Hello all -

My name is Vicky and live in Cadillac Michigan. I was just diagnosed today with CRPS type 1. I fell back in January and was diagnosed with a wrist that was fractured in 2 places. Was sent to a local bone specialist. After 2 visits with him, he sent me off for a MRI. About a week later, he called me personally to tell me that I had a torn ligament and he was sending me to Traverse to a hand/wrist specialist. This was about a month after my fall, and by then I was beginning to think that I was going crazy. My hand would swell, turn red/purple and my whole arm up to my elbow was on fire. It was bizarre, and I couldn't figure it out. This far in, it should not still hurt. Let alone hurt more then it did when I first fell. I was beginning to think that I was nuts. I would get comments from people about what a low pain tolorance I must have, even from my best friend. These are the same people that would mention that my hand was purple or red. I saw the hand specialist last week, and spent some time with him at which point he thought that the pain was from carpel tunnel, and wanted me to go for the nerve test. Meanwhile, I was asking my original specialist for a refill on my pain med (vicodine). I get a nasty message from his nurse yesterday about how this was the last time (please keep in mind this was the 3rd script at 30 pills per and 1-2 every 6 hrs as needed since the accident). And if I needed FURTHER narcotics that I needed to contact my pcp or the specialist. Here I didn't ask my specialist last week for meds. I was just trying to ride it out - thinking that one dr should manage my meds. That way there would be no confusion. It was like I was a drug addict. I type alot with my job, and yesterday (it wasn't the first but definitely the worst) day my arm was on fire! Nothing would make it feel better, I was crying - it was just awful. Today, I go to for my nerve test, and see a new dr. She listened, and examined me. At which point she proceeded to tell me that we would not be having the test, that I had RSD and the good news was that we caught it early. Now, tomorrow I am having the first in a series of 5 nerve blocks. Not to mention my mri did show some problems so now I still see the specialist, and have a new doctor. She told me this, and I started to cry because I really thought I was going crazy! She kept saying things like "remission" "agressive treatment" and so forth. Then I came home, and looked it up. Now, I am scared to death and freaking out about the block tomorrow. My other wrist hurts, and has been for a couple of weeks, thinking I was compensating and that was why. Not so relieved now that I have read a bit. More scared than anything. Wondering if anyone else has felt that way? Also, where would you go for real research and to get the facts. Thank you for listening to me. I appreciate it!

Vicky