Thanks Sandy for mentioning the burning!

This is another reason I don't use the patch every week. The directions tell you to change patch placement when removing one patch and putting on a new one. There is ONLY one area that gives me good results, and by about day 5 of the patch my skin starts getting red, and sensitive (you can see a red rectangle up to a week after removal, and this sensitivity seems to increase the more often I use them)... When I first started using them, I made the mistake of using the same spot two weeks in a row, and severe itching and burning were added to the mix.

Use alcohol to clean the adhesive remnants after removal, soap and water are not enough!

For me, the benefits outweigh the side effects for special, flare inducing occassions. The next time I use one I'm planning to set an alarm on my iPhone to remove the sucker at 5 days.

In regards to shopping for a new doc, I'd sit down and prioritize your needs. Unless you're graced with remission, this relationship can make the difference between coping with RSD and hopeless misery.

My PM doc is not an RSD specialist, nor does he run a pain clinic. He's an orthopedic surgeon that began focusing on pain patients as his practice matured. He is knowledgeable about RSD and has a few other RSD patients. Frankly, docs that specialize in RSD (or regular pain clinic docs) can't dedicate the amount of time and attention my doc does. I'm scheduled as the last patient before lunch, or at the end of the day, so if I need more attention during an appointment, it won't throw their whole schedule off for the day. We can strategize how to introduce new meds and treatments, deal with fun new symptoms (woo-hoo, not!), fine tune my med dosages and schedules, etc. etc. etc.! Sometimes I'm in and out in 15 minutes, sometimes he'll spend an hour with me, but it's almost always based on my needs, not on his. Every once in a while they'll explain he has an obligation, but they offer to then bring me back a week or two later if required. This kind of doc won't appeal to everyone, but he's been great for me.

There are docs that dictate to their patients, and there are docs that will allow their patients to dictate their own course of treatment. Be wary of both extremes if you decide it's time to look into replacing your current doc/s.