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Old 01-18-2013, 08:05 PM
giapet giapet is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicago
Posts: 9
10 yr Member
giapet giapet is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicago
Posts: 9
10 yr Member
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I'm so sorry things are rocky. My SO isn't affected, but my mother was diagnosed with CRPS nearly 15 years ago. I was young when it happened, and back then, they didn't really know what they were doing. They just loaded her up on pain medication to the point of serious addiction, and it was pretty rough. It remained that way for a long time. Her relationships with my dad, family, and friends were all very, very strained. She hardly slept at night, and when she slept during the day, it was usually because she was stoned out of her mind because she couldn't deal with the pain. It took some ugly situations before things started to get better, and at the same time, her CRPS got worse.

In recent years, my mom had a spinal cord stimulator placed, which helped with pain, and more recently, a pain pump when the CRPS started to spread above the stimulator's area of focus.

What's helped her most, though, have been two things. One, having a doctor who understands and knows what he's doing. He has been a great pillar of support for my mom. The second, required weekly sessions with a psychiatrist who specializes in pain management and issues stemming from chronic pain. If your wife has neither of those, I urge at least for the latter, if she's willing.

I don't know how much this post helps. I felt very alone for a long time, as my family was quiet about the issue, and my mom only leaned on me for support. It's good to find your own support, as well, so you're not running around screaming inside of your own head.

I hope this helps! Good luck.
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