Hi all, I have been lurking for about a year and must now post to share the success of a deep brain stimulation treatment that I recently had. Writing is extremely difficult for me due to cognitive impairment by CRPS so please bear with me. After the frustration of one more physician suggesting I see a psychiatrist for what I, through my own research knew was autonomic and limbic dysfunction directly related to CRPS, I did what I have done for two years, my own research to help myself. Since I am already doing mirror therapy and graded motor imagery to address cortical reorganization, I began looking at ECT and related treatments. I came upon a clinical trial on tCDS (transcranial Cortical Deep Stimulation. Since I was too late to join the clinical trial I requested to receive the treatment on an outpatient basis. I went to Beth Israel in New Your City the first week in February and received the treatment for five days. The down side is that my health insurance did not cover it because it is experimental). The up side is that I had a dramatic positive response to the treatment: Increased mental clarity, decrease in daily pain range from 5 to 8 out of ten to 2 to 6 out of ten, increased range of motion, improvement in balance and coordination, decrease in ice cold limb, elimination of tremors, bladder problems returned to normal and many more subtle improvements. This treatment is non-invasive, painless and there are only minimal side effects (fatique, headache) which quickly vanish after treatment. There are no long term side effects and the treatment may be repeated indefinitely. I was cautioned that this treatment, like ketamine and blocks, wears off over time. I jokingly told Drs. Knotkova and Cruciani that I should get a 9 volt battery, some electrodes, sponges and saline solution and treat myself. My plan now is to either convince my PM physician to become trained and offer the treatment in his practice (in my dreams) or purchase the equipment and treat myself. The Research conducted by Dr Helena Knotkova and Dr. Ricardo Cruciani is due to be published in March. When I asked how soon this treatment would be routinely available to patients I was told 5-10 years. That's not good enough for me.

Getting very tired so I must go. Will post other non traditional and experimental treatments that have greatly help me. Many thanks to the useful info I have received from this community. I feel like I already know mike and greatly miss the input of Vic who is deceased. Hope this helps!!!!!