Hi Mike,
I started out on the patch. They gave it to me years ago for the rsd in my right foot & then again for my back. They also gave them to me when I was in the hospital for my tkr surgery & they worked. The new patch---the one without the gel in them is what the PM doc gave me but they didnt work at all. I was on the 75mcg. When it would rain---it was like not having anything on at all. Even on dry days they didnt last but maybe 1 1/2 days when they are supposed to last for 72 hours. That is why he switched me to opana 20 mg twice a day. That works great but he wont increase my perocet any higher than 7.5/500 & Ive been on them every since my accident on 8-10-07--so its like taking aspirin. He wont give me anything for the spasms that I have constantly or the swelling. Asking for either means according to his notes on my chart that I put be put immediately on the schedule for the SCS. No disscussion, no nothing. I really dont understand why either. Ive been battling rsd for 7 years now with no real solution for the pain & its traveled from my right foot to my back & now my left leg. Ive not been able to bend my knee since 07. Theyve not made any attempt to fix the fact that I only have 1 artery in that leg---your supposed to have 3. I saw 2 vascular surgeons about the artery---the first one told me to quit smoking & the second one told me to shoot the dog that did this to me. I guess thats their solutions to the problem---who knows??
Janet