Hi Numb

My rsd started from a blood test in my right arm in Nov 2000. Here are my answers to your questions:

Has your RSD spread? It spread up to my shoulders in 2002, after I developed shoulder impingement syndrome in that shoulder. In 2006 it spread to my right leg and foot, but that was after a spiderbite on that leg, so not a direct spread from the original venipuncure injury.

Have you or someone that you know obtain a full remission from the venipuncture RSD? Nope. I did have ten months of pain relief after my 2nd ketamine infusion, but that's different from spontaneous remission

Have your RSD gotten worse ovetime or remain about the same?
A bit of both- during the ketamine break I was able to do a lot of physio and now have great strength and movement in my hand, plus the allodynia is a lot less of a problem too. But the pain is still just as bad and having my leg involved has added to pain and disability issues.

What treatments have your tried and any success from the treatment?
I've had 4 ketamine infusions now (7 day awake treatments), 1 didn't help at all, 1 gave me 30 days pain free, 1 gave me the wonderful ten months, 1 gave me about 4-5 weeks of lower pain levels. I've also had a magnesium infusion, used tens, a range of medications (mscontin, lyrica, neurontin, endep, endone, temgesic, etc, all the usual ones), patches, nerve block, physio, a pain gel made up of ketamine, clonidine and amitriptyline... can't remember what else!

I've had a few periods where my medication regime has worked well for me and I've been able to do physio and live an "almost normal" life during the day then just have the evenings really bad. Some of these times have gone for a while, a few months at a time, but then all of a sudden they'll stop being so successful and we'll have to juggle things around again, or if I injure myself like I did in December last year when I sprained my RSD ankle. At the moment I'm going ok- have a fair bit of pain and problems everyday but not enough to bother changing my meds around.

I have, however, had to have numerous iv's and blood tests since this started, which is always stressful for me but I get them to put the numbing cream on the area first, which helps. But as I can only have ivs etc in my left arm (my good arm) its been punctured a lot And now it doesn't like needles but mentally I can cope with getting needles put in- I do some deep breathing while its going on, look away, relax my whole body etc.

I hope some of this helps a little. If you want to know anything else I'm happy to tell your my experiences.

x Kate