I would think use that arm CZ.. things tend to atrophy and get very weak if we do not use them.
Star hi, I would sugest that you use that leg and foot as normaly as possible, though I am not a doc or PT. Every thing I have read and heard says this and so does my gut instincts and my personal experiences, although I have not lost the use of an appendage as CZ has.

Epsome salt baths are a great idea, and elevate the foot alot incase neurgenic inflammation is the culpret, up your antioxidents and vitamin C, cause that will help with the inflammation too. I have heard of this happening as well and it usualy does go away.. sometimes it can cover alot more of the body too I think if it is the same thing I am thinking of.. I will be back with research it may tell you what to do to help.


Sandra

I'm always battling with this issue. I work hard to keep moving my foot but the protective nature of RSD is getting the better of me lately. I often exercise everything else but my foot the one area I need to focus on. I've gone back to PT and they are helping me with this again.

I always have an immediate release of my atrophy following my lidocaine infusions. I seemed to hop off the stretcher and feel like I could go dancing on my toes. I don't because I know I could flare myself up prematurely, but lately the lidocaine has not been doing it's usual magic. My PM doc gave me a lumbar sympathetic block and the relief lasted for 10 glorious days. It's worn off now so I'm right back to the hard work trying to work through the pain of of managing the atrophy and the other neuropathic pain symptoms.

What treatments are you getting stardustkid?

MsL

I hope you dont mind me asking, but what are lidocaine fusions? I currently looking for a new treatment option and I want it to be non-invasive. I have tried the lidocaine patches and I had some success with that but then my body got used to them and they stopped working. Just hoping you could give me some information on the process and background on your opinon in relation to the treatment.

Dear Swatgen,

Lidocaine is a sodium channel blocker (Mexiletine is the oral version of lidocaine). Many RSD patients seem to do very well with sodium channel blockers. Ketamine is also a sodium channel blocker.

There are 2 types of lidocaine infusions that I'm aware of.

My preference is for the straight goods. It consists of is 800 mg of lidocaine delivered intravenously using a pump over 2 hours. I get 100 mg as a bolus over 5 minutes and the rest, 700mg is given in a the bag. The protocols require that the patient is monitored with a heart monitor for the whole infusion, therefore it is a more expensive treatment. I just seem to have better results with this method.

The alternative is to have the same amount of lidocaine delivered subcutaneously using a small disposable pump. It looks much like a baby bottle, made by Baxter. Typically they would insert the needle under your skin in your abdomen area instead of directly into the vein. They can do this for patients on an outpatient basis. They send you home with the pump and after a few hours when the pump is empty you remove the needle yourself. It is my understanding that most patients here are now getting this type of infusion.

Aside form being sleppy during the infusion I have few side effects from it. A bit of gas and sometimes my blood preasure is raised during the infusion but that returns to normal when the infusion is stopped. I've had good results from this, getting them on avarage every 3 weeks for the past few years. It seems to keep most of the RSD patients that I know stable.

I hope that answers your questions.

Good luck.

MsL

Don't stop by just writing it off as another RSD-thing! Could be, but it also could be someting like an L5 nerve root or peripheral nerve issue, unrelated to RSD. You need to press your docs more on this!

I just want to correct myself from an earlier posting. I said that Ketamine is a Sodium Channel Blocker too and that's not right. I confused it with something else. Sorry for the misinformation.

MsL

Mslday

Thank you for being open and willing to discuss the Lidocaine infusions. I'm currently in between treatments and that one sounds like a great one to try. I have had some success with the Lidocaine patches but as the RSD spread in my legs I could not continue the patches because the area that needed to be covered became to large.
Yesterday I discussed this treatment with my current doctor and he referred my to a RSD specialist in chicago who specializes in Lidocaine and Ketamine infusions. I really like the idea because it is less invasive than most treatments they have discussed. Thank you again for sharing and giving me a new option to try. It gives me a little hope that I might be able to manage this after all. =)