Well, I finally made the trip to Cleveland. I saw Dr. Samuels yesterday afternoon. I am more confused and angry now then ever. I had been "diagnosed" with RSD/CRPS in my right leg (knee down) and foot due to multiple surgeries following a car accident. I had all the tests done here in Michigan that "indicated" RSD, so that has been my diagnosis for about 3 1/2 years.

Initially, I had injury to my knee and foot. I had an arthroscopic surgery of my right knee in Dec of 2007 (accident was in Sept of 2007), in which the doctor repaired my meniscus and debrided something. At this time, the same doctor was treating my foot with a bone stimulator (used to stimulate bone growth for the three toe fractures and a chip in my ankle).

I was then referred to another doctor in his practice who specialized in knee surgeries. This doctor did a patella realignment, and trimmed up the meniscus again. Basically, he moved my knee cap back into position and "screwed" it in place. (Done 05/08)

Also at this time, the original doctor referred me to a foot specialist in his office as well. This doctor diagnosed a Lis Franc injury to the foot and went in and fused the three toes (2nd, 3rd and 4th). He also removed a bone chip and made a repair to the tendon attached to the ankle area. (Done 10/08)

Following these surgeries, I also completed physical therapy. I also complained to the orthopedic surgerons that I had an icy dripping sensation, a burning, constant stabbing, pins & needles, swelling, purple discoloration, shiny skin. They insisted it was nothing "surgical", just in my head and suggested a pain management to work with me. Around this same time, I had questioned an allergy to the screws due to an allergy I had externally to cheap jewelry thinking maybe my body didn't like the screws. Screws were removed from the knee in 05/09 and from the foot in 10/09. Symptoms were still present after removal, however, the knee doctor noted that I had intense bone loss, especially around the head of the screws and he had to fill that area with bone putty.

So, off the my primary care physician to get her thoughts and recommendations on pain management. She agreed, and also said that I was exhibiting signs of RSD - shiny skin, temperature difference, reddish-puple blotches, grooved finger nails, pins & needles, cold water dripping inside my leg and the constant pains and aches.

Started with pain management doctors. They also diagnosed RSD, and we started with all the lovely spinal blocks. They ran a trial for spinal cord stimulator with one day good coverage. They advised me that this a success, and they could deal with the migrating coverage problems.

Before the stim was implanted, since I was still experiencing "joint problems" with my knee, I was sent in for an MRI. The MRI revealed a torn meniscus again. I was so unhappy with my origianal ortho team that I went to another well-known ortho who performed yet another arthroscopic surgery in 09/10 to repair meniscus.

Spinal cord stimulator was then implanted immediately after this surgery. This surgery was actually performed twice due to lead migration and the battery/generator moved in such a way that the control was unable to communicate with it.