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aj822 · 06-19-2009, 02:22 PM

I am looking for some feedback and experiences with Sympathetic Nerve Blocks. I am new to this whole "CRPS...RSD" nightmare!

My Pain Specialist just performed a series of 3 lower lumbar blocks over the past 8 weeks, and I am trying to decide if they really help or if we are just spinning our wheels. He said if we don't get any better results, then he wants to do some kind of spinal stimulation. Not sure about that either! HELP!!

First block only lasted 5 hours. I initially had no feeling in my entire leg for about an hour then it slowly returned to normal. It warmed my leg/foot to 91 degrees which felt wonderful while it lasted. Over the next few days I really couldn’t tell if it helped my leg/foot was right back to subzero frozen and continued to have all of the normal (LOL) symptoms and pain that I have been fighting for months.

3 weeks later, 2nd block was performed. I had about 6 hours of relief from the cold - 95 degrees. Then when the temp started to drop, my knee (which is the original trauma area) went crazy. It had a fever of over 101 and swelled to twice normal size. The burning and intense pain caused my ears to ring and I was climbing the wall. Called Ortho the next morning and went in for a cortisone injection to help the bursa area and related areas where the nerve damage is to calm down. Funny part is my leg/foot was stone cold and was back to molten color. After a few days, my knee calmed down and I was able to handle the pain better but I had a hard couple of days. Saw no additional relief from the block.

2 wks later (Wed this week), back for third and final block. Block went fine but I had no feeling in my upper thigh for about 2 hours. Temp in leg/foot was 95 degrees and the pain was substantially down for the next 5 hours. Then the temperature in my entire leg (hip to toe) started rise. It went to over 101 degrees and I thought I was on fire. My leg was bright red and the burning was bone deep. The pain was off the charts. It lasted for almost 5 hours. Finally the temp started to decrease and my leg stayed lukewarm for the next several hours. Finally, by mid morning the next day, entire leg/foot was right back to the frozen tundra and the normal awful symptoms returned.

Today is day two since the block and I am back to wearing my wool sock and dealing with the same pain and discomfort as always. My knee (I call it my sweet spot) is starting to hurt again but they don’t want to inject again so soon. So I suffer!

Do you keep doing blocks to see if you finally get response or if you are too far along with RSD do you just mark this treatment off the list and move onto the next option?

I just want some kind of relief… Is it possible?