Pain currently controlled - now the other CRPS symptoms come out!
 

I'm one month post-op with the pain pump. The prialt is working really well. I do know I have a little issues with memory, but not anything more than when I had to start up my anti-seizure med.

My work had asked me to go to part time. I'm still a bit depressed about it, but really, I'm depressed that I'm in this state more than anything. I'm finding that there are a lot of symptoms I'm dealing with that come along with CRPS that nothing is going to fix. BRAIN FOG being the worst. Being tired, not being able to get as much done, it taking three times as long is still all there.

I feel like the "other" symptoms is what's going to do me in. I feel like I should just throw in the towel, go on full disability and apply for SSDI. My DH keeps saying that I'm just still healing from the surgery. I know that all this other stuff was riding along with the CRPS, but managing the pain was such a priority that I didn't really think about the other symptoms as a seperate issue.

What are you guys all doing for the brain fog and fatigue? Do I just have to get used to it? Will it get better at all?

Hi chaos! Glad your pain pump is helping you. I would also be curious to see what others are doing for the fatigue and fog.

I am on LTD from my employer and SSD. I ended up ending work on 12/28/12 because the pain was too bad to be able to continue and because of my brain not working properly. I was a finance and human resource manager (one person deparment), where critical thinking and concentration is a must! Co-workers always joked that I never missed a thing and had a mind like a steel trap. That changed...I started making mistakes and forgetting things. I also started having trouble thinking of simple words and couldn't finish sentences. Not a good combonation in my line of work. The realization of all this was so hard on me. I can't say it was a hard as dealing with the pain because the pain is horrendous, but it is up there. Accepting that part was very difficult and that is when I realized that I had to throw in the towel. I still don't think I actually accepted it, but I have realized it is a real problem. My husband is finally realizing how bad it is. He is not used to seeing that from me...it takes time.

Oh, and my mental issues are not from any meds since I am not on any.

I hope it gets better for you. Take care,
Nanc
:hug:

The fatigue and brain fog are VERY frustrating to deal with. I struggle to find words all the time and my reading comprehension just plain SUCKS now. I can't read more than a page or so (be it book, memo, email, etc) before I just cannot sort things out. I start re-reading sentences and paragraphs over and over...with nothing sinking in. I have to stop at that point and then come back to things later. I can listen to things okay...but even then my brain will easily wander. Sometimes I will start talking and I completely lose my train of thought...often forget what I was doing in the middle of doing something. And I can tell these things are getting worse and worse with time...and I just turned 30 so I really don't think it's an age thing. And I know it's not a med thing because I'm not on any of those either.

I hate to say that I just generally learn to deal with it...like everything else. But I have found ways to cope with things so I can continue to work. It's taken me over a year...I've been back to work almost two years now...but I've been learning my limitations and adjusting the whole time. I know I can't focus on things for long periods of time...so I guess it works in my favor that my job has me juggling lots of things at once so I don't really HAVE to focus on any one things for long stretches of time. The worst is when I have to do schedules...I start staring blankly at the screen for long stretches of time if I don't take breaks and stop to do other things in between.

But generally...it comes down to knowing my limits and working around them. You have to be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot do and deal with what IS rather than just being frustrated about what used to be. I got a promotion a few months ago to an HR and Operations position and this is actually perfect for me. It has put me in a position where I can balance office work with the more physical hands on work. I can tell that this job is really pushing my mental limits though...so we will see how it goes over the next year or so. I am VERY blessed right now though to work with a team of people who value what I do though and in an environment where we all support each other.

These things just take time though...which I know you don't want to hear. It's absolutely wonderful that your pain is getting under control. That's really the first step...and if you can conquer that then you can learn to come to terms with everything else. Just don't give up on yourself...you are stronger than you know...we all are.

Nanc - I'm right there how you described it. I need my brain, I need to make important decisions. I am risking the company if I make a bad one or forget something (which I've done already).

And yes, my reading comprehension has gone way down. I used to read (for fun) all the time. Now I find it hard to really get into something. That makes reading for work really hard. If I have to review something and figure it out for the company, I'm terrified I'm going to miss something.

Sometimes I think I should just go on disability, move right away to a cheaper area that is near my brother and have DH look for work in that area.

First, I admire all of you who are working & have RSD/CRPS.
I've worked all my life & have never even been on unemployment or anything
I've been on STD/LTD since surgery. I was told by senior H.R. person
that if I could not perform my current job duties to meet their criteria then "they did not have a job for me".
I see a couple of you are in H.R. My daughter in law is H.R. too. I think she would have fired me straight away months ago if i was in her company.
Now, yes brain fog & concentration issues & I have to type with only one finger on left side and then short times only.
I blamed the concntration issues on the meds. & didn't realize it was also a CRPS issue.
I seem to start something & get distracted & end up with several things started
but not finished.

I think a big part of it depends on what your job is too and whether or not you can do the "primary" functions of your job. At least...legally that's what matters. My employer told me when I was released back to work two years ago that because I needed the walker I could not return to work, that I would be a hardship on the business and other employees, and that when my work comp case was settled that it would result in my separation from employment.

Yeah...I didn't take that...it was a bunch of BS and I filed a charge of disability discrimination against the company with the EEOC. Guess what? They had no choice but to let me return to work AND had to pay me for the entire time (ended up being 4 months) that they wouldn't let me work after I had been released to work. Those people in HR are tricky...they will try to trick you into saying that you can't do a certain parts of your job and will twist the words of the law to make you think they are right.

In my case...my job as a manager really was the key here though as my primary job functions are to supervise, delegate, and ensure other people are doing their jobs. A walker doesn't impact my ability to do that. If my primary job function was to unload trucks...then I might have had a problem. Over time I have actually learned to use my walker to complete all the physical tasks at work as well...I use it to carry things...setting them on the seat or in the basket. So there's only a handful of physical tasks that I can't do myself...and at my size I never should have been doing them anyway.

It's also important to know that a company has to provide any reasonable accommodation to you to make is possible for you to perform your job. For example...if you cannot type...you can request one of those programs where you dictate into a microphone and the words are transferred to the computer (blanking on what those are called now). They're probably not cheap...but something being expensive doesn't mean a company doesn't have to provide it. In fact...depending on the size of the company...they may even be required to install elevators, ramps, alter the building you work in, etc if you require that accommodation to be able to perform your job. It depends on whether it would really be a hardship on the company based on its resources to make those alterations. They may also be required to alter your job duties, provided you are still able to perform the PRIMARY job functions of your job.

I learned a LOT about this when I had to because my employer tried to get rid of me. It was very eye opening and there is so much information out there about the ADA and what the laws are. But look at me now...I'm in a GREAT store with a wonderful boss and great peers...I recently got a promotion...and I am doing very well. For my type of job...there are lots of work arounds and things I can do to overcome my CRPS symptoms that make it harder for me than it was pre-CRPS. For someone whose job it is to sit in front of a computer...I don't know what all the different accommodations would be. Taking extra breaks, working from home with a work supplied computer, one of those dictation programs...I'm sure there are other things.

Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with NOT working...if you CAN'T do the primary functions of your job even with accommodations then you can and should be on disability. That's what it is there for. I have pretty much zero doubt that I will reach a point where I can't work anymore. What I put myself through day in and day out to continue working...I can't keep this up forever. But right now...the benefit to my mental health and just general joy FAR outweighs the toll working is taking on me physically. When that balance shifts...then I will have to re-evaluate my ability to continue working full time.

The brain fog and concentration is horrible. I forget words or thoughts mid sentence. My family and friends I talk to are used to it now and are patient with me when we have conversations.

I write myself notes and have them all over. When I think of something I jot it down so I don't forget. Very frustrating as I've always had a great memory!

As far as fatigue I have to nap at least once a day. I also have to rest between doing any tasks I do around the house.