RSD & hypothyroidism
 

Hi, everybody:

I would like to know if RSD can cause hypothyroidism.

If anyone knows about Internet documents showing a link between these two syndromes, please share them so I can get educated and educate my doctors as well.

Thank you very much for your help.

Oh no, no answer again! Am I the only RSD patient on this forum to have hypothyroidism?! If yes, puh-lease say so, so I do not come back here, expecting an answer and being very, very disappointed when there is none. It is PURE HELL to live with generalized RSD, AND epilepsy, AND hypothyroidism! So, someone, please help!

I am relatively new to RSD (diagnosed in May and started symptoms in December 2010). I don't have hypothyroidism. I am interested to see if anyone else has something to say. I just wanted you to know I was here. :) Btw, what is "generalized RSD"?

J

Hi, 6kiddos:

Generalized RSD is the technical term for full body RSD. There are two kinds of generalized RSD: external (which does not touch the internal organs) and internal (which does touch the internal organs). I have reached stage 3. Hopefully, I will never reach stage 4 because, like my anesthesiologist and pain management doctor said, stage 4 is equivalent to a "death sentence".

Thanks for being there, 6kiddos. I am really scared because it seems like my hypothyroidism came out of nowhere. I blame my generalized RSD for "attacking" my thyroid, the same way it "attacked" (or spread to) my lungs and gastro-intestinal tract. This is why I would have appreciated an answer to my original message to be absolutely sure RSD spread to my thyroid also.

Thanks Kitty.
I guess I have never heard it called "generalized RSD" before. I am sorry it is so bad for you. Mine moved from the right foot to the left within the first month and a half...though at the time we didn't know it was rsd. lovely. Anyway, since then (Jan-Feb) the burning spread from just my feet and was creeping up my legs to just below my knees. Since my nerve blocks, the burning is much less (though it seems it has been increasing again). I also have to wonder if it has spread to my akles and lower legs. They hurt as bad as my feet at times and today they hurt more. =( Oh well, right?

I hope someone can answer your question. goodnight.

J

Kitty, why not try changing your settings so you'll get Instant Notification (it's at the bottom each time you post)? Then you'll know if you've gotten a response without checking in.

Try not to worry when you don't get a response right away. A lot of us just check in intermittently. This forum moves slowly enough that your question usually won't get totally buried and you'll hopefully get your answer within a few days.

To answer your question, no, I don't have hypothyroid, but I have CRPS-Type II and it's localized in my left leg.

Good luck!

Dear Kitty;

I do not have hypothyroidism.... I'm sorry that I have not replied sooner. generalized/full RSD is complicated... So what does stage 4 RSD consist of??

Soft hugs...

Kathy

RSD and fingernail loss
 

I am new to this support group. I have had the RSD diagnosis since an auto accident in August 2009, by a man who who had no insurance!! Just my luck!! Over two years of dealing with this disability and I still often have times I just want it GONE!! The RSD is in my entire right arm (i.e., shoulder, arms, hand, and fingers). I am one of the "rare cases" that has mirroring in my left hand also. The original injury/damage was to the right upper quadrant of my body because that was the only arm on the steering wheel at the time of the accident.
I am a psychologist for a school system, and I missed almost an entire year of work (2009-2010). I then returned to work full-time this previous year. I am back to needing P.T. again because my shoulder is freezing up again. The part that really "ticks me off" is that the driver that caused the accident has no frigging idea what I will deal with for the rest of my life. I am on several pain, depression, and anxiety medications because my pain level is usually about a 7 or 8.
As the title to the post indicates, I realize that I am slowly losing my fingernails. The white portion is increasing back over the "quick." Does any other RSD patients have the same thing? :(

Hello Irish4luck, I have had RSD for approx. 8 months or so.. Mine is from knee surgeries (both knees), and mine started in my feet then moved to other parts of my body. I have had and am still having problems with my toenails. Two of them are loose?! I told my doctor about it and he said that that can be for some people, normal symptoms. Oh joy of joy! Don't you agree? Just wanted you to know you are NOT alone and please post and ask questions on here as much as you want and/or need to. Someone will always respond or just give you a cyber :hug: I hope that my lovely toenails give you some peace of mind.:) Karen67

Hi, 6kiddos:

I think I was really, really stupid and this saddens me. Why? My Duragesic (fentanyl) patches and my MSIR (morphine sulfate immediate release) were controlling my icy and burning pain so well that I assumed my RSD could not and would not spread anywhere. How wrong I was! How stupid I was! Now my RSD is generalized. Not only it is external, but it is now internal also. My RSD started "attacking" the following internal organs: brain, lungs, and thyroid. What organ is next? My heart? Another organ? If it continues this way, my RSD is going to end up killing me. I do not know if RSD can be a deadly syndrome when it attacks certain organs, but I do not want to die. I only have one life and I want to enjoy it as much as I can.

Thanks for your answer and kind words. I sincerely hope your RSD will never spread to your whole body and attack your internal organs. A nurse practitioner and other health care professionals told me it was quite rare for RSD to become generalized and attack organs, so hopefully you are safe.

Hi, keepsmilin:

Quote: "So what does stage 4 RSD consist of??"

A document titled "Spread of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)", written by H. Hooshmand, M.D. and Eric M. Phillips, from the Neurological Associates Pain Management Center in Vero Beach (Florida), says the following about stage 4 of RSD:

STAGE IV:

1) Failure of the immune system, reduction of helper T-cell lymphocytes and elevation of killer T-cell lymphocytes.

2) Intractable hypertension changes to orthostatic hypotension.

3) Intractable generalized edema involving the abdomen, pelvis, lungs, and extremities.

4) Ulcerative skin lesions which may respond to treatment with I.V. Mannitol, I.V. Immunoglobulin, and ACTH treatments. Calcium channel blockers such as Nifedipine may be effective in treatment.

5) High risks of cancer and suicide are increased.

6) Multiple surgical procedures seem to be precipitating factors for development of stage IV.

Stage IV is almost the flip side of earlier stages, and points to exhaustion of autonomic and immune systems. Ganglion blocks in this stage are useless and treatment should be aimed at improving the edema and the failing immune system. Sympathetic ganglion blocks, alpha blockers, including Clonidine, are contraindicated in stage IV due to hypotension. Instead, medications such as Proamantin (midodrin) are helpful to correct the orthostatic hypotension.

[B]Stages[B] Stage IV: Irreversible disturbance of plasticity; autonomic failure
Signs/Symptoms Systemic autonomic failure; visceral edema; irreversible low BP; MRSA; elephantiasis; cancer

This is all I have as information about stage 4. I might have more information at home. I will check tonight. Of course, I do not understand all the technical terms used in this document.

Thanks for your kind words.

Karen 67: Thank you for the moral support!
 

Karen67:
Thank you for the post. When I posted my first time, I wasn't sure why I did it, I just knew that I had to do it. This is especially true when I realized tonight after a shower that I'm losing not only my fingernails but my toesnails first. I guess this has been a pretty bad week regarding my symptoms. My hands are so darn cold all the time. To the outside world, I "look fine." My close friends know when I'm having a significantly painful day because they told me that they can "tell by looking into my eyes." The pain is very apparent. Cyber hugs would be very much appreciated. My 22 year old son and his fiance moved out this past weekend so I'm alone now. I know that I'll be on this site more and more, especially during the winter time when my symptoms in my hands and arms are at there worst!
Yes, you did give me some peace of mind. You'll never know how much that means to me right now. :hug:

Hi Irish4luck,

I see you are a visitor. Please join for some much needed support. I have just spoken to a friend who is also a school psychologist, also injured in a car accident. He is in his second remission. He would love to offer you support. If you pm me I can give you his e-mail address.

Better days are ahead for you!!!!!!

i am so happy that i could give you some comfort Iris
 

Hi Irish4luck, funny how things work out sometimes... I am in a horrific flair right now and was not going to visit the site tonight. Then when I did and I saw your reply, it made me feel so good.:hug: THANK YOU. Really. Its funny, but sometimes we don't understand the full impact that we have on each other until we read a post and it just makes everything seem like I can do this! I can and will have a happy and full life even with this satanic disease. I am so happy that my screwball toenails let you know that you ARE NOT alone, ever. Please join us on here and we can hold each other up when one of us is down. BIG gentle *hugs*. <3 Karen67

You are not alone. Just joined. Glad to know I am no alone.
 

Hi. I just joined this. I have been diagnosed and treated for hypothyroidism for over 35 years. And have had RSD for almost 11 years which is now spreading. Living Hell is putting it mildly. You are NOT alone.

You are not alone. Just joined. Glad to know I am no alone.
 

Hi. I just joined this. I have been diagnosed and treated for hypothyroidism for over 35 years. And have had RSD for almost 11 years which is now spreading. Living Hell is putting it mildly. You are NOT alone.

This is wonderful. Truly. Approaching something Shinzen Young http://www.shinzen.org/ refers to as "happiness independent of conditions."

Mike

RSD and Hypothyroidism
 

I have both conditions my RSD coming second. Im very overweight and for the last 4 weeks have been dieting and walking for exercise and the weight is not coming off :confused: I have heard that RSD causes weight gain but have not researched if it can keep you from losing weight. I will be now!!! My RSD started in right wrist after surgical removal of a cyst and has spread up the arm, shoulders and now to the left arm and hand as well. Hope this info helps and its off to Google I go.....:hug:

It's a vicious cycle. I started a thread about Dr. Hooshmand's 4 Fs diet a few weeks ago, so I won't repeat myself, but we do experience hormonal changes related to RSD that can be exacerbated by our food choices. You might also want to check out the Weight Loss Forum here as well.

:Heart: Wow.. thank you Michael. I think I am caught in a beautiful circle of joy. :circlelove: Karen