Sounds like that doctor is in the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome camp.

A real shame there cause even though he is referring to CRPS, it still is not a phsycological disorder. They have pretty much proved that. They just cant tell you why your in pain lol

I think one of the biggest problems with RSD is idiot doctors. RSD causes extreme pain, there were discussions on whether it was neurological many years ago. That has been proven, it's neurological, but how it actually acts we do not know. The receptors that react to injury and pain don't know when to shut down. Because of the intense pain, misdiagnosis and mystery of this disease we get STRESSED!!! Stress can make RSD worse. Counseling works for some just to let the relentless frustration out! My advise - Kick the doctor out of your life, call a good friend, have a glass of wine and a long bubble bath and last but not least - Find a new doctor! I still haven't found one who I would call responsive. Good LUCK!

i attended a meeting with a pt who asked me to bring my wife in also so he could describe my condition to her so that we could best manage it. the pt said that i had chronic pain syndrome and that the problem was in my head and that i should attend his chronic pain syndrome classes. after 4years of misdiagnoses my wife was in tears. the wonderful thing about medicine is when they make tremendous breakthroughs in their understanding of certain conditions, what happens to all those who were standing up professing the validity of the previous notions of the way things are. find someone who knows what they are talking about. good luck

Hi KateLynne,

Hope you're feeling better - and getting more help. If you must go back to this doc (I realize some people have had their family doc for years, so...) then at least take along the PDFs which you can download from the link in my post in "useful sites" -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...6756#post76756

Doctors in Holland have spent more time and money on research into RSD than any other nation on earth, and have very recently published their combined findings and recommendations. You can read about it in my other post.

They are in PDF form, one written for patients and one for physicians. Any doctor anywhere in the world will respect these publications, all the physicians involved are very highly respected in the medical profession.

Give both to your doctor so he can see what you are reading and understanding - he will have to address your concerns properly, then.

Just as an aside, I grudge spending time educating doctors (hey, they get paid enough..) but if it's the only way...

I just wish you could give the doc a nice big bill for the free education along with the PDFs
all the best!

Thanks Artist, Emilys Grandma, CZZ74, HubbyWithRSD, Nikmcjo, Tayla4Me, Frogga, Allentgamer and SeptMystic for all your input!! I am very thankful for your thoughts on this. It helps me to hear from other's opinions. Sometimes I think everyone thinks it's me-- I have had quite a few problems with Docs since my RSD began, in searching for a dx, and figuring out things/ treatment.

The problem is, it is SO hard to find an RSD Doc! The Doc and I now disagree but he continues to treat me in the fashion I need/ want at the time (meds, pt). Looks like I might be Dr hunting for a while until I find the exact one I need.

He definately needs an education in RSD!! He isn't specifically an RSD Doc, he is in pain management.

My Doc states, when I say that it cannot be psychological because it started (duh) when I had an injury- "Well, many people have it and plenty didn't have an injury that started it", telling me that stress that people cannot handle is why they get RSD (they never truly learned to deal with stress properly) AND you know what else? He says that CERTAIN PERSONALITY TRAITS DISPOSE YOU TO DEVELOPING RSD! (Very responsible and high achieving people get it). How many Docs these days actually believe that?

So, the theory is (from my Doc) that if you get the psychological help you so need (because, you see, you "did this to yourself", and are psychologically messed up, cuz you cannot deal with stress), you will get better. Um, no. I don't think so. So, I go to a psychologist, they analyze me, and from there figure out what caused my RSD- what stresses in my life caused it.

****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~
Frogga, No! I do not think he is at all willing to contact other Docs- he is a know-it-all, NEVER willing to admit he doesn't know the answers to a question I ask. He will skirt around some topics that I ask him.

Oh, yeah- he is all into me seeing a psychologist for pain coping skills BUT I have to FIRST be evaluated to find out why I have RSD- what stress in my life caused it.

Well well well, the only way he treats RSD is meds (certain anti-epleptics, narcotics and ant-depressants), psychological intervention and physical therapy.

And, this is no misunderstanding between the two of us... I know someone else who went through the same thing! I wish it was just misunderstanding. NO, he thinks I am psychologically messed up. ARGH!

Just a little note here - For the Doc who thinks this is all in your head....I have a friend who is being told this same exact thing from an IME, the IME states that this friend has Munchausen....So I know EXACTLY what your going through right now and the frustrations. This IME was bought & paid for by the oppositions insurance company and this "diagnosis" (which btw he is unqualified to actually diagnose) was nothing but a sham!

My point is this...My friend had a MMPI aka psych test just a few short years before the RSD, she had to have the test before having a sugery. The Psych Doc then stated that she was a sound, stable individual and a good canidate for surgery and should have successful results as she had a good, positive personality and attitude.

SOOOOOOOOOO - Mr Joker Dr with the "it's all in your head attitude" and it's a "Predisposed personality trait" - Go Powder Your Fanny!!!

Do they do this with people who have arthritis!!!?? NO, because they can "see" it on a scan - Unfortunately it's impossible at this point to for sure 100% see RSD - Thus...the disbelievers....

How does your Dr explain such things as temperature changes, skin lesions, muscle spasms, things like that, that are symptoms/signs of RSD?

It really p*sses me off when Doctors do this to their patients. All it does is cause them further undue stress AND stress can make the RSD worse. Something someone with RSD does not need!! Again...best advice - find a real Dr and not this quack who obviously does not have the education or knowledge behind him.

It's all in your head, Lose them.

Just like they said with fibro, now it's a neuromuscular disease. Anything with chronic pain related to it they think it is one size fits all. Ask him is neuropathy pain is caused by stress. I just want to cry hearing all this garbage. Acute pain is related to an immediate injury until it heals, chronic pain is anything that last longer that 3 months. After that it's considered a disease in itself. BS. There is a big difference between arthritis pain and burning nerve pain and other symptoms of RSD. If RSD can affect your vascular system how then can it be a mental disorder, because of flight or fight? Well your eyes, lungs, heart. bones and skin all are dependent on sympathetic nervous system. What do you do about the peripheral, central and autonomic nervous system disorders and digestive/immune system problems associate (caused in my book) by RSD? I have had fibro since 1990 and believe me when I got RSD it was NOTHING like what I had ever experienced with fibro. I am so traumatized by stupid doctors. When they don't know anything they dump it in your lap. Physician heal thyself! Believe me it is just that too. I am sorry I am in tears, this is so much BS. Somehow we are defective human beings unable to COPE with stress or life. Well I was fine until I had foot surgery. It took me 52 years to develop all these personality disorders, catastrophysing, drug seeking, malingering and flat out dreg of society. I do have PTSD CAUSED BY THEM. Do no harm??? Doctors have totally screwed me up emotionally. I am not sure the LIMBIC SYSTEM is involved. I think that's a BY-PRODUCT of abuse from the medical community we all seem to have to endure. They make you scared to ask for help. I have yet to leave one appointment not in tears over something said to me that was offensive and demeaning. When the demi-gods can't fix it, it MUST BE YOUR FAULT AND YOUR DOING. YOU CAUSED IT! You just need counseling to fix whatever it was you did wrong. Well I can't undo my foot surgery decision, if I could I would. I would be working, playing, having sex, only be on one pill a day and most of all I would be happy and healthy again.