Quote:
Originally Posted by buppy911
I am so glad I found this forum. Now I have not been diagnosed with RSD nor do I know if I have it and I'm not sure where to go from here. This is my story. Back in the first week of April I noticed a small area on the palm of my left hand that was a little bit sore...only when I pressed on it or bumped it. I thought nothing of it until it got worse a few weeks later and started to get red. I went to my pcp ( I am also diabetic so this concerned me). She put me on antibiotics for a few days. They did not help at all. I was admitted to the hospital where they put me on iv antibiotics (vanco). I was on this for a week while my hand/wrist continued to swell and got redder. I saw orthapedics, infectious disease, and a few other doctors. They decided that it needed to be opened up and cleaned out and wanted to take some tissue sample cultures.
They did the surgery and took the cultures. When they opened up my hand/wrist, there was no sign of infection (they had been calling this cellulitis) All of the cultures came back negative. All blood tests were normal.
They did not know what to think. I spent 15 days in the hosp (this time) and went home. A week later my hand started to "flare up" and I was admitted back into the hosp for another 12 days...coming home with a picc and on iv antibiotics. This did not help. We stopped the meds and my hand seemed to be doing better. Now it's been a month since it's "flared up" and all of a sudden, it's back again. I am going to therapy 3 times a week...it's been 3 months since surgery and i still can't make a fist. It is getting more and more stiff, swollen, super sensitive, burning sensations, sharp shooting stabbing pains in my wrist, sweating, my finger nails on that hand grow like mad and it hurts like a sun of a bumble bee!!
My therapist mentioned RSD and I did some research...every single sympton they list...I have in that hand and wrist. I'm not sure where to go from here. My pcp has me on neurontin, but I just started it and it doesn't seem to be doing much of anything. Do I see a neurologist?
Any information would be greatly appriciated!
Thanks in advance  |
I'm also knew to this board but joined for a singular reason.... I received a coma induced Ketamine treatment 3 weeks ago (two day coma) and am happy to say I am 90-95% pain free. My hopes are that it last a long time. You may also consider procedures such as spinal blocks. In the first few months these have been reported to CURE RSD. Perhaps that's a good route before the coma as that was like going through hell and back for me at the time. Pain meds will help to a degree, but that's a slippery slope as pain meds were not really designed for nerve pain. I've lived with this for four years and my wife has worked at our hospital for 22 years. I was a Flight Manager for for a fighter squadron before I retired and all my Flight Docs work at the hospital. We had friends in very high places running research for us. Unfortunately, RSD tends to be a dumping groud for doctors who cannot figure out what is causing your pain. Therefore good doctors tend to make the diagnosis too late for the spinal block. THERE IS HOPE! I am living proof. Most pain doctors are also anesthesiologists so that is an excellent route to go. Also get in with a therapist (both physical and mental) who deals specifically with RSD patients. Trust me when I say you cannot do this alone. Now you have friends out here who will always be around to solicit advice from or just lend a friendly ear. Be safe my friend and our prayers and thoughts go with you. God Bless and Peace.
General
USAF Retired