Hi Everyone,
I am new to NeuroTalk. I was looking up information about clonidine patches and RSD. I am finally getting some relief from my RSD with the clonidine patch. Here is my story:
I was in an auto accident back in early 2001. A tree fell on my car from a tornado while I was driving. I do not remember what happened but after months of being treated with I don't see anything wrong (as the hand specialist in my area stated), the doctor finally examined both hands and realized my thumb was dislocated and my tendon was torn. And he was a hand specialist. After 2 surgeries, one fixing the dislocation and loose thumb and the other was fusing my thumb. The pain did not stop so my family physician sent me to Dr Ostermann, a well reknowned hand specialist from Philadelphia. He was the best. Talk about a doctor that cares, I was at his office at 11 pm and he still took 1 hour to talk to me about my care. He was supperb. He told me that my fusion did not heal properly and that it needs to be fixed or wait until it breaks. He stated that it should not have been fused in the first place. It was a mistake, a surgery that should never have happened. I was so upset, that surgery cost me my job and it was not even necessary. Anyway, he refused my thumb, which is ok now, but my RSD is horrible. Since seeing Dr. Ostermann, I have been to pain specialists, neurologists, anyone that would see me. I stopped 2 1/2 years ago. I was tired of hearing "You can't take the meds that will help so there is nothing I can do for you." I heard that so often that I just gave up. This past August, my family and I were in an auto accident where a young kid hit us head on and down the entire side of our van. I remember the entire accident as I was driving, but I don't remember what I did with my hand. I started doctoring again because it got so much worse (which I didn't think could happen) than it was. A new anestheisologist came into our area from Philadelphia that my family physician referred me too. For the first time since Dr. Ostermann, I didn't feel brushed off, I felt good. He didn't tell me there was nothing he could do. In fact, he laid out a few options on the table and said in two weeks he will have a treatment plan for me. I am now on Clonidine Patches. It has been one week and my pain is getting better. I did forget to mention that I had to nerve blocks also. They didn't help but made my neck and face so swollen that I could barely swallow. I still have the burning and the tightness, but the worst of the pain is almost gone.