Wendy,

My primary Dr is Dr. Richman in NY at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He does the inpatient treatments but does not do outpaitent boosters which is why he sent me to Dr. Shwartzman for them.

The inpatient is different for everyone depending on alot of factors. I did have hallucinations, was weaned off all of my opiates and narcotics (thankfully), had lumbar epidural blocks and brachial plexus blocks done to try to see if there could be a neuroma.

Dr. Shwartzman and Dr. Richman share the same philosophy. If the ketamine works for you the first time, keep going and get the boosters as this will continue to keep your CNS calm. I will most likely be getting boosters or going inpatient again at ties for the rest of my life. I had RSD for ten years before it was diagnosed. Thankfully, I had alot of positive factors for ketamine and it did work for me, it doesn't for everyone. One of the things I love about these doctors is they won't give you false hope and if something isn't likely to work for you, they wont lie to you and do it anyway.

As for Dr. Shwartzman's feeling on meds, there's more research being done every day and at this point it's known that narcotics and opiates will actually prevent the ketamine from working. He has prescribed 2 nerve blocks for me so far with a different Dr. there at Hannehman but he's never prescribed any pain meds and thankfully I don't need them since ketamine.

I am truly sorry to hear your story but honestly, as frustrating as it must be, the total amount of meds you're on really isn't bad. If you can get through the day on those without being in horrible pain, that's actually really good. I know the loopy and fuzzy headed feelings and forgetfullness are annoying but alot of that is just RSD and the rest you can get from the meds I do take, like Neurontin.

I think alot of people almost think of ketamine as a cure which it is not. It does help dramatically calm the CNS when it works and reduces pain alot (depending on the individual) and can restore mobility to limbs. However, it is not once and done for most people unless it's within the first three months.

Until a cure is found, rather then keep fighting and stressing the CNS more, I think people including myself need to accecpt that the RSD is here to stay, now it's up to us to find the best way to live with it and hopefully through meds, ketamine, lifestyle changes, etc we'll take charge of it the best we can and if we get a remission, great.

Dawn

You have been thru alot too but seem to be on the right track.

I think you are right, that maybe I was thinking this was ,not a cure all, but the closest thing to it.

The meds I'm on just take the edge off I'm still a good 7-8 but I refuse to take any more. too many side effects. I was also thinking that maybe because my B/P is always very high even on the B/P meds that I take, that this might be one reason maybe that the Dr.,s don't want me to do the ketamine. Have you ever heard of this?

How long have you had RSD? I know too long,right. You have a great attitude about the realities of RSD, I do most of the time, but being rejected for the ketamine discouraged me especially because I still don't know exactly why, I see my Dr. Friday and we will be figuring this question out, the reasons that no one wants me to even try the ketamine.

Congrats to you for really getting relief and being able to stay off the bad meds. and for explaining to me some of the questions I had I am still a little confused about all of this but glad that you had a good experience.

Thanks Wendy




















































had every day and at this point it's known that narcotics and opiates will actually prevent the ketamine from working. He has prescribed 2 nerve blocks for me so far with a different Dr. there at Hannehman but he's never prescribed any pain meds and thankfully I don't need them since ketamine.

I am truly sorry to hear your story but honestly, as frustrating as it must be, the total amount of meds you're on really isn't bad. If you can get through the day on those without being in horrible pain, that's actually really good. I know the loopy and fuzzy headed feelings and forgetfullness are annoying but alot of that is just RSD and the rest you can get from the meds I do take, like Neurontin.

I think alot of people almost think of ketamine as a cure which it is not. It does help dramatically calm the CNS when it works and reduces pain alot (depending on the individual) and can restore mobility to limbs. However, it is not once and done for most people unless it's within the first three months.

Until a cure is found, rather then keep fighting and stressing the CNS more, I think people including myself need to accecpt that the RSD is here to stay, now it's up to us to find the best way to live with it and hopefully through meds, ketamine, lifestyle changes, etc we'll take charge of it the best we can and if we get a remission, great.

Dawn[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=wswells;734217]You have been thru alot too but seem to be on the right track.

I think you are right, that maybe I was thinking this was ,not a cure all, but the closest thing to it.

The meds I'm on just take the edge off I'm still a good 7-8 but I refuse to take any more. too many side effects. I was also thinking that maybe because my B/P is always very high even on the B/P meds that I take, that this might be one reason maybe that the Dr.,s don't want me to do the ketamine. Have you ever heard of this?

How long have you had RSD? I know too long,right. You have a great attitude about the realities of RSD, I do most of the time, but being rejected for the ketamine discouraged me especially because I still don't know exactly why, I see my Dr. Friday and we will be figuring this question out, the reasons that no one wants me to even try the ketamine.

Congrats to you for really getting relief and being able to stay off the bad meds. and for explaining to me some of the questions I had I am still a little confused about all of this but glad that you had a good experience.

Thanks Wendy


Wendy,
I've actually had RSD for about ten years but was only diagnosed at the Hospital for Special Surgery this past fall. Before that, I had 3 cervical surgeries (disc fusions, laminectomies, etc, both posterior and anterior) and lumbar laminectomies. I had a surgeon who thought he was a god and never stopped to consider that maybe my problem wasn't one his repeated surgeries could fix. When he should have referred me to pain management, he instead performed more surgery.

Other then those surgeries and my RSD which has spread from my head to my toes on the left side, I'm the picture of great health. I don't know if any medical conditions you may have could be a factor. My primary RSD doctor also felt I would be an excellent candidate due to my age (38) and my past responses to anesthesia. Each time I had it for different surgeries, I had full relief for about 6 weeks (which I thought was from the surgery). Turned out is was from the anesthesia because the pain returned each time with a vengeance.

Before the ketamine, my pain levels were off the scale to the point ER doctors could no longer get my pain under control without risking my life. Ketamine has been a godsend for me but I do also know it isn't a cure and what's more important than anything in fighting this is understanding it and yourself as well as you can.

Collect as much information as possible, read the articles,pay attention to your triggers and find what you can do to counteract them.

Most importantly, never give up hope.