First, an update.
OK...so, having been ignored by my previous doctor concerning my suspected RSD spread (burning up both legs and in face/neck/throat), I went to another pain doctor. He was much more alarmist than the first guy, ie talking about eventual amputation, but he still didn't think that mine was spreading. He said he didn't consider it spread unless it physically manifests with stuff like swelling and whatnot. I mentioned the discoloration, which unfortunately was not evident while I was there. He seemed really big on invasive procedures like sympathectomy, which I had the impression was an old and risky procedure (if anyone else has contrary information I'd be curious). He did give my lyrica, which I am now taking. No obvious effect yet but I'm starting at only 75mg (to be increased to 300mg).

Additional symptoms have manifested themselves. I momentarily forgot my precautionary hot-food ban and wolfed down a couple of moderately hot brussels sprouts, and my mouth acted like it was burned afterwards ( I honestly don't know how hot it actually was...it had been sitting for several minutes...but...) It's hurt for the past 3 days, kind of in a buzzy rsdish way, and there's been renewed burning in my face and neck. My mouth also reacted against cold water- it felt numb and frozen even though it was just cold tap water, and it felt like parts of my mouth and face contracted and tightened as if blood vessels were constricting.. And just yesterday night, my hands actually felt "burned" after I washed my hands as usual with warm water, and they still hurt today. They also look all reddish and discolored. In fact my whole body looks just a slight bit discolored. My leg felt like it had brushed a giant icecube when it rubbed up against the cold bath-tub this morning.

On the bright side, if someone says, "would it kill you to take a shower once in a while", I can honestly say, "it might".

YOu can see why this all makes me a little nervous. I'm actually panicking less than I would have expected. My positive theory is that my nervous system is just overexcited or something, in the way that a normal rsd sufferer is vulnerable to spread because of new injuries elsewhere in the body, only maybe to a higher degree. The research seems to indicate that RSD effects the entire nervous system even if the effects may be only in certain places. In my case it may just be more effected than usual. I dunno.

To make things more confusing, my suspected RSD spread symptoms had been improving for 2-3 days before the sprout incident (maybe just the pain med kicking in finally?). My legs haven't bothered me much for a few days now. And my mouth seems to be gradually improving. I'm getting very sick of lukewarm food and water though.

Anyway, getting to the actual question: My last pain doc was really big on nerve blocks. I'm willing to try, but it seems uncertain if it would help someone as bad as me. I understand they work best with newer or mild-stage cases, and that past6-12 months, or in more advanced stages, they have much less success. If I do have full-body RSD, which admittedly is not for sure although it looks quite possible, would a nerve block have a chance of helping? Or would it risk making it worse, since essentially it is sticking a needle in your spine isn't it? IF the RSD has spread to the whole body, what good does shutting off one part of the sympathetic nervous system do?

Having exhausted the supply of pain docs in town and not being entirely comfortable with either of them, I'm thinking of trying either Mayo Clinic in MN(if I'm going to be bankrupted, it may as well be by the best) or the University of Iowa hospital, which has a program for uninsured broke people like myself.

Anyway, sorry I rambled on like that....