Hi, my name is Michael and I know he cousin of your pain, I see it every moment of the day. I just joined and this is my first post, but I'm not new to RSD. I've had it for seven + years.

I hope you have found some relief from all of the responses to your post. The ones that I read have a lot of love within them!

Aside from all of the meds that I take, there are several things that I do. Maybe one of them will help you.

First, and probably formost is, I fight through the pain and stay as active as I can. I know, it ain't as easy as it is said, but getting out of that dark room as often as you can will help in so many ways. You will suddenly find yourself concentrating on something other than the pain. You will be doing things that keep that part of you that is "painted with fire" and crushed, mobile. Try to the best of your ability accomplish a task everyday. And the next day, try to do just a little more. Four years ago, it took me close to a year to get out of a wheelchair that I used sometimes and the carts at the stores by making a little progress one day at a time. I still use a cane for balance but I now walk where I go. So please try to do something that will keep you interested.

I still have days that I spend in my room with the shades drawn as most all of us with RSD do. I spend most of my day in the house in the shortest boxers I have found...that's it. My RSD is systemic, resulting from a spinal cord injury in 1999. Another tool I learned early on but didn't use it as I should have is visual imagry. I just started by going to my dark room, relaxing, taking several deep breaths and then think about my favoite place, kyaking in the mangroves in the Florida Keys. If you are not familiar with this psychological method of pain relief, give it a try. After doing it a while you will be able to do it wherever you are, whenever you need it.

Well, I hope this will help you. Something we all have to remember is that we will NEVER be pain free until there is a cure for RSD (I don't like CRPS as my pain is not regional). So, don't be discouraged if you can't reach that goal. When I'm having a 2 or 3 pain level day, I say to myself: I can live with that!

Sincerely.

Michael C