Hello! I usually post on the TOS board; I asked some questions here a few weeks ago, as my doc thinks I may have CRPS II in the early stage, but didn't get much response, so thought I'd try again with just one question!

Can RSD/CRPS have a gradual onset? I have all the typical symptoms: burning, redness, warmth, allodynia, swelling, sweating...but they are all very intermittent. The allodynia only occurs occasionally, with one or two patches of skin that it seems to reoccur on. I've started Lyrica 75 mg 3xday, and since then I haven't had as much of the sweating and extreme warmth in the arm, but it does still feel like I have a bed buddy hanging from my shoulder sometimes. The hot/swelling/sweating started with one episode about 4-5 months ago, then came back with three more episodes in the space of one weekend...that was about 6 weeks ago, and doc started me on the Lyrica right away.

I guess I thought that RSD would hit hard and fast...not this gradual stuff...which makes me wonder if it's just nerve irritation from the TOS.

Okay, I'll try one more question: Doc wants to do a stellate ganglion block, but last August I had a fusion done with hardware at C5-7, which is exactly where the block is done. I'm not too keen on the idea of messing around in that area with a needle, which could introduce infection or something else. Anybody have experience with an SGB following cervical fusion with hardware? I asked my physical therapist about it today, and she was a little concerned, too...

Thanks for any advice that anyone's willing to give!