Wow, yeah, we've been through a lot of those medications. Cymbalta actually is an anti depressant but after lots of research I found out that its IS also for pain. And regardless of what my hubby says, it has helped him some with the other medications combined. He has tried the Amitrityline, which didnt help at all, pamalor, also a no go and Lyrica which, oh my god gave him such extreme nightmares he didnt want to go to sleep anymore. When this all first started they had him on ultram (tramadol) and darvocet, which were NOTHING to help him and I remember nights he laid in bed and cried until he finally fell asleep from exhaustion. When we moved to Michigan, we were referred to Matrix Pain Management in Saginaw. OH MY GOD I cant tell you how much this was the best thing to happen to us since this started.
They asked him what meds he was on and we told him they looked at us and said "OK so they have you taking baby aspirin for pain, lets see how well methadone works for you". Well the Methadone made him feel sick, he couldn't urinate at all with it and so we called them, after just one week on it and they changed it to morphine. He was taking 2 types of morphine, which FINALLY gave him 'some' relief. When that started giving him issues urinating again they took away the fast acting morphine and put him on Oxycontin. So hes taken Morphine and Oxycontin for the last 2 yrs now. What I like about Matrix is when you tell them, hey this isn't enough anymore, I'm in pain, they take you seriously and up your dose, or change your medications. It sounds to me like you don't have a good pain management Dr and you need one. My husband also takes protonix, amatiza, neurontin, atenelol, percocet (which is just a stronger dose of oxy with Tylenol in it), celexa, cymbalta, grr there's 3 I cant think of just now.... but he takes all of these everyday. Last time we went in, they up'd his morphine another 20mg. Most Dr's wont do that, they dont understand RSD or CRPS at all. Its not the same as just having a pain condition. Your lawyer cant do anything about the medications youre being offered or that you arent. But they should be able to give you a list off Dr's that will accept work comp. I know that Matrix accepts work comp and its here in Saginaw Michigan. My husband has had the blocks. They work decent for him but wear off in a day, 2 days, so they want to do the stimulator implant. They think that is his only option to find some relief. The funny thing for us is, Ohio comp Dr's say, yes he needs this done, hes the perfect patient for it to be done on, lets do it. The Drs we have all say the same. But they dont want to pay for it to be done here in Michigan where we live. They want us to travel to Ohio. Our lawyer we dont feel is doing the best for us but no other lawyer in Ohio will touch our case because "we already have a lawyer who has been working on it for 3 yrs". Oh joy! *sigh* Traveling to Ohio is a MAJOR ordeal for us. One, we dont have the out of pocket money to travel there, pay for gas and food, hotel for a week, and thats just for the trial. Then a month later travel back down there, gas, food, hotel, for at least 2 weeks until he can travel again. Then going back for follow up appointments, and adjustments on the equipment etc, omg they think we have gotten rich off them or something. When we travel in a car over 1 hour at a time, my husbands foot swells up so much and he gets in so much pain all he can do is lay still for a day. A trip to Ohio will be excruciating for him. They have had 2 hearings at w/c to see about them covering cost to have it done here and both times they said "this isnt the right venue for this, you need to try this department". Its a giant run around. So he takes pills every 4 hours, and tries to stay still and not do much. Its killing him, not just physically but its mentally taking a toll on him. The w/c dr they just had him go to, a psychiatrist, said he needs therapy and medications to help him for depression due to this injury. Its so hard watching this take a toll on him.

Ketamine infusions were the answer for me. Can you ask your pain management center about those? They are non-invasive.

Good luck, Sandy

Married2RSD, as I read your reply, the tears began to flow. You are so correct about me needing a different pain doc. Yesterday while in his office I was in so much pain that I was just about the fetal position, having dry heves into the trash can. I heard him say as he wrote in his report that I was having...now get this SLIGHTLY more pain. He gave me Lexpro before leaving his office, then said I will see you in two weeks for a medication check. If I wasn't in so much pain I could had drop kicked him down the hall!

Right after that I saw my primary doctor who was say to me that my blood pressure is 170/110 and that my pain doc needs to do another block, because with all the blood pressure medications he's given me is not working because of my pain. You are soooooo right about my needing a different PM doc. My injury was in 2008 but first surgery was 2009, and the second was 2010. I was dx by my primary doctor in 2010 with crps...later the w/c pain doc agreed. I believe that in 09, is when I got this monster. But I think that w/c is going by the dx of 2010. Either way, they are dragging their heals.

I will be praying for your husband to find some comfort, and that you are able stay strong for him, because this can't be easy on either. PS...I placed you on my friends list.
Lefty

Where do you live at? Yeah I think all work comp does anywhere is drag their heels. You know, they sit around and rake in all that money from people then when they are needed to help someone they forget the reason that company was made for.

Do the blocks work for you? Where do you live? What part of you is affected? That sounded wrong didnt it lol

MarriedtoRSD, I'm in Colorado and my monster lives in my left arm, shoulder and neck. But, I think it has found and old injury of my lower back to set up shop in as well. As far as the blocks, the first block didn't do so well. The second block was okay for about 2-4 days, but they were not consistant days (if you know what I mean). I'm on xanx, lexapro, ultram, trazadone. PM took me off the Amitripiline, and they have put my PT on hold until my blood pressure is controled. I say, RSD effects the blood pressure, and so does pain...so good luck with that...LOL. My PT advice was to relax, and not to get into too hot of water because it can raise my blood pressure. I can't win for losing.

Dear Lefty and Married,
As I read your stories I can't help but feel heartbroken for you both.
I asked my "old" PM Dr. to describe the stimulator surgery to me. He was insulted. He said that I didn't need to "put the cart before the horse". First they do the trial, then the surgery. He didn't need to give me any info on the surgery until I knew if the implant would even work. I explained that I wanted to know ALL about both proceedures before I would proceed incase it worked and he looked at me and actually asked "are you involved in a legal case?" uhmmm, why, I asked, "because, I have found that people in 'legal cases' like to extend there pain longer to get more money" he said. You have got to be kidding me!!! I told him that he has obviously never had RSD and has no understanding of this painful disease and what I am going thru. I want info on a proceedure, thats all. And I left his office. Needless to say, he is no longer my Pain Management Dr..

Bottom line is, I have found that we as patients have to be our own advocates! There are some really good Dr's out there, and.... some not so good ones. We need to educate ourselves and ALWAYS ask questions!!!

I wish you and your families health!

May God Bless you with Peace and Rest,

Renee'

Yeah, when they went over the SCS for him they had us come to a class. There were 2 other couples in the class and a younger 20 something guy. It went over it with pictures, and instructional drawings the entire procedure for the trial. Then it went over it for the surgery. There was a PA who ran the class, that lasted for about 3 hours and answered everyones questions. They even had SCS units there so everyone could look at it, handle it, get an idea of what it is. Then the PM Dr did a one on one with us, explained both procedures, even told him that when he had the permanent one done, he would have about a 6 inch cut in his butt cheek where the implant would be and that his back would bruise a lot due to running the leads. He explained it would not be a comfortable thing for him to go through but that he would keep him as comfortable as possible and the first 2 weeks would be the hardest for him. I cant say enough good things about his PM Dr. I hope the one theyre sending us to that will do it in a hospital setting is as nice, caring and informative. My husband is scared to go to another dr, but I told him, Its not that far from the house, his family could be there and if there were any complications I would feel better knowing hes in a hospital where he can get the care for anything that could go wrong. I wont tell him, but I can say it here, I would be lying if I said I wasnt scared for him. But I do believe the Dr is right, this is just about his last hope.