Hi. I'm a new member and about to tell my life story. Hang on for the ride.
In Spring 2000 I fell at work knocked unconscious and when I awoke both shoes were off my feet due to the impact. I was rushed to the hospital and thankfully nothing was broken. Only a HUGE bruise on my entire thigh. Off work for a week. Within 2 weeks I felt electric like shocks in my ankle/thigh areas. Assumed it was just a result of the fall so I ignored it. 6 weeks later went to an ortho who promptly casted the leg due to soft tissue damage that was left undetected at the hospital.
6 weeks later cast was removed, still complaints of electric shock feeling and the leg was reddish. The doc then mumbled something about hoping I didn't have RSD. Returned to work.
4 months later still having the electric shocks, swelling etc so WC authorized an MRI showing the peroneal nerve by the knee was crushed. Off to a nerve guy in the city who recommended nerve surgery on the peroneal nerve and the femoral cutaneous nerve (which was also crushed). At this point the pain was almost unbearable. WC refused to authorize the surgery until a year had passed from the onset of the injury. The surgeon told my husband he did not feel the surgery was going to work after he got in there and saw the damage. He also said because the insurance company procrastinated the chances of nerve regrowth diminishes greatly after 1 yr from the injury.

FF to 27 doctors and IMEs. It's been a freaking nightmare. The RSD/CRPS has spread to include my back and the right side of my body. The redness has not gotten worse but I tore the meniscus in my knee requiring surgery in March 2010 and that has now worsened. I need a total knee replacment but they won't do it because of the CRPS. I'm left with drop foot and the sciatica is now damaged due to the crushed/severed peroneal nerve.
Sent to ankle specialist who couldn't believe I was still standing because as he put it, "there's nothing left in the ankle to perform surgery less much else".

They tried lumbar injections however I was the 1% that was left with temporary paralysis in my right leg so they put a halt to those. SCS is out of the question. I am anaphylatic to narcotic pain meds so that leaves me with Toradol (glorifed Excedrin as I call it).
I long for my old life and I'm now in pain counseling trying to deal with this mess. Add in Worker's Compensation and their games and it only makes it worse. I am thankful to have a drop foot brace and a back brace on the days I can stand them. I have a cane and a wheelchair but at this point I fight them every step of the way.
The pain can be unbearable but I'm working on it. Sometimes when it's so bad and someone touches me it feels as if they're bruising me and most days the right side feels like it's on fire. Does anyone else have that kind of pain with RSD?