Hi, Im Nat. Im 22 years old and live in East Sussex in England. Just signed up.

About 18 months ago I was bitten on the wrist by my grandmothers (very old!) dog. The wrist healed up fine physically, but the pain never really went away. About a month after the bite, my wrist swelled right up and I wasnt able to move it. The doctor I saw wasnt my normal one, and he diagnosed it as tendinitis, gave me anti-inflamatories, and sent me on my way saying it should heal itself within a couple of weeks.

Well those couple of weeks went by and although the swelling lessened, the pain was still there so went back to my own doctor. Once again, I was given anti-inflamatories and told to come back in a month if it wasnt better, and to rest it as much as possible. The swelling finally went down but I was still unable to move the wrist properly and it hurt a lot!

Went back to the doctor, who still believed it was tendonitis and sent me to see a physiotherepist. She told me right away that she didnt think the doctors diagnosis was correct and gave me some excersizes to do to improve the movement in the wrist, and she also gave me a splint to wear whenever it was painful and at night. Within a couple of weeks she sent me back to the doctor saying there was no improvement and suggested looking further into it.

Over the next few months I was given tramadol for the pain, and sent to the local hospital for an xray (while still being told to splint the wrist as much as possible to prevent the tendons being injured further). The xray showed nothing unusual so they sent me for a blood test to rule out any infection. This came back clear too, so I was booked in for an MRI.

They strap the limb in place for an MRI and this was one of the most painful things they'd ever done. by this time it had been over year since the first doctors appointment, but as usual, the MRI scan also came back clear! so the hospital just sent me to another physiotherepist, and I went back to my own doctor.

The first appointment with this physio was a complete disaster. He pulled my wrist about and said to keep moving it and come back and see him in a weeks time. A couple of days later I had an appointment with my doctor, and he game me the diagnosis of RSD... but he didnt explain anything to me, he just told me to go on the internet and research it. He also said he would contact the physio and make sure this was taken into account. He also started me on Amatrpitalyn (sp?), 2 weeks on 1 tablet at night then 2 weeks on 2 tablets at night. So far its not had an effect, but I see the doctor again in a few days time.

My second physio appointment was a few days ago. I asked him about RSD and what it means and his explaination was "the brain thinks your arm hurts so we have to retrain it" and he once again made me go through a load of excersizes while pressing on my wrist and moving it about which is extremely painful! and at the end of the session he said "Well its obviously getting better because you dont look like you're in as much pain now as you did when we started". I was not very pleased and told him I was in a lot more pain now, and he didnt respond.

I have an appointment with the physio again tomorrow which im dreading, then friday im seeing my own doctor again and seeing another doctor at the hospital next tuesday!

Well thats my story so far... Im glad I finally have a real diagnosis, even if it isnt a good one. and im very glad there are others who understand, because my family and friends certainly dont... They think a few painkillers and everything will be back to normal! I just wish it were that easy!!