Recently Diagnosed..
 

I was just recently diagnosed as having crps. I was forced to go to 4 different doctors and finally went to my first pain managment appointment monday. Every DR. agreed on what I have. I was wondering if maybe anybody could give me advice on a few different things. First off, this happened after I had surgery on my wrist through a workers compensation injury. Any advice on dealing with workers comp and rsd? Its spread from my wrist up my whole arm already. My biggest question... I'm only 26. Im so scared of a life of this. How do you handle this emotionally and mentally without falling apart? My dr has told me this was ignored for too long by my surgeon and theres no chance of it ever going into remission. I wanted to be able to talk to real people who deal with this instead of different drs who all have a million different opinions and websites which just confuse me more.

Liz

We been dealing with WC for 5 years with RSD* and its been REALLY HARD. I hope you can find AN RSD lawyer to help you.

Well, mine is not W.D. issue, but my CRPS happened from wrist surgery too.
I've tried lots of treatment and mine is not in remission but has greatly improved. So there is hope! Everyone is different with this awful disease so try everything you are able to so you can find what works for you.
My original site (hand and wrist) is not nearly as bad as it once was but yet I too feel it spreading past my elbow (pins & needles, aching) feelilng so far.
For me the nerve blocks and physical therapy with pain meds. have been the best combo. Please take extra vitamin C and Magnesium to help prevent the spreading.:hug:

Hi Liz :) sorry you're here with CRPS, but welcome to a really helpful and supportive community. It certainly is a confusing thing to get your head around, but you WILL learn to deal with it and live your life. Try not to panic, it can be managed pretty successfully, but yes you are going to struggle as well. Be prepared to become even more strong, stubborn, resourceful and determined!

In two days time I will have had CRPS for two years after a knee operation the was supposed to 'fix' my knee pain. Amazing how your life can change so quickly... Mine has spread, and I worry about it spreading further, I think the Vit C and Mag advice is good, and there is some medical research to support it. In an effort to state the bleedin' obvious :winky: don't use ice at all, and keep using that arm as much as the pain allows. Try to exercise and keep your body in as good a shape as you can, as weakness makes you more vulnerable to injury and illness - mine has gone a bit flabby and weak over that 2 years, and I'm having to fight hard now to get at least a bit of tone back!

There is a balance to strike with it. You need to learn about this condition so that you can inform the doctors and other medics you see (very few know about it), and you will experiment with meds and treatments to find a combination that helps you day to day. You have to be your own advocate with this, you can't just accept what any doctor tells you about it - too many are not working from a position of specific knowledge, and you will end up knowing more about this than they do. You might need to change doctors, fight to find a good physio, stop a nurse from using a BP cuff or taking a blood sample from your bad arm... It's certainly not an easy ride.

BUT you do learn, you do cope and most of us find that things settle down to a state where we can live our life pretty well. You can overdo the research and the reading and being angry about it. The balance is to keep educated with new thinking, keep in contact with supportive knowledgeable people (check!), but live your life as best you can without concentrating on it every minute of every day. You can enjoy life despite what the CRPS throws at you...most of the time :rolleyes: There are bad patches, and days when the fight is too hard, but you just keep on going.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best :) and when you're learning about it, steer clear of any obviously biased websites, remember that the idea of stages has been proven and accepted as rubbish (some docs still believe it) - and don't look at the pictures on some sites (they can happen, but are the extremes, and you don't need them in your head).

Good luck with everything, and I hope your spread stops where it is!

Bram.

Mine started as a result as surgery as well in my left arm/hand.

It has been a little over a year since I was diagnosed. Mine also went undiagnosed for a while.

I just turned 40 years old in May. I struggle some times thinking this is what my life will be like now. I have found taking things one day at a time helps the most. I try to not think about how things will be in the future, because it will cause stress and anxiety ( which are both going to make things worse) That is not to say I never let that happen, but I make an effort to not do it.

I also take Cymbalta which helps with both pain and the depression.

Hello Liz0323,

I was also diagnosed with CRPS type 2 following nerve damage during hip surgery. So I can sympathize (as many here can) with the devastation this causes in the beginning. When did you first develop symptoms of CRPS? Personally, I wouldn't let what the one doctor said about remission like it is written in stone. The fact is this disease/condition is complex and there truly is no way to accurately predict the progression/regression of it's symptoms for any one individual. Each one of us will be totally unique in how it develops over time. That part can be even more frustrating at times.. just try hard to stay positive and focus on doing as much as you can to help yourself cope.

When I was first diagnosed these are the things I implemented in my daily life:

1. desensitization - done during warm water epsom salt soaks. I used different textures of cloths, body wash, lotion etc., in the attempt to decrease the sensitivity. It also helped me to turn my head and while holding my husbands hand I would gently place it on my leg and then pick it back up again. These things really help.

2. keeping that body part warm. Clothing can be difficult on a CRPS limb. If you try different textures you should be able to find the type of linen that is most comfortable to you. Keeping the limb warm makes it easier to move and causes less pain stimuli.

3. a kitchen timer. I use my kitchen timer to go off every hour to remind me to move the affected limb. Bracing or immobilizing the affected limb does much more harm than good. I started with slow gentle movements for 10 min. every hour and increased as I was able. Spread your fingers, do your desensitization, place a tennis ball under the palm of your hand and roll it on the kitchen table in a circular pattern, pour our a bag of m&m's and sort them by color, move cotton balls from one bowl to another.. whatever you can think of to move your arm and fingers no matter how simple the tasks seem. Incorporate these things into your daily routine.

Ask your doctor about these things:
Lidoderm patches
voltaren gel
medicated compound cream (with ketamine)
gabapentin
nortriptalyne
flexeril
celebrex

Vitamins:
Vitamin C
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B6 & B12
Daily Calcium

Eating a diet full of fresh fruits & veggies, fish & fowl and avoiding processed foods will be beneficial for many reasons.

Stress, fear, lack of movement, excessive heat/cold, lack of sleep are just a few of things that increase pain and make it more difficult to cope mentally. Work with your care team to address sleep issues right away! Just knowing that certain things can increase pain made me much more prepared to deal with it. It is impossible to avoid all things that increase pain but having a "pain plan" in place ahead of time helps. My pain plan is this:

1. close my eyes and think of times of happiness.. try to really think about small details of a vacation (such as what you were wearing) or something else fun you have done.

2. change your surroundings.. even just walking outside/inside and enjoying a different view for a minute helps distract the mind from pain or feelings of hopelessness.

3. call a friend and ask them to tell you a story or share what is going on in their lives. Don't feed your pain by sharing your crisis.. remember you are trying to trick your brain into not feeling the pain so really focus on the other person.

4. take an epsom salt soak
5. go for a walk
6. read an encouraging book

Having a plan really helps.

Try to get into the mindset that this disease will not define you and by doing so you will find ways to work around any pain/limitations it may create. The mountain (CRPS) may be in front of you but it is YOUR JOB to find a way over it, no matter how hard it may be. Never give up!!

Wake up everyday saying "I will defy all the odds"!

God Bless,
Tessa

Thanks for all the positive responses. I just feel like I dont know what to do and it doesnt help that all my doctors are fighting. My original surgeon swears I dont have rsd because I can function in a conversation and that I dont need medication. Today he told me hes going to refer me to a pain dr who wont put me on any medication? I dont understand how there can be such differing opinions on this condition. Im trying everything I can to try to just relax and breathe and let things go but Im so frigging frustrated when it feels like everything is getting worse. After speaking with a lawyer today I found out that it is common knowledge that my original surgeon ignores patients with rsd and even disputes its existence. I dont mean to sound like Im whining, I just feel like I need to get it out there to people who understand. My family is trying to understand but I just get angry with them when they say stuff like go take a nap, youll feel better when you wake up. How can you explain until your blue in the face and your own mother doesnt get it! ugh!
anyway, ive tried nuerontin and lyrica, they both made me majorly sick. The new pm dr i saw said its due to my original medications, that they never should have been added in the first place. Im trying to get healthier as it was recommended that I quit nicotine and caffeine.... not exactly helping my stress either....lol. I'll give the vitamin c and magnesium a try.. does anyone know if they can interact with the medications badly? The pain medicine I was given helps, but if i get up and start moving the pain comes right back. Im scared to tell the dr its not helping, that he'll label me a drug seeker.
I know this post wasnt exactly any questions... I just feel like discussing this stuff with people who understand might help me feel better. I'm so frustrated and I feel like people in my life TRY to understand but just don't. I feel like all the plans I made for when I got older have been thrown out the window and like my life is going to revolve around pill bottles. And oh yeah, today I was told they dont think Ill be able to return to work. I've been out for a month and I feel like I'm going crazy... I just cant imagine a whole entire life like this..

How long has it been since its onset?

A little over two months now, which is why I'm confused as to why one dr told me there's no hope of emission remission? I thought this gave me better odds or remission? As much as I'm whining I do know how lucky I am it was caught that quickly.

A little over two months now, which is why I'm confused as to why one dr told me there's no hope of emission remission? I thought this gave me better odds or remission? As much as I'm whining I do know how lucky I am it was caught that quickly.

A lot sounds confusing
 

Hello Liz,

Well the good news is that you have certainly caught this early and as you know that does offer the best possibility of remission. Now you need a great team of doctors who can help treat you with remission in mind. It sounds a little confusing on who is treating/diagnosing etc., Who diagnosed you with RSD to begin with; was the surgeon or someone who this doctor referred you to? What type of RSD/CRPS do you have; is it a result of identifiable nerve damage? I'm not sure why the doctor stated you can't have RSD because you can have a conversation and don't need meds.. that is confusing because having a conversation or not is not diagnostic in any way regarding RSD/CRPS 1 or 2. Sounds like you need a doctor for your original wrist issues and then another who will treat the RSD/CRPS and they don't need to agree with each other because in all likely hood the surgeon who performed the surgery isn't qualified to treat or diagnose CRPS. I would make sure you have a good team in place.

What was the reason for getting and attorney at this juncture? Was it for the WC case or something related to RSD/CRPS? This can be a tricky place to be in if it was for the latter (at least at this juncture) and I would caution you on this. PM me if you have any questions about that.

Regarding Vitamin C and or magnesium or Epsom Salt baths - no they aren't likely to interact with other medications but always err on the side of caution and check with your pharmacist. If the lidoderm patches are helping keep using them up to 12 hours per day - they help more the longer you use them. You might also ask about Voltaren gel as this compliments the effectiveness of the lidoderm and can be used during the 12 hours off time. Are you in physical therapy?

Try not to think long term about this right now.. focus on healing right now and stay positive about your recovery as this will help get you to remission and worry about life with this will surely inhibit that.

I'm not familiar with WC cases regarding this so I am sorry I cannot comment on that end. I know it can be a struggle but being respectfully persistent with your treating doctors, employer & L&I case manager will be beneficial as you walk that path. Journal your daily activities, pain levels, medications and side effects will also help as you go through this.

Keep moving as best you can and try hard to get plenty of sleep - your body does it's healing when it is sleeping :)

Tessa

Explaining myself a lil better (hopefully)
 

Tessa,
Sorry if it sounded so confusing i tend to jump subjects like that when i get upset. My original surgeon refused to say anything is wrong with me. Ive been diagnosed by two doctors who i saw with my private insurance, as well as a wc nuerologist and the wc pain management dr ive been sent to. My hand surgeon says theres no way i have it since I was able to function in a conversation as in I wasnt in debilitating pain and wasnt dripping sweat down my arm. That since I was able to do more than cry I couldnt possibly have rsd. ( which as far as I understand those are the symptoms of an extreme case...and not to mention does he not understand the strength a person can make themselves have when trying to reviece help?) I went to see the pain dr on monday and he gave me different meds to help including pain medicince and ones to make me able to sleep again. He also warned me that my hand surgeon refuses to admit that rsd exists and Im not the first one to come to him with these complanints of pain being ignored. yesterday when i saw my surgeon, he told me AGAIN ( even after FOUR drs diagnosing it) that I dont have rsd and that I need to see a pain dr who used to be HIS anesthesiologist because I dont need ANY medication, and that I didnt need to do anything except go back to work. That is why I called a lawyer , I was unsure of where I stood. As did I need to go see this new dr my hand surgeon was recommending, or could I choose to stay with who Ive seen as he is the first dr whos really helped me? She isnt getting involved, but she did talk to me on the phone for forty minutes telling me where I stand, what my options are now, and what authority my hand surgeon really has in which drs I go see ( turns out absolutely NONE at this point). I called one who from what it showed in my incessant googling (lol) specializes in rsd and wc and is highly regarded.
The original injury was from work, I do a job thats basically all repetitive motion. I thought I had carpal tunnel, so I claimed a wc case. When i went to see the surgeon, an mri showed that I had a torn ligament in my wrist. The surgery went well, and everything was going good until about a month and a half after, I started having this new EXTREME pain in my wrist. I told my surgeon, and he kept saying it was normal. The pain got worse and traveled up my arm gradually, and its now focused mainly in my elbow but goes all the way to my shouler, with the sensitivity and burning in my hand and recently in my forearm. The dr kept insisting I injured myself in my sleep, even going as far as saying my hand wasnt swollen and blue ( both the nurses I saw ten minutes before both were like OMG something is wrong look at your hand) which is when I decided I needed to be checked out by somebody else.
One dr insisted that he wanted to burn my nerves apart right away, which seemed like he was rushing right to the end. I didnt feel comfortable with that and havent been back to see him. No, no physical therapy has been started but I was shown a bunch of exercises to start trying to do at home and he did recommend to try to do as much as possible. Ive been trying to get up and do more stuff around the house using my arm, Its just been a struggle. My pain is managed if Im not using my arm but as soon as I start trying to get up and do stuff it comes roaring back which makes me just wanna go back to laying down and doing nothing.
Im going to go to the store today and get the vitamins and EPSOM salts and see how those help. I hope this post made a lot more sense lol. I just woke up so I'm completely clear headed and tried to explain myself the best. I guess Im just used to my friends n fam being sick of hearing it so I try to condense stuff down as much as possible.

Two months is early, very early. For that doctor to state that it's too late in the game to go into a remission is an idiot. Stay away from him. It took my wife several years to receive a diagnoses. Don't get jerked around by WC, do not let them play games with you because they will, fight for the treatment you absolutely need now. Get a lawyer.

besides finding the right combination of medications. I would highly advised finding a therapist! The one I worked with did hypnotherapy. No it doesn't make you cluck like a chicken or anything. But it would help center and reground some of my more anxiety type feelings with this condition. You wil have good days and bad, and yes lots of pain. Living with a chronic pain syndrome is very often depressing. And its not something that's "wrong" with you. Having chronic pain will depress anyone at some point. I have CRPS in my left arm so I know how frustrating it can be. I did (VERY gentle) physical therapy to help regain some range of motion. Also learning to adjust your daily life enough to work around your arm is key. And as long as you can do it WITHOUT causing more pain. Try to use the effected limb as much as possible. If you can't don't! However you muscle will start to atrophy and kinda lock up without using it to some degree. It is very hard to learn the balance. My physical therapist told me I needed to stop using it BEFORE it started to hurt more. A very tricky thing to learn trust me. Try and find a specialist in your area who has experience with CRPS and ask them the same things you are asking us.
I am soory to hear you have been diagnosed with this. It is a long hard road but you can find a way to live with it and still have a full life. Remember the more stressed you are the worse the pain will be too. Try to keep calm as much as possible and find a medical team who can work with you!

I am pretty much in the same situation as you...was wondering how you are now since this post is a couple months old and I haven't been on the website. Have you gotten any further? We can message privately if you would like.

Hi Liz

I'm sorry I didn't see your post before now. I am pretty new to CRPS too. Mine developed following wrist surgery in December 2012. I was very luck to have a knowledgeable surgeon. I saw him to have my cast removed six weeks after the surgery and he knew as soon as he saw my hand. I started physiotherapy almost immediately.

To start off with, they physio was nothing more than the therapist gently massaging and 'stretching' my fingers and wrist (though calling it stretching is, well, a bit of a stretch). I have had physiotherapy once a week since then. I have much more mobility now than I did then but I am certainly not at normal mobility levels. The pain is always there but it does fluctuate.

I also found that it spread to my entire arm pretty quickly. I try very hard to stay positive and keep going. I have to say, I haven't really dealt with the idea of having CRPS for the rest of my life. I suppose so far I'm coping with it by not looking too far into the future. I'm not sure that is the best way at all but it is the best I can do for now.

I will say that finding this board has been a great help to me. The people here are fantastic and are always willing to share their knowledge and experience. It seems a bit wrong (and a bit late) to say welcome...but, Welcome!

Kim

Keep a positive outloook. I know it sounds cliche and tripe but it does help. I went almost 10 yrs without a diagnosis until I went to a dr that had seen this before. Military and WC are very alike in that they will try their hardest to pass it off as something else or not as bad or all in your head. Been there done that got the tee shirt and whole outfit many times over. At this early stage you can go into remission and have a healthy normal life. Keep yourself from saying its hopeless. :hug:

Chronic pain
 

If the doctor/medical person has a good experience of advising in this area, then he must know people who are dealing with this.
So tell him/her that you need to talk to these people.

You have to keep fighting this; at least I have to keep fighting it.

Two months is not too late. Generally the younger you are the longer you have but even older people sometimes go into complete remission up to a couple years. It seems as though the trick is learning to deal with it and everything that comes with it.

I was diagnosed 9 months ago ( my foot) accept the fact that you will probably go through a grieving process ( I did) but don't let yourself get caught up in it. tell yourself that you are strong, and that you can beat this. Stay as active as you can. Take vitamin c ( my DR prescribed 500mg twice daily) do your physical therapy, even at home while watching TV ( TV distracts you and you are able to do more repetitions) I even have used foot massage and pedicures. at first they were painful but it is getting better. The emotional benefit of it outweighs the discomfort a bit. If you can tolerate it try a full body massage, and a manicure. eat healthy ( it helps mentally and physically). Hang in there.

Well this year is 13 years for me, and I found that one of the most important things is....use it, or lose it. If you baby it too much you lose the ability to use the area affected. It is painful to use it, but it is always gonna hurt.

It took them 3 and a half years to diagnose me with RSD, and the doctors all didnt agree, and some still dont. But finding a caring doctor will help tremendously! Getting the the right meds that work for you is another thing to be working at.

Life will probably never be the same, but it isnt the end. For me it was the beginning of really getting to know my wife and children, and now grand children LOL!! Before RSD I was a type A driven person with a job that took up most of my time. I only thought I knew my family....well now I can say for sure I do LOL!

You are sooo lucky to have been diagnosed so soon! Seems like your doing the right things. So keep up the good work, and hopefully you will find that right doctor :winky:

Hi Liz,

Welcome and I'm sorry you have rsd. I have had it for over 2 years and it also started in my wrist after a closed reduction in the ER for a broken wrist. It has traveled up my arm and shoulder and spread to left side and right leg and foot. I don't know about workers comp, because I slipped on ice in my own driveway.
I do know that I needed to see a pm dr, neurologist and have pt for 6 months until it stopped helping. My orthopedic dr found out I had rsd about 4 months after my break.
My pm dr said that they don't know who goes into remission and who doesn't. I did have presdnisone which helped a little with swelling and movement. the 8 nerveblocks helped a little with the apprearance, and the pt was helpful with my movement too. My pm dr suggested a putty ball to use in my hand to get movement and strenght back in my hand and pt exercises like pushing my hand against a wall and gently trying to get wrist to bend while doing this helped a little. I still have home exercise program from pt for this and and was told to keep exercising and take meds. I try to take as little meds as I can. I also try not to fall when I walk. They say to try not to break any more bones for fear of spread. On how I dealt with it the constant pain I was first going to a psychologiest to vent. He helped me deal with it better, but it took a while for the shock to wear off and accept what I have.I then wentr to a psychiatrist for anxitety and depresiion meds to help too. I had an ovarian cancer scare in the midst of all this and needed more help. Luckily, I did not have cancer, but I sitll have rsd. They say its incurable but can go into remission. Don't give up hope. And though the unknown is scary, I find that with the help of drs and friends like people on this website and by taking it one day at a time, I can deal with it in a more positive way.I hope the best for you and am here if you need to talk. Please know that you are not alone. The people on this website are wonderful caring friends.

New member who's very freaked out.
 

Hi there,

I'm so glad I found this site and all the great people and info. So I'm in need of doing a little venting because I'm beside myself. On July 13th I hald a fractured talus and a trimalleolar (7 breaks all around the ankle joint). Two days later they tried to cast me but the burning pain on the bottom of my feet was brutal. So I left in a walking boot as my cast. Certain parts of my feet were burning so bad. The baby toe down the side of my foot, my big toe and the are below it on the ball. All of the areas were extremely swollen and red where I got the burning pain. Around 4 weeks the pain started to lessen and by week 6 I had no pain. Prior I did experience the needle like pins and sharp pains.

All along when my foot goes down it would turn purple, elevate it and it goes back to normal color. When I put it down it swells up and turns purple and on the top right around the pinky toe right below it, it starts to pool or sell and then I get the shooting stabbing pains with burning sensation.

I asked my orthopedic about this and he said sounds like rsd/cprs. I went to a neurologist and at the five week mark I had too much swelling, so I went back to her yesterday (almost 11 week) she scheduled me for meg tests for this coming Monday.

I also have an appointment with a pain mgmt clinic on Wednesday. I'm freaking out right now because I appear to have a lot of the symptoms. I will mention that at 8 weeks only one of my 7 bones were starting to heal. The ct scan said diffusers osteopenic probably due to disuse.

So I still have swelling because instill have broken bones. Also when indomthe tinel test I get the positive meaning I van immediately feel the electric shock so I thought maybe could have tarsal tunnel. I can't walk yet and when I try to weight bare the biotin of my foot isnunbearablenwith a sharp pain that alsomfeelsvery fat and pressurized almost like its compressing a nerve.

I apolplogize for the long winded response but I'm really stressed out as I can't seem to get straight answers and Ifimdomhabe it I want to treat it immediately as a week from Saturday is three weeks. My main problems are purple leg when not elevated along with swelling and too painful to pit weight on. Also the underside of the foot in certain places feels extra soft and hyper sensitive. I also have a shiny smooth looking patch of skin where my largest swelling occurred on the inside of the ankle and its still very swollen so I'm not sure if its shiny skin like cprs or just stretched out and smooth.

I sincerely appreciate any and all advice, opinions etc. I am an extremely active healthy or was 37 year old male who needs to be on is feet for work . I'm wondering if its possible I have nerve damage that is causing this or if its cprs. If it is what should my next steps be? Many thanks.

I have included a few pic at different stages. The two red ones of my feet are very recent and that's what happens when they go down.

Hi Jason,

Wow, I hope some of your symptoms have started to calm a bit, or you at least get some answers soon. I know how frustrating and frightening it is when you know something is very wrong but you don't know what, and it takes so LONG to get any answers... All those tests and appointments take forever when you're in pain :rolleyes:

Firstly, I would advise you to post your initial message in a new thread rather than within another, as you'll get more of a response and hopefully reach some folk who can specifically relate to your injuries.

Regarding whether you have CRPS or not....that's a biggie. I don't think any of us here would say that yes you do, because there are still so many things it could be. As you say, some of the symptoms sound very CRPS-like, but others don't. They could be due to something very different. It's important to try to get the right diagnosis. In the meantime, make sure that your docs address any pain you have, because if it does turn out to be CRPS it's important to get on top of that. You could also ask them to consider prescribing a nerve med like amitriptyline, Gabapentin or Lyrica to see if it helps things - it's a useful diagnostic for them.

Take care of yourself, and I hope you get some answers soon!

Bram.

I'm so sorry I didn't realize I posted this here please ignore. Again my sincere apologies

Hey, don't worry about it! :D It's easily done - just go back to the main forum page, and click on 'new thread' on the top left hand side. Then you can name your thread and just repost exactly the same info as you did here (you can copy and paste it).

Keep posting Jason - we all want to help, and just because you don't yet know for definite if you have CRPS doesn't mean you don't need the same support as the rest of us.

Let us know how you get on.

Bram.

Hi Jason,
I'm sorry you are hurting.
I'm not a dr but got rsd a few years ago in my right wrist and it spread to my hand and shoulder within about 4 months of being diagnosed. My skin was shiny, I had excessive hair and nail growth on tht backof my hand and wrist and upmy arm which stopped just below my elbow. I had extreme swelling and it went from dark purple to red and then also more normal looking when elevated. My otherpedic dr suspected it frist and sent me to a pm dr who confirmed it. I also went to a neurologiest who confirmed it as well.then to my gp juss so he was aware of waht was going on. I would check with all these drs and more if they don't know, but a neurologist and pm dr are probably your best first steps. Then they can advise you on what to do next. Like I said , I'm no dr, but your pic looks similar to my handa a few years ago. I also had dry scaly skin and no range of motion in the begiinning and it hurt to touch. I had a deep aching pain. the burning and spread started a year later. Well good luck with drs and though I know its hard, try to stay as calm as you can. My thoughts are with you.