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Originally Posted by catra121
I am very sorry to hear that you have RSD. Your story sounds very similar to mine in the beginning...I was diagnosed at about 6 months after being bounced around from one doc to the next. The sympathetic blocks are a common first step. They didn't help me but a lot of people do get relief from them.
The important thing (in my opinion) is to make sure that you push yourself to keep moving and to get into physical therapy ASAP (if you are not already in it). Believe me...I truly understand how painful it is but if you immobilize or try to protect your RSD limbs then they will only continue to get worse (if you can even imagine that). Even if you can only move a little right now...it is important to do what you can. And avoid ice at all costs...that is very bad for RSD and I know in my case the doctors had me icing for a long time until I got diagnosed with RSD and I think that is part of what made me so bad so fast.
But I just want you to know that things can and will get better. You have a little girl and that will hopefully be great motivation to keep you fighting. I hope the blocks work for you...but if they don't just realize that there are other treatments out there to try. I highly recommend trying a TENS unit (especially if you are in physical therapy) and if that works then asking the doctor to write a script for you to get a portable one. That was the main reason I was able to make it through physical therapy this time around. Again...doesn't work for everyone but it is worth a shot.
And tDCS is a newer treatment out there that people have had success with...and it is not invasive and has little to no side effects. There's a long thread about it on here that I highly recommend reading from the first post to the last. It has filled me with a lot of hope and I can only hope it will do the same for you. RSD is a horrible thing to be diagnosed with but it doesn't have to mean that your life is over.
Good luck...and feel free to ask any questions or vent...whatever you need. This site is flled with wonderful, caring people.
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Thanks for info.. Ice has hurt because it makes area "burn" more but hadn't heard that shouldnt use so thanks for that info..I see many talk about lidocaine patches and I tried those (had some from my back) and it made it more painful too. Tried tens unit at chiropractor several times in november and didn't seem help but I will try again, since so many people have had relief from. Have tried numerous times with back and electrical "shock" that it makes made pain worse..
I am worried that the recent knee surgery will make RSD worse..