I really think it depends on the indivual and how YOU feel about getting the nerve blocks. It sounds to me as though you aren't getting that much relief and the pain/numbness increases for a little while afterwards so it makes me wonder whether the blocks are worth it in your case, especially just for 6 hours of pain relief?

I have had 3 nerve blocks. I was diagnosed with RSD when I was 12 years old and my doctor decided to do a Guanethidine Block into my foot around the ankle bone.

I was put to sleep for the block due to my age as my doctor thought it would be too scary for me. The blcok didn't work at all and it made me a LOT worse!!

When I woke up from the block, I found that I couldn't walk. Everytime I tried to get up and walk, my legs would just shoot out in front of me and I would fall to the ground. My doctor thought it would pass so sent me home for the weekend.

As we were home, my mum found an article on the internet stating that you should never inject into an RSD limb unless you absolutely have to has it has been proven to make things worse. My doctor didn't know that before the block unfortunately and didn't give us enough time to read up on it as he wanted it doing ASAP.

I returned back to the hospital 2 days after the block to see my dr and still couldn't walk. He was stunned as to the side effect I was having from the block so took videos of my walking etc.

We kept getting told that the affects would wear off but they didn't and I was left in a wheelchair for 13 months which was extremely hard to cope with. I lost all of the independence I had and had to rely on my mum to take me everywhere which wasn't nice for a 12-13 year old!!!!

In about April of last year, I developed an ingrown toenail on my RSD leg. We kept trying to ignore it but it got really badly infected so we had no choice but to have it taken off. My dr put me to sleep for the procedure and decided to do a ring block into my toe to try and ease the pain after the procedure.

Once again, my body reacted to the procedure and I developed severe myoclonic spasms in my leg. My leg would jerk around on its own uncontrolably. My dr couldn't believe how bad it was and said that I have the most wound up nerves he has ever seen and I have to stay away from all procedures to my RSD limbs unless neccasary as they will only make things worse.

At the end of last year, my PTs decided to make a splint for my RSD leg as I have pretty bad Dystonia (a movement disorder) in it. I had to be put to sleep for them to make a cast for my leg as they can't move my foot hardly whilst I am awake and even when asleep, it takes a lot of force.

My dr knew the procedure would increase my pain so did an epidural and put Ketamine in it. I didnt want to have the epidural seeing as though the blocks made me worse but he assured me he would be careful.

Thankfully, the epidural went well and I got about 6 hrs pain relief from it which was really good!! My dr wont do any more now though as he said it wasn't really worth it for the ammount of pain relief I got.

I think it might be an idea for you to speak to your dr and see how he feels about doing the blocks and whether they are worth doing seeing as though you dont get much pain relief. How long have you had RSD? I know the blocks are proven to work better within the first 3 months of onset.

It is really you that has to decide whether you want to go ahead with the blocks. No one can force you into doing anything you don't want to! Weigh up the pro's and con's and then decide if they are worth it.

As for the spinal cord stimulation, i'd do a lot of research into it before going ahead, especially if you are relatively knew to the diagnosis and haven't tried all of the options available to you. I think sometimes drs want to push the invasive procedures without trying all of the other stuff first.

I wish you the best of luck and know you will make the right decision whatever you decide to do!

Please keep us posted when you can!

Alison.