It's likely that one of the reasons I have RSD is that after a 2nd rotator cuff surgery (after which the surgeon placed a 3 day continuous catheter of anethesia directly into my incision), I was put into a really aggressive 3 day a week PT program at the surgeon's own facility. It was absolute torture, and I still can't believe that I didn't call it quits sooner and let those people hurt me so badly. The woman PT who was in charge of my care never seemed to believe me when I told her she was hurting me, or that I couldn't complete the number of reps that she wanted me to. By the time I was referred to a PM doc, about 2 months or so after my surgery, I could barely move my arm. What really stinks is that I saw copies of my PT records and my symptoms that they wrote down were classic RSD - burning, stabbing, poking, feels like she's on fire, etc.

Months later, when my RSD had been diagnosed and had spread into my neck and head due to trigger point injections done by the PM doc, I wrote a letter to the therapists that had hurt me so badly and told them about my RSD. I gave them the link to the RSDSA website, and told them that all of my symptoms had been classic RSD. Hopefully my letter might save someone else from having the same thing happen to them.

I swear they thought I was a drug seeker and a malingerer. When it was time for me to go back to work at 6 weeks post op I had lost over 20 pounds and was a mess. The doc wrote me another script for more percocet and put me out of work for another few weeks. My PT was totally disgusted. I should have walked out on the spot. I still can't understand why I didn't.

RSD has made me a much stronger person. I stick up for myself much better and more quickly now than I used to. I've made sure to go back and let the people know who hurt me what happened. I now have a great PT, and I am trying to build a good team of doctors. I plan to go after, in whatever legal fashion that is available, the people that hurt me.

Too bad that it's too late to fix me, though.

Sandy