Hello All,

I'm Redraidermom! I am from Texas and am a newly divorced single mother of three amazing daughters. I was diagnosed with CRPS in May 2010 by a pain management doctor. I currently see my PM doctor and a psychiatrist for anxiety/sleep meds.

In 2000 I was in a car accident and injured my back. Then in 2009 I was in a car accident where C3-4-5 were herniated, thorasic 6-7 herniated, and some bulging discs in my lumbar. 3 months later, in December (right after Christmas), I had an accident in the kitchen. I got up at 3am to get some water, and slipped in a watrer puddle on the tile flooring, and slid through the kitchen, and used my right arm/hand to brace my fall on a door way. I snapped back, hurt some cracking noises, and fell on my back with my arm outstretched. I broke my right hand (which my PM dr believes is the primary cause of my CRPS), and tore the posterior labral cuff in my shoulder. The cuff tear has resulted in 3 cysts sitting on the suprascapular nerve (I think it's the nerve that runs through the collar bone). My Ortho Dr won't repair my shoulder right now bc the tear "frayed" due to physical abuse from my ex husband (he used to pull my arm behind my back), so I have limited range of motion in my right shoulder/arm. The tingling started in my neck initially, and then worked its way down to my collar bone, shoulder, elbow, and hand. Now, the tingling is in my face, jaw, and head, and sometimes my scalp feels like it's crawling!

My teeth became hypersensitive shortly after, and it often feels like an ice pick is picking away at my teeth. Due to this sensitivity, I lose 80 lbs in one year, and this is what led up to my diagnosis...The temp outside always affects my limbs, teeth, and everything else! I sweat a lot and get really cold, my hand has a minor atrophy, and my joints ache. I suffer from debilitating migraines...they are nearly constant and I get no relief. I used to take Elavil for them, however, due to weight gain, I tapered off that drug and the migraines have returned with a vengance!

I am in constant pain! My whole face, jaw, neck, and head tingle, zap, and shoot! The tension in my neck/muscles in that area cause major spasms! It is pretty nerve wracking! My medicine regimen includes:

Gabapentin 800 x4 daily
Tramadol 50mg x 4 daily
Advil 200mg x4 daily with tramadol
Tylenol Arthritis 650 mg x4 daily with tramadol
Zanaflex 4mg x 3 daily for spasms

In addition, because I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety, I take:
Xanax XR 2mg (24 hour release xanax)
Trazadone 75 mg at night for sleep

The gabapentin side effects are terrible. I am so forgetful! I have memory loss, confusion, i'm kinda clumsy now, and my thought process is much slower now. Most of the other side effects are no longer existant, but the memory thing has stayed for the long haul. I have taken Lyrica before, and It worked SO well, but bc It was so expensive on my previous insurance, I quit taking it. I have new health insurance now, so I think I might ask my dr to dc the gabapentin and start the lyrica in its place.

The migraines are hell. I am looking into topamax, and I see my pain dr soon, so I will talk with him about it. I HAVE to find something to help my migraines before I LOSE my mind.

So, that's me ina nutshell! My body feels totally WACK and I hate it! I wish the pain would go away! I am looking at getting back into PT for my neck and hand because it did work! I got divorced earlier this year and went through a huge financial and job transition, so I am still getting back up on my feet.