[nw31705]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the site, but definitely not new to the beast we all know as RSD/CRSP. My life changed a little over 3 years ago when I had a fall down a flight of stairs injuring my right great toe. Like most nurses I didn't seek medical attention right away; I thought it was just a stubbed toe. Six months into it I noticed I still could not wear any shoes other than my work shoes and only those I could slide my feet in; my foot also had this bone growth on top. I consulted one of the surgeons in my department (I am an operating room nurse); she told me she that I had turf toe. Turf toe is sprain of the joint in the right great toe usually in foot ball. I did indeed have this and had to wear a boot for some time. The however did not fix the problem, so I was placed in a short leg case for a month. After the month was over I was taken to the operating room to remove what was bone spurs and a bunion that had grown on the anterior portion of my foot from the joint being stiff. Now the fun begins; the surgery miraculously got rid of the pain I was feeling, but not oddly a few weeks post-op I begin to have numbness, swelling and sensitivity to touch. My foot just wasn't getting any better and it was getting close to time to go back to work. I had all the x-rays, EMG's, Lumbar studies to see if it was my back; you name it. I started noticing that my foot would change colors red then blue and the wind would even hurt; I begin to think something is really wrong here. Finally one afternoon while I painfully hopped along at work after being forced to come back or be fired one of the Anesthesiologist with a history of pain management asked to see my foot and I showed her; she then wrote three letters on a piece of paper and told me to go look this up and come back to me. All I can say am I sat in front of the computer screen that night crying because I said finally I have an answer. I took that piece of paper to my doctor and my RSD journey began. I must say it has not been fun now that I have a diagnosis in had how do we treat it. I have yet to find anything that helps me. I have done the blocks; they helped for a while. I can't take a whole lot of meds and work too. The work thing is a whole other story I am now down to 2 days a week and barely can stand a whole 8 hour shift. Oh did I mention the RSD is now in both my feet, legs, hands, right arm and scapula; yeah it’s moving fast. I don't know if it is because I refuse to take it easy or what. Well that's it for now if anyone can offer advice as for as it goes for treatment I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.