[DianaA]

Dr. Meredith Barad at Stanford University has begun a research study on CRPS.
I called and left a message ...hoping for a return call. They are looking for patients.

Hugs..di

Link for your information:



http://snapl.stanford.edu/personnel/barad.html

[Debby]

I am going to see a doctor over at Stanford Pain Center to see if I will qualify for this study: Intravenous Lidocaine in Neuropathic Pain (IRB #73980). They will do a real time MRI of your brain to see how it is mapped while they apply different 'things' to the painful areas of your feet & legs. They will then give an IV of Lidocaine while they do the same 'things' to the painful areas to see if your brain mapping is different or how the IV effects your sensation of pain. Does any of what I just said make any sense??? *LOL* I just am not sure how to word this. I know what they are going to do & what they are looking for with the real time MRI but just not sure how to explain it. Brain is just too tired tonight...........so please forgive ok? *LOL* Anyway this is a one time/one day study per person.

I would be interested in looking into this other study also. I don't see where doing the one would exclude me from this new one. Guess we would see though. Anything to give one some help & also help all would be a good thing. I am fighting off flares that start on the surface of my scalp & slowly expands & cover the surface of my whole body more or less

How far are you from Palo Alto? For me it is over a 2 hr drive. I live east of Sacramento approx. 45 miles or so.

Debby

[finz]

I'm thrilled to know anyone out there is looking into RSD to see what might be effective in helping all of us.

I'm now a little leary of lidocaine because of an issue with a friend. She tore her rotator cuff and had surgery to fix it. After the surgery they used a lidocaine infusion device locally to help decrease the pain. It has been very effective in drastically cutting down the amount of systemic narcotics that they give those patients after surgery. Unfortunately, they are now discovering that many of these patients developed further shoulder issues. It seems the lidocaine destroys the bone and other tissues. They are guessing because of the continuous infusion.......it's not like a one time shot like we all get with the steroids in a trigger point injection. My friend has had 9 shoulder surgeries now and multiple procedures to drain infections and remove scar tissue to try to fix the problem. Her ortho wants her to have a shoulder replacement done, but that specialist can not do it because there is not enough healthy bone left for them to connect the hardware to.

I've always been kind of a lidocaine 'fan' When get trigger point injections I don't get much long term relief but I love the next 3 or 4 hours when my pain is G O N E ! I've been a nurse for over 20 years and I had never heard about an allergy to lidocaine or any issues with it until my friend's shoulder issues came to light.

While I happy new research is being done, the news that it is with a lidocaine infusion worries me now. Please do all the research that you can and read all of the fine print on those consent forms !

[SandyRI]

I've had 7 intravenous lidocaine infusions since July 2009. They have been maybe 20-30% effective, for 2 weeks or so, at a time, in controlling my pain. What they helped with most was the deep burning bone pain in my leg, a little over a year after I was diagnosed. Before I started the infusions I could barely sleep because of the pain. My infusions built upon each other, such that I felt better and better after each one, and generally they were scheduled 3-4 weeks apart when my doctor's schedule permitted.

I did have a continuous anesthesia drip left in my shoulder for 4 days after my 2nd rotator cuff repair, I don't know what was in it. I was pain free for the first time in months after the surgery - it was awesome! My RSD was diagnosed 6 weeks later. I haven't had any complications from the drip.

I know I have read at least one article on lidocaine infusions by Schwartzman at RSDSA. org. The amount of lidocaine that most PM centers are authorized to provide in one infusion is 300 mg (I almost certain). Dr. S has done continuous infusions for 5 or 7 days at much higher amounts with fairly good results.

Sandy

Originally Posted by finz

I'm thrilled to know anyone out there is looking into RSD to see what might be effective in helping all of us.

I'm now a little leary of lidocaine because of an issue with a friend. She tore her rotator cuff and had surgery to fix it. After the surgery they used a lidocaine infusion device locally to help decrease the pain. It has been very effective in drastically cutting down the amount of systemic narcotics that they give those patients after surgery. Unfortunately, they are now discovering that many of these patients developed further shoulder issues. It seems the lidocaine destroys the bone and other tissues. They are guessing because of the continuous infusion.......it's not like a one time shot like we all get with the steroids in a trigger point injection. My friend has had 9 shoulder surgeries now and multiple procedures to drain infections and remove scar tissue to try to fix the problem. Her ortho wants her to have a shoulder replacement done, but that specialist can not do it because there is not enough healthy bone left for them to connect the hardware to.

I've always been kind of a lidocaine 'fan' When get trigger point injections I don't get much long term relief but I love the next 3 or 4 hours when my pain is G O N E ! I've been a nurse for over 20 years and I had never heard about an allergy to lidocaine or any issues with it until my friend's shoulder issues came to light.

While I happy new research is being done, the news that it is with a lidocaine infusion worries me now. Please do all the research that you can and read all of the fine print on those consent forms !

[Debby]

DianaA,

Did you ever get a hold of this gal?? And did she ever call you back?? And if she did what did you find out????

Debby