Sorry for the long post. Need some advice, and your prayers.

Hi, I haven't posted in a while and I hope everyone is as well as can be expected. Now this may sound strange what I am about to say, but it feels even strange to have this happening. Lately I have been have the sensation that my skin is crawling Okay that may sound a little strange but none the less this is what I am going though. At first I didn't pay it any attention, and would just look to see if anything was there; and of course it wasn't. But it became worse. A friend suggested that it was just my nerves. I said, maybe you're wright but it just keeps coming. Now it doesn't hurt nor does it last long.
But it happens frequently enough for concern.

Now the other thing is I have CRPS in my left hand, and seems to be traveling up that arm. My right hand, and arm have been showing signs of pain, no swelling just pain, tingling, numbness. I've looked at some of the pictures of other community members post. Now, I'm African American and my complexion is that of mocha brown. The reason I mention that is because
on my left hand and arm, I don't see the redness on top of my hand, but on palm side up. I haven't seen any shiny skin, but it does swell. My burning is not that server. But when my hand swells it is God awful with the tingling, pain and slight burning when I try to make a fist. Now my injury is work related, and it was in 2008. I have yet to get relief from the plate and screws in my ulnar bone...(failed) In Feb of the year, hand second surgery of the left thumb...more hardware...(failed). Now this was before it was found by my private doc, and my hand surgeon a month ago that I have CRPS.

I've read where people talk about the sweating. When I look back, there was an occasion while wearing a cast / post Feb surgery. That I was in so much pain, burning, swelling underneath the cast. Had it replaced three times. Finally, I could no longer stand it. Went back to have it removed, and they found that there was a lot of maceration (sweating..moisture) over my wound. As I mention in my last post, in March I had gotten a skin yeast infection because I was really sweating under the splint I was given to wear. It was so bad that when a person would stand close to me, they could smell it. (Sorry to be so graphic)! It was treated and came back twice. Treated again with topical ointments again and finally got it under control.

Now back then I had no idea what RSD was, and didn't put two and two together until recently. About three weeks ago, I woke to my left leg full of edema. My toes tingled, and my knee was in so much pain as well as my groin area. Freaked me out . My private doctor prescribed Medal Dose pack at the time he diagnosis me with CRPS. I didn't start to take them until that day I saw my left leg. It did help with the swelling, and with my left hand and arm as well. But I still have swelling, and slight burning when there is a cool breeze or air conditioning. When I last saw my doctor I told him that where my hysterectomy scar is... it sometimes burning and hurts to the point I can barely stand up. He said that it was my RSD.

My surgeon wrote a letter to my pain doctor for him to act aggressively with a Ganglion Block. Now this was on July 21th. I saw the pain doctors PA and to be honest I could have phoned in my appointment for all the good he did.

Basically after reading the surgeons report he said for me to up my Trazadone (for sleep) from taking two 50mgs to taking three, and continue to take the Cymbalta. That he would make an appointment for me to see the PM. Well, I will be seeing him tomorrow at 10 am. I am worried that when he looks at my hand, and doesn't see color changes, or shiny skin (this is worker comp PM doctor by the way) that he will down play everything. Even though my private doctor and the surgeon said other wise.

Just an example of his down playing here is a list.

1. After doing his own EMG test. No carpal tunnel in left wrist. (Even though a neurologist that the claims adjuster sent me to for testing said other wise.)

2. Cubital tunnel in left elbow, and more so on the right. But not related to work injury. (I strongly disagree! I favored my right hand and arm for almost two years, and he will not take that into consideration in relations to my none use of my left arm. When I had the injury I heard something pop, don't know if the nerve in my elbow shifted and made a sound...God only knows if that's possible.)

3. Pain in left shoulder and neck not related to work injury. (I believe that long before I knew what RSD was. Mind had already spread up my arm to my shoulder and neck. Sure feels like it.

I could go on and on, but I think you see my problem. Now tomorrow I have to face this guy. I will be coming with a list of my symptoms. I am determined to take control of this appointment and not let him down play any of this. I need your prays and will keep you informed.

Thanks for reading

Lefty, Sorry to hear about your RSD and trouble with w/c. It's hard enough dealing with RSD. I also had an arm injury and got RSD which has spread to full body RSD. Everyones RSD symptoms vary. I also had the creepy crawlers feeling under my skin- my Dr. told me it was my nerve healing. I also have burning, aching some swelling, color change, temperature change, sweating, skin ulcers...all my symptoms come and go. Medications have really helped. I took pictures when I would have changes because I feared going to Dr. and him not believing me. It really helped him see what was going on. It really helped me too because sometimes i felt like i was going crazy and when I got the pictures developed I felt better. They say if RSD is caught early 3-6months ganglion blocks can help put RSD in remission/control. Mine wasnt found til 1year but i still had blocks. 1st helped a couple of weeks but the next few did nothing. Maybe the ganglion blocks will help you.
I'll hope all goes well with w/c and with your blocks.
momof4

Hi Lefty,

I will be praying and thinking of you tomorrow. I'm from the UK so don't know that much about workers comp but it appears to be that the doctors there don't want RSD as a diagnosis etc and will do everything to minimalise the condition to save themselves money (just my personal opinion based on other people's comments).

I also have the creepy-crawlies sometimes and it's horrible! What I hate most is when my skin feels itchy as it's impossible to itch them because of the alloydinia.

Best of luck for tomorrow.

Pain free hugs

Rosie xxxxx

Thanks to everyone for responding back to me. Honest, to God I thought I was losing my mind with the creepy crawlers. Just to update you guys. I did have my appointment, but yet again not with the pain doc, but his PA. He wrote a prescriptive for the Ganglion Block, I just have to wait for W/C to approve it.
He also gave me a sample pack of Salvella, he said to help with the pain.

One thing I did ask and is if it would effect my hypertension and my answer was no. Well, after working in the hospital for numerous amounts of years.
I decided that I would take my blood pressure, three different ways. Laying, sitting and standing.

Before taking the Salvella my pressure was already high, I was in a lot of pain, and stress. This is what it was around 6:30 pm yesterday 8/12/2010 ...187/109 pulse 77. So I took my blood pressure medication, which was just changed a week ago, one salvella, and one oxcodone.

Waited one hour before rechecking my blood pressure.

Laying 192/118 pulse 76 waited 5 minutes
sitting 215/134 pulse 77 waited 5 minutes
standing 216/139 pulse 98.

Waited another 45 minutes.

sitting 192/81 pulse 81 waited 5 minutes
standing 162/127 pulse 105

Found it harder to breathe-slight heaviness in my chest.
Lt arm/hand still in pain, throat burn slightly.
rt arm/hand burning slightly, tingling,pins and needles
After resting I was able to breathe much better, and the heaviness in my chest had gone away. I know those numbers are scary, I mean I am talking stoke kind of scary. But guys this is what I've been dealing with with my RSD. Out of control Blood Pressure. I even had to be hospitalized twice because of it.

It was 5AM this morning 8/12/2010 when I took it again. This time just sitting 177/120 pulse 68. Now my BP machine is automatic, maybe I will start taking it manually just in case my machine is faulty. Unfortunately, the way I've been feeling, I don't think it is.

Does anyone else have BP problems that have gotten worse with their RSD?

God bless all of you.
lefty