Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (Complex Regional Pain Syndromes Type I) and Causalgia (Complex Regional Pain Syndromes Type II)(RSD and CRPS)


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Old 02-04-2010, 05:53 PM #1
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Default Going back to work

So tomorrow I am going back to work. I am an Assistant Store Manager at a big box retailer. I have a lot of restrictions about what I cannot do...but I am going back. I am excited and scared.

I am excited because I really love my job and I have missed it, along with the people there. It is terrible being home alone with little to no contact with other people. I want to feel like I have a purpose and that I am contributing something. I am just not the sort of person who could sit at home and not work.

I am scared because I am still in a lot of pain. I know that with RSD the pain is just something that I have to live with. But I am just scared about how much I will or will not be able to do. I know I can't do my full job, being on my feet 9+ hours a day, doing a lot of physical things like lifting and pushing, going up and down ladders, etc. I just am not physically able to do all those things with the pain, and I am scared that it just won't be good enough.

But I am totally committed to trying, I'm just not sure how it will work and I am scared. I know it's sort of silly to be scared, but I just can't shake it. I really hope that I can work something out where I can do all the work that I used to.

I think going back is going to be a good thing for me emotionally and maybe physically. I know I need to push to try to get myself back to "normal" and hopefully being back at work will force me to push myself to my limits.

I just felt like I needed to share this. My doctor just doubled my dose of Lyrica so that I am taking I think 300 MG a day and I should be getting a TENS unit in the next week or so pending approval from work comp. I am really hoping that I will be able to control the pain and that it will help me to get back to normal as well.
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Old 02-04-2010, 06:37 PM #2
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YAY!!! congratss!!! I miss feeling like i have a purpose every day!!! Good luck and keep us updated!!!
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Old 02-04-2010, 10:37 PM #3
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Originally Posted by catra121 View Post
So tomorrow I am going back to work. I am an Assistant Store Manager at a big box retailer. I have a lot of restrictions about what I cannot do...but I am going back. I am excited and scared.

I am excited because I really love my job and I have missed it, along with the people there. It is terrible being home alone with little to no contact with other people. I want to feel like I have a purpose and that I am contributing something. I am just not the sort of person who could sit at home and not work.

I am scared because I am still in a lot of pain. I know that with RSD the pain is just something that I have to live with. But I am just scared about how much I will or will not be able to do. I know I can't do my full job, being on my feet 9+ hours a day, doing a lot of physical things like lifting and pushing, going up and down ladders, etc. I just am not physically able to do all those things with the pain, and I am scared that it just won't be good enough.

But I am totally committed to trying, I'm just not sure how it will work and I am scared. I know it's sort of silly to be scared, but I just can't shake it. I really hope that I can work something out where I can do all the work that I used to.

I think going back is going to be a good thing for me emotionally and maybe physically. I know I need to push to try to get myself back to "normal" and hopefully being back at work will force me to push myself to my limits.

I just felt like I needed to share this. My doctor just doubled my dose of Lyrica so that I am taking I think 300 MG a day and I should be getting a TENS unit in the next week or so pending approval from work comp. I am really hoping that I will be able to control the pain and that it will help me to get back to normal as well.
Hi Catra and Welcome to Nerotalk. I'm so sorry you have this, but glad you are feeling like going back to work. Did your Dr. write out your restrictions or WC? 300 mg is not a huge abount of lyrica-I took 3200 mg a day in order to keep my spasms, electric jolts jerks to stop.
Do you have an WC attorney. They can give you the guidlines where you can take and work within those limitations. I miss terribly doind the secular work I was doing. It's been 15 years. I miss my freedom and sports, like tennis and water skiing, snow skiing, aerobics etc.
But I haven't given up and working on building my immune system up. I'm at peace within. Have a wonderful family and friends here. Hope you have support of family and friends too.
Catra, I'm a horse lover!!!!My grandpartents had a 100 acre farm. fryer chickens, pigs, eggs,I had 2 horses, rode in the rodeo, My horse was trained for barrel racing. So much fun. We lived 1/2 mile away, so I rode my horse every day. We eventually made the farm into a 400 unit mobile home park. I like the name thunderpants-so cute. My horse was named Jo Jo. He was Arabian and Quarter Horse. So quick off the line.
Our daughter road equestrian 5-6 years at a nearby stables. She loved it, but didn't want to compete.
Catra, our condition involves the sympathetic nervous system, right? RSD involves the Limbic system, which is responsible for our anxiety level. It's responsible why we can't always feel at peace. In fact, anxiety is a common occurance with our conditionl When I first got RSD, I was having panic attacks, and didn't have a clue what was going on. But lorazepam was a huge help. I told my Dr. I would rather be out of vicodin than lorazepam. I think it the reason why I don't always like being around a group of people. Before RSD I was a very social person, having get togethers, 70 people at out house. I loved entertaining. Now, I can't imagine doing that.
It's the reason why it's important to be calm before dental appt. calm before any appointment. I feel now like withdrawing into my room, if there is too much commotion going on in the house. Does that make any sense?
Catra, if your are at work and feel anxious, find a quiet spot and close your eyes, and visualize your favorite beach,lake,river, mountain, watever and hear the waves, birds, picture yourself surfing, water skiing, walking on the beach-it is so calming and it WILL HELP.
The Tens Unit helped me a lot. I reorder the leads a couple of times.
Something that you can do in the evening that helps desensitize you is get 4 or 6 flat pans 2-3 inches deep. In one put cotton balls, another sand or sugar, rice, popcorn kernals, dry kidney beans, run each foot thru a bowl and the move on to the next bowl. It helps desensitize you foot-hand, whatever you run your hand thru. I learned that at pt.
Hope you have a nice weekend and low pain days.We had some bad weather and resulting pain, but feel pretty good now.Take care, your friend, loretta with soft hugs
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Old 02-04-2010, 11:17 PM #4
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Originally Posted by catra121 View Post
So tomorrow I am going back to work. I am an Assistant Store Manager at a big box retailer. I have a lot of restrictions about what I cannot do...but I am going back. I am excited and scared.

I am excited because I really love my job and I have missed it, along with the people there. It is terrible being home alone with little to no contact with other people. I want to feel like I have a purpose and that I am contributing something. I am just not the sort of person who could sit at home and not work.

I am scared because I am still in a lot of pain. I know that with RSD the pain is just something that I have to live with. But I am just scared about how much I will or will not be able to do. I know I can't do my full job, being on my feet 9+ hours a day, doing a lot of physical things like lifting and pushing, going up and down ladders, etc. I just am not physically able to do all those things with the pain, and I am scared that it just won't be good enough.

But I am totally committed to trying, I'm just not sure how it will work and I am scared. I know it's sort of silly to be scared, but I just can't shake it. I really hope that I can work something out where I can do all the work that I used to.

I think going back is going to be a good thing for me emotionally and maybe physically. I know I need to push to try to get myself back to "normal" and hopefully being back at work will force me to push myself to my limits.

I just felt like I needed to share this. My doctor just doubled my dose of Lyrica so that I am taking I think 300 MG a day and I should be getting a TENS unit in the next week or so pending approval from work comp. I am really hoping that I will be able to control the pain and that it will help me to get back to normal as well.

Congratulations on getting back to work! Just keep yourself calm, don't think about what you can and can't do or what can happen. Just relax, do what you are comfortable doing and ask for help if you can't. I wish I could get back to wkg. I cannot do my job any longer and my employer has no "light duty". So now wc has cut off my income because I have reached mmi. I have applied for unemployment, just pray I get it. We are so far behind in bills I don't know what i will do if they don't. I am on 300mg of Lyrica also as well as 60 mg Cymbalta and a compound gel. This economy is horrible, who is going to hire me at this point.

Anyway, good luck back at work. Distractions are good. I get involved in my kids activities and it helps. Just don't over do it. Enjoy it. Let us know how it goes.
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Old 02-04-2010, 11:53 PM #5
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Thanks guys for the responses.

Loretta...I can't even imagine 3200MG a day. I am a little freaky when it comes to pills because my mom takes SO many and it just makes me nervous. I feel a little better knowing that it's not so much that I am taking. I am taking some other stuff too...but the Lyrica is the stuff that the doc increased the dose of. So far I am not feeling much of a difference being on more...but it has only been a few days. I will definitely take your advice about the desensitizing...I wanted to ask my doc about that but I forgot. My doc wrote out the work restrictions but I had to walk him through how specific they needed to be because that caused a lot of problems last time when his notes were not "specific" enough for work. It felt weird to tell him what he needed to put down...but it's what I needed to have for work. I know that I do not have RSD as bad as a lot of the people on this board but I am still pretty new to it, only having had it for 6 months. They have been the longest 6 months of my life, btw...

Stressedout...I am so sorry that happened to you with WC. I have had a lot of issues with them and I will continue to have issues. I do have a lawyer to help out with some of the legal junk. I don't know if I will ever be like I was, but I will keep pushing and hope for the very best. I really hope working again has a very positive effect on my life and I will try my very best to not let any stressful moments get to me. Thanks for the response...I will try to keep you all posted.

I start work tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed that it goes well...
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Old 02-05-2010, 07:40 AM #6
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Default I also went back...

Good luck with your return to work. I did not go back full time I work part time my husband works so we just have had to cut back. But going back just knowing I have to get up and get dressed and see people who are also my friends has been the best theraphy(spelling) I could ask for and honestly it distracts me from the pain. Some days are hard but once I get there and start working, I am an accountant so it's not a job where I have to be on my feet but it can be very stressful especially at this time of the year.

Good luck anyway and keep positive I was scared also.

gabbycakes





Quote:
Originally Posted by catra121 View Post
So tomorrow I am going back to work. I am an Assistant Store Manager at a big box retailer. I have a lot of restrictions about what I cannot do...but I am going back. I am excited and scared.

I am excited because I really love my job and I have missed it, along with the people there. It is terrible being home alone with little to no contact with other people. I want to feel like I have a purpose and that I am contributing something. I am just not the sort of person who could sit at home and not work.

I am scared because I am still in a lot of pain. I know that with RSD the pain is just something that I have to live with. But I am just scared about how much I will or will not be able to do. I know I can't do my full job, being on my feet 9+ hours a day, doing a lot of physical things like lifting and pushing, going up and down ladders, etc. I just am not physically able to do all those things with the pain, and I am scared that it just won't be good enough.

But I am totally committed to trying, I'm just not sure how it will work and I am scared. I know it's sort of silly to be scared, but I just can't shake it. I really hope that I can work something out where I can do all the work that I used to.

I think going back is going to be a good thing for me emotionally and maybe physically. I know I need to push to try to get myself back to "normal" and hopefully being back at work will force me to push myself to my limits.

I just felt like I needed to share this. My doctor just doubled my dose of Lyrica so that I am taking I think 300 MG a day and I should be getting a TENS unit in the next week or so pending approval from work comp. I am really hoping that I will be able to control the pain and that it will help me to get back to normal as well.
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Old 02-05-2010, 08:45 AM #7
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Good luck with your return to work. I did not go back full time I work part time my husband works so we just have had to cut back. But going back just knowing I have to get up and get dressed and see people who are also my friends has been the best theraphy(spelling) I could ask for and honestly it distracts me from the pain. Some days are hard but once I get there and start working, I am an accountant so it's not a job where I have to be on my feet but it can be very stressful especially at this time of the year.

Good luck anyway and keep positive I was scared also.

gabbycakes


Hello catra121...

I too hand it to you in that you can return to your work..once diagnosised with my RSD..I worked for 2.5 years more and it was my pleasure to be there.. Now I have exausted my opportunity to work as physically it is just not possible..As Loretta said..the things I always enjoyed before seem to be my least favorite things to do and I can no longer bring myself to do them..I was a tennis instructor for years..and was a big skater and worked in the medical field... but theses things are no longer ... yes, our purpose in life changes and it can be a pretty empty feeling once we hit that time in our illness... good ole progression..so to you..I tip my hat as you need to get back out there as long as you have the desire physical ability...I know just how satisfying it is to be part of the gang!!

Hugz for luck and a less pain day...KS
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Old 02-05-2010, 10:06 AM #8
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Default Hi Catra,

Good luck on going back to work. I have wanted to and know I couldn't. Awhile back, I had a chance to buy a small clothing shop and I wanted to so bad but my Dr. said not to due to having to work in it 6 days a week. I helped my friend with it one day a week and loved it. We like to feel useful in this world but I'm always wondering what I am here for. My Physical Therapist says God has a plan for me. I'm still waiting to hear it.

I hope the tens unit helps you. I used 2 when I first had TOS surgery. One for each side and they did help me but some people say they don't help them. Don't turn it up too high, start out low on it and work up to where it helps the most.

I do hope things work out for you with working. Maybe too, keeping busy will keep your mind off of the pain some. I hope so anyway.

Ada
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Old 02-05-2010, 08:09 PM #9
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First day back and it felt really good...and really painful. I think the big thing for me will be finding that balance between managing out on the salesfloor and taking time in the office to prep for my time on the salesfloor. I feel bad because the one thing I KNOW I can't do is run the front end of the store and be up there for 4-6 hours without taking a break. That's just not possible. But I am in charge of childrens, footwear, and all of home in our store. I really believe that I can run those departments and manage my people and keep an eye on the store to keep it running. It will take time to find that balance. All I want is for my boss and my peers to understand what I am going through and to understand that I need that balance in order to do my job. Hopefully with continue physical therapy and the adjustment of the meds and the use of the TENS unit I will be able to control the pain and gain more mobility than I have at the moment. But it will be a long road.
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Old 02-05-2010, 11:43 PM #10
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Laugh Back to work

Hi, Catra
Congrats on going back to work! That is such a positve sign for you. I would give ANYTHING to go back to work! I think it's only natural that you would feel a little uneasy, especially after having time off. I know for myself since I had to leave a job I love 5 months ago, you live a different life when you are at home recuperating and now all of a sudden, you have to be somewhere at a certain time and do certain things, it sounds like your employers are aware of your illness and are probably just glad to see your shiny, happy face back!! Just allow yourself some time to get back in the groove, don't overdo things or take on too much, (and don't feel guilty for it!)
I'll bet that within a couple of days,(who knows, maybe hours?) you will feel comfortable and happy to be back. And I'll bet it will do wonders for you mentally and physically to be productive again.
Thanks for posting! You have given me hope that maybe I can go back to work again too!
I will keep you in my thoughts tomorrow. . .knock'em dead!! (carefully!):winky

Gentle hugs,
Kelly
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