Dear General,
Wow, I am sooooo happy to hear of your pain relief. I was saddened when I first saw your posting since the same scenario happened to me five years ago. I was in severe pain and my body was shutting down from how severe the RSD had gotten both internally and externally and I was in the ER four times in one month and two of them I was admitted for (the first two times). However, I did not have Ketamine then because they kept refusing to give it to me and sent me home but the second time they sent me home I have no recollection of four days at all. I even let a nurse into my home and signed some papers from her with NO KNOWLEDGE of it!! Scary. It seems when they put me in the hospital they kept injecting any and all medication to get me pain relief. But they never took into consideration that all of it mixed together could have killed me. Thankfully, my son recognized (at 16) that something was wrong with me and had a friend take me to the ER for admission. They could have killed me so I know how you feel about the forgetting of it all. But count your blessings and rejoice that you are doing so well now. I am awaiting the Ketamine IV procedure here in Philly for over three years now and have been in court 3 times in the last year fighting workers comp to pay for it so I any day I should hear one way or the other and I will be running (in my wheelchair with my canes of course) to the hospital for it. I too was not aware of two day coma in the U.S. Wow, I am hopeful. Best of luck and keep us informed of your progress.
kathy d

Do not despair Kathy, there's hope. Keep looking for the trials and keep on your insurance to pay for it. Many times trials are paid for by the hospital because you're taking the risk. But as with all things, you have to sign away all but your first born! It sounds like you've been where I have. I was certainly ready to let them take my foot and take my chances with phantom pains. NO ONE can understand the pain involved with RSD unless they have experienced it themselves. Pain Meds. They work.... to a degree. They really were not meant for nerve pain and that's what we feel. They do, however, seperate our head from our body for a short while breaking the pain cycle long enough for us to catch our breath and bear down for when it ramps up again. BUT they can actually turn on you in a number of ways. The worst NOT being addiction but the actual adding to the pain you have. If you've been to the ER four times in a month and experienced pain even after they came running at you with needles, I would submit to you that pain meds have unfortunately stopped working for you and you should formulate another plan of attack with your pain doctor. Discuss rapid detox with him and see how workers comp considers this. At the very least you've set your body back to zero and the meds will start working again for you. The other side of this coin is that you need a support network of friends family and even the folks here on the board to assist you in your battle. FIND A PSYCHOLOGIST OR PSYCHIATRIST that deals with patients of RSD and make an appt. I didn't even know these people existed until two weeks ago and have my first appt. tomorrow. They will help you with the anxiety I know you must feel with this disease. This is a different front from which you need to fight and you cannot take it on alone. They will help you make decisions like.... are you addicted to the pain meds (that can creep up on you) or are you dependent on them. It's a fine line isn't it? That's why they are there. My thoughts and prayers are with all of my RSD brethren as well as my brothers and sisters overseas in harms way. God Bless and Peace.

General

I am really really happy that you are where your are at in this battle.

I would like to know what state & what city did this Ketamine Coma happen???

Thanks.
DebbyV

The Doctor cam from Texas but the procedure was conducted in Burlington, VT. The only bad news is he is leaving this month for Afghanistan with the Army for 18 mos. Do not despair..... he's not the only guy doing this. I had not added this in before but because they also did rapid detox while I was in my come AND worked the foot to promote blood flow (nerves do not receive "direct" bloodflow), they were perhaps able to bill insurance for the rapid detox even if getting $$$ for the ketamine treatment is difficult. God Bless and Peace and remember our familiy in harms way. May they come home soon and safe.

General
USAF E8 Retired