I saw the episode and thought they should have done a little more research. They made it sound like crps is very straight forward and yet at the same time "we don't know much about it."---- a little miss leading. I think the show does have some good points in that it is focusing on House's chronic pain and how to manage it but they also make it sound like everyone who is on vicodin is going to end up in the looney bin!
-Jennelle

What I thought was good, was the patient had researched CRPS and he said my pain comes and goes, it is not a constant pain, something like that.

It was good that they considered CRPS. Anyway to get the word out is a good way.

What if House had rsd?

And, why doesn't he use a Lidocaine patch on his leg?
I (from the first season), thought his pain is very localized, which lidocaine is good for.

pete

A couple of weeks ago I watched a House show. It was about Ketamine infusions. House had gotten shot and he started having a dream about his boss ordering ketamine infusions for him while he was in the hospital. He started hallusinating about a patient he was taking care of and dreaming he was fighting against having the infusions. At the end he woke up and told them to go ahead and do the infusion on him. Complicating but the never mentioned RSD. The talked about Cronic Pain.

Ada

They didn't mention CRPS, just "nerve pain" to the best of my recollection. His boss talks briefly about Germany and how they put patients into a Ketamine coma for nerve pain, all very vague, vague enough that I wondered if it showed a blatant lack in research, or if CRPS really is taboo. No they don't put patients into a Ketamine coma for something as generic as "nerve pain", only for CRPS, a particular condition!

I am not a House fan. To me him acting the way he does isn't even close to how a Dr. acts so I don't quite get why he acts like an idiot.

As far as what they talked about on there, the nerve pain and the ketamine infusions, you're right, they haven't done any research on any of it to use it that way on the show. It's sure not touching on anything that people can learn about as some shows use things on their shows to make people aware of a disease.

Ada

Really? I have run into several doctors who act like idiots. This is especially true when they are considered "top in their field" and have a huge ego. Dr. Gregory House is portrayed as one of the best diagnosticians around.

Another aspect to his personality is the chronic pain. I think we all (if we are honest) have periods where we act like jerks, because of the pain.

Most TV shows used to always show the central character as a perfect person, one who does no wrong and is totally loveable. I think it is interesting that dramas are now showing people as they are – every personality type imaginable. I think “House” was one of the shows that pushed writers in that direction.

Mike

Pete, on one episode, he talked about part of his muscle being “missing.” I never caught exactly why, but I think it was some type of disease (as opposed to a car accident or something.) I think that the reason a Lidocaine patch is not used is that the pain is not localized enough. Also, I believe that there is “phantom” pain. Lidocaine will not do as much for that, just like it is less effective for our neuropathic pain than it is for actual injuries, like a tendon pull.

The missing muscle also explains why he uses the cane incorrectly. There is not enough strength in his leg to support his weight, and the cane is an assist for the burden.

Beside, part of the premise of the show would be gone if he didn’t have that pain and limp.

Jennelle, you are right that they have, more than once, implied that Vicodin use will make you a loony-bin abuser. Talk about bad information! I hate that. There are plenty of us opiate users who can remain in control.

Mike

I have the first season of House, Mike, and it shows the story of his leg.
He had a blood clot (embolism?) in his thigh. The rest of the doctors were insisting on amputation. There was necrosis. He opted into a coma, which gave his girlfriend, his medical proxy.
She had the damaged muscle removed, while in the coma.

I always wondered why he used the cane wrong, what you said makes perfect sense!

I have a "walking stick" made by a company called "Leki".
It's actually designed for cross country skiing.
You can get all kinds of grips, Mine has a wooden knob on top, and a compass built into that. An adjustable strap goes around the wrist.
It's height adjustable, and you can take the rubber tip off the bottom, and there's a titanium edge there, which is a HUGE help on ice!
The best thing about it, is that it's spring loaded, so when you put weight on it, it doesn't hurt my shoulder! (TOS). and, the strap for the wrist, is great, because if I need to lift something, or write something, I can just drop it, and it simply hangs onto my wrist! Then, when I start walking again, I just grab it.
It's really wonderful.
I got it a a place called the "Walking Company".
It's also got a "belt clip", and under the handle, is a camera thread(stalk). (All cameras have a threaded hole in the bottom, so you can use this thing as a steady support for the camera tooooo. which of course you're totin' along while you can barely walk!)
Anyway, it's mostly aluminum, and is a really great design, and it's very sturdy. I've mine for over a decade.
Whew, ,ok, I'm done my ode to my cane.

pete