Quote:
Originally Posted by Darren
Hi Everyone, I'm new here. I'm looking for help. I was burned last year on my forearm while on vacation summer of 09. The burns were 3rd degree. A buffet table at a very famous hotel in Las vegas blew hot steam and boiling water all over me. My right arm taking most of the damage.
I went back and forth to doctors for about a year before the pain became to much for me to handle. I had to have surgery on my right forearm to relieve the pressure on my radial nerve from scare tissues.
That surgery was a bust. My surgeon saw once he got in the damage was worse than he thought. He told me in my recovery room that I would have to have another surgery, this time take a piece of the sural nerve out of my leg.
I know may also have rsd, but my doctor told me he doesn't think so. As a percaution he sent me to a Pain management doctor. I'm taking 600 mg of Gabapentin 3x a day . It seems as though it is getting worse. Every time i pick my foot off the ground I'm in pain . I don't know what to do, It has been 3 months since the surgery.
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Welcome Darren, So sorry to hear of your situation and pain. RSD is a very difficult disorder to diagnose. Mine began immediately following surgery to remove two benign tumors, but wasn't diagnosed for 4 years. I did begin physical therapy immediately after the surgery for frozen shoulder. Went into remission after a year of therapy. The remission didn't last-the rsd moved to opposite shoulder. more therapy and another remission. Then rsd moved to left hand. Lost half of range of motion to left hand-like a claw-frozen. I flew a couple states away to see sport injury orthopedic hand dr. and in 1 minute he said rsd. Nuclear med test confirmed it. He ordered tens unit and therapy.
I came back home and saw a neurologist and hand ortho -both confirmed rsd and continued therapy. Didn't get full use of hand but kept my right hand from deforming. Then spread to both feet-full body or generalized and now internal spread.
There is no cure for rsd. A website I like is rsdrx.com puzzles list- Dr. Hooshmand from Florida practiced 40 years on rsd. He is retired now, but kept his website up. under puzzles list, there are 150 questions or puzzles with his answers.
RSD is a lifelong issue-very expensive disorder-therapy, pain meds, psychiatrist, treatments, add up over the years. Because yours, if you have rsd, was caused by the burn and or the surgery following the burn, have you thought of filing for reimbursement for your expenses? If you choose to do that, you have a time frame in order to file in a timely manner. Most states are two years, I believe. An attorney can tell you what the law is in Nevada.
One way to find a RSD Dr. is to find a local RSD support group. They usually know an informed physician in the area. Many go outside their area to go to a good Doc. Also the national organization for RSD has a place to put your zip code and they will give you the closest RSD Dr. The mayo clinic has some good information on the disorder under conditions and diseases.
There are a lot of well informed, compassionate, kind friends here on NT. People who really care and support one another.
Take care , one of your new friends, loretta