it is a wonderful place full of very nice people, suportive and helpful a very carring bunch of folks (alot of whom are still burried in the holidays with their familys at present ).

I had my injury around the same time as you Jo, May of 05.. it seems like such a long time ago now, though it started in my right ankle it is now full body with organ involvement, and I am unable to work.. so I do alot of research to learn as much as I can, if there is a specific area of information you are interested in just ask, and it is probibly already posted in this forum with lots of opinions and imput from the members. Just read back the pages there is alot of very good imput here. or as I say ask away.

Also you can request certain information and someone will help you by posting links to places that provide what you need to know, or to tell you of their experiences with that drug or procedure, or just be there when you need a shoulder, it's a great group.

Meds, Loretta made a good point (many good points) in that antidepresants of a certain type do help with neurological pain... ALOT expecialy if taken at night (how is your sleep?). I am on Trazadone an SSRI antidepressant at night, and it helps alot for both pain and it regulates my sleep because night is the wost pain time for me, I am in to much pain to sleep much without it. I also suffer from depression and I am on a diffrent type of antidepressant for that symptom of RSD.

Lyrica is a newer drug that does wonders for me too Loretta, it was hard one for me to adjust to origionaly, but it takes alot of the symptoms down to a much more tollerable level body wide, some can take it others can't, most of us that are on it get quite good results from it.. and it is not a narcotic, it works and is composed in a similar way as the Gabipentin you are on Jo, but lyrica covers more symptoms than the Gab does.. And lyrica works much better than the Gabipentin did for me.

You have been through alot Jo and you are obviously a strong woman to deal with all this, those of you that can still remain working have my utmost admiration with this condition, I find my attention span is hugely disrupted since RSD as well as alot of other problems. I tried going back to school part time last year, and I found I could only retain very little of what I was learning., it was very frustrating.. I am intollerant of most narcotics so I am not on any but the other drugs to regulate the symptoms tend to effect my concentration as well I think.

Well I just wanted t come on and say welcome and look I wrote a book.. lol
Welcome both of you. If I can help in any way please don't hesitate to ask.

hugs, painless ones,
Sandra