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Originally Posted by Uncertain
I have CRPS, the cold hand type. I do not have burning pain, but pain that feels like a bolt is being stabbed through my wrist by the top wrist bone. When it swells, it is hard to move and is achy most of the time. When I get flare ups, the swelling feels like my circulation is cut off and the above pain is 10 times worse. Sometimes the pain encompasses the whole top of my hand, both sides of my wrist, up my arm and sometimes makes my neck and back ache. Nothing gets rid of the pain. It can last for days off and on during the day and sometimes at night. Gabapentin helps with the everyday pain and the nerve pain, but does not help with the flare ups and achy pain. The mementine also helps with the everyday pain but not the achy pain during the flare ups. I am allergic to antidepressants. I am allergic to lidocaine too. Does anyone have any ideas that worked for them? I am going to go to a pain psychologist, but I don't think that will get rid of this pain. I don't know what to do next. I am in the beginning stages, so I know it can be a lot worse. It is hard to imagine, but I know it can be worse.
I have other medical issues in addition to the CRPS in my wrist. I get confused on which one is causing the pain. The CRPS or the medical issues? Since the medication doesn't help with the flare ups, then is it the other medical issues causing the pain?
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Very sorry to hear of your fairly new diagnosis, it is never a good thing to hear. BUT thankfully there are these forums full of people who do know what we are all going through daily and can offer suggestions.
I have CRPS in my hands and it is no where near the degree of seriousness from what I have read on here and other forums, but it is my pain nonetheless, a pain I never had before. I have endured 10 hand surgeries between both hands in 3 1/2 years, multpile cortisone injections (which caused more pain) tried many pain med's (which I refuse to take narcotics, to afraid of them) so i take Topamax and Cymbalta for pain. I see a pain mngmnt Dr. and have had 8 Stellate ganglion injections (which have helped some, but not enough to continue having a needle jammed into my neck). I was issued a Tens Unit which sends electrical surges through wires/patches to the affected area to stimulate the nerves.
I have the cold sensation in my hands but not all of the time. I have burning on fire feeling with pin prickling but at any given moment the hands go ice cold and numb. Although they hurt, I am told it is super important to continue to massage them and stretch them, to keep them from getting imobile. Some people cannot do that due to their pain level, I can, with extreme pain for the aftermath. There is no one right medication, no one right treatment as we all respond differently to everything. It is a lifelong illness, one that we have to mentally accept sooner than later because we need our mental strength to make up for the loss of our physical loss and cope with our limitations. It is a daily, hourly struggle, but as I said, thank goodness for these forums. Whatever you do, do not give up hope that you will find a way to manage the pain, it may take time, and there may be better days than others, but hang in there and ask any questions you may have!!! Good luck!
