Pain can be good...right?
 

Please tell me how you deal with the health of the rest of your body - the part that doesn't have rsd/crps?

About a month ago I started having numbness on the left side of my face. I blamed rsd/crps because I blame it for everything now. After 2 weeks, at my next pm visit, I told her about the numbness. She said we'll address it at the next visit (3mos later). I started to wonder if I had a tumor or something so I went to my PCP. He had me get a brain scan and found mastoiditis, an infection in the mastiod bone behind my ears. Apparently, I've had bilateral ear infections for some time. Left untreated, the infection traveled to the mastiod and could have spread to the entire skull and then the brain. :eek:

So, the wonderful Lyrica that lets me function by taking away the pain in my hand, also masks the pain in other parts of my body. Normally, I would have had pain in my ears, or dizziness telling me to go to the doctor. Now I have a nasty infection to deal with.

What experiences have you all had like this? Do you go to the doctor more often just for check ups?

Sally

Hi Sally,
 

Sometimes we tend to blame everything on RSD.

It's good that you went to your PCP and he did address other issues. We can't blame everything on RSD. We have to separate what is going on and deal with them seperately.

I think the key to is getting in tune with your body. When you do you can tell that there is something going on besides the RSD.

I knew that my other pains I dealt with weren't RSD. Such as the TOS, Rotator cuff, triggerfinger and ulner nerve. I am now dealing with stomach issues and they are not from the RSD.

I'm glad he found out what was going on with you and was able to help you get better.

I pretty much live in Drs. offices. I had 3 appts. last week and I have 2 this week and 2 next plus going into PT.

We just take each issue as it starts acting up. We do get one thing calmed down and something else starts though. Sometimes I feel like I am fighting a war and losing.

You were smart to figure out you had another issue going on.

Ada

Exactly. I agree. There's not much else you can do.

Blaming your treatment isn't the way to go. It's even dangerous. You need treatment for your RSD, period. Who's to say the ear infection would have been discovered early *without* the RSD treatment? You'll never know.

Hope you recover well from the ear infection.

Wow, good thing they caught that! What do they need to do to treat the infection? Antibiotics?

im glad that they caught this as this is a moor infection and can cause hearing loss if you werent already told..
but like dreambeliever told ya please be careful blaming everything on RSD as this is dangerous as i know. this past thanksgiving i started to have stomach pain but thought nothing about it since i have pelvic pain problems bladder and stuff like that . so i wasnt unreasonable that i would sometimes have horrible stomach pain well what i thought was a virual infection for 2 wks turned out to be my appendix that came very close to rupturing.. please listen to your body its telling you some thing..

carrie

I have had a lot of health conditions seperate to the rsd and spread of rsd too. I don't have good pain control through meds but have heard this happening to others. I guess for myself when there is a side effect or a possible problem with a med or treatment I try to weigh the positive vs negative. There sometimes will be no perfect. Usually with most conditions there is a sign that is something wrong and I would think most conditions would not be covered completly by a med but of course I could be wrong. Did you tell your doctor about the concerns you have of this because they may be able to comfort you that really the chances are slim again to this happening. I hope you feel better

Hi Their,

My million dollar question is, could they pin point it so you will be ok?

Hugs, Roz

Given the inflammatory profile of CRPS, it was natural to consider whether an infective or autoimmune process underlies the disease. Thus attempts have been made to link CRPS to specific preceding infections. Although a few cases of CRPS have been noted to follow Borrelia infections (23) and spirochetal infections (211), no links to other pathogens have been reported, nor have antiperipheral nerve antibodies been identified in these patients.


Hi,

I am not sure weather this is the case for you or not. But Lyme is very expensive and difficult to treat. The Lyme tests are not accurate. Here is the link.

http://physrev.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/82/4/981

Hang in their, Roz

Hi Roz
 

They think it started with an ear infection. I'm on antibiotics and will have another brain scan in a couple of weeks to make sure it hasn't spread. I do feel better. :D
Thanks
Sally

Hi Daniella,
My doctor isn't up on rsd/crps. He has told me that I should be glad my pain is controlled even with the dizziness, constipation, fatigue, and inability to concentrate. Now that I've had this major infection, maybe he'll listen a little better. The thing is I never had any pain with the earache. They think I had it for three months or more. Ear infections hurt - why didn't I feel it? Luckily my face went numb!
Sally

Hi Sally,

If you feel better on antibiotics already that's wonderful news. Do they know the certain bacteria that caused the ear infection? The reason why I am asking is alot of bacteria have cell, L form's and cyst form's. In other words very tricky at times, so you can take a antibiotic for L form that can put the infection into a cyst form. If it is that type of infection you might need 2 different antibiotics. If they can pin point the ear infection it just would be better for you.
Hugs, Roz

Thanks Carrie
 

Appendicitis is exactly what I was thinking of. If I didn't feel the earache, what other symptoms am I missing? I have to get used to this body now with pain medication. It's my new normal.
Sally

Hi Roz
 

The diagnosis was made with a brain scan, MRI, so no specimen was obtained for a culture and sensitivity. IF the infection does not go away (and mastoiditis can be difficult to cure and is known to reoccur), then they'll have to in for a swab.
Sally

Hi Roz
 

Roz,
Are you a doctor? You seem to have alot of medical knowledge. Yes I am on two antibiotics, Clindamycin and Cefdinir.
Sally

Hi
 

Yes I am on 2 antibiotics - Cefdinir & Clindamycin. I guess I'm glad my face went numb because I had no other clue.

Sally

Hi Sally,

I have someone very dear to me with that name. No, I am not even in the medical field, I never ever cared for school much.

One of my MD's calls me MD Roz, I just am one to question every thing about my health. I certainly have an invested interest in that one.

I was rasied with some medical background, I also have Docs. in my husband's family. When I got the RSD DX I was told to research.

I am a hairdresser, so I have had to think creative alot at times.

I believe they are covering gram + and gram - with your antibiotics. Hugs, Roz

Hi,

Please check in, and let us know now you are doing. Like I mentioned in my above post the neg and postive are being taken care of, but this does not cover the cyst from. If your up for it, chat with your MD about it.

I went into Endocarditis and I just don't want it to happen to anyone else

Hugs, Roz

Just a comment...

The Clindamycin is used when bone infection is present or a risk.
Often used for jaw infections following extractions as well. So the ear infection would count. Very few antibiotics penetrate bone.

The other drug Cefdinir, is for penetration into soft tissue.
Not all drugs penetrate tissues equally. For example, Keflex which is a cousin to the cefdinir does not work for sinus or ear infections. But Cefdinir is especially good for this purpose.

I don't think in this case it is L-form/cyst form at work. It is a mixed infection that is invading two types of tissue.

Roz, alot of drug choice has to do with many factors.

The organism causing the infection.
The tissue where the infection is.
The particulars of the patient (allergies, or liver functions, age, weight).

In your case your organism was the main deciding factor. Your organism goes into hiding, and this complicates the treatment quite a bit.

Ear infections are typically other organisms than you had.
Once infections get into the bone (mastoid process), Clindamycin is one of the few choices. I have even seen mastoid infections that require aggressive IV's.
Let's hope that Grammadur's resolves easily!

mrsd this is very true that mastoid infection can end up having to be treaded with IV antiboitics as this happen to my lil one she was only 3 and spent a 4 days in the hospital. they are nasty infections and very painfull period. so sally i hope that you are feeling better soon and hope that you can get some rest

carrie