[crpsisnofun]

I am new to all of this... I just wonder if this sounds normal to anyone. I feel like my body has been invaded or as if it is a voodoo doll. Let me tell you a little background...

I was running three miles per day in May 2011 when I hurt my knee. Initially told to stay off it, ice it every 20 minutes and took pain meds. After a few weeks, no improvement so I had cortisone injection and pt. Months of this with no improvement, so I was referred on to an ortho specialist. He ordered more pt. I could not tolerate that. However by this point, 3 months after injury, the pain had changed. I had a lot of tingling up and down the entire leg. It has extremely sensitive to touch and started heating up. I was then referred to neurologist that specialized in RSD/CRPS. In the nearly 3 months wait to see this doctor, the legs got hotter, felt numb at times, shooting and stabbings at random times, just plain painful! Then, the other legs started feeling the same way. It started in the same manner and progressed. I would get weird bruises without any injury. They were dark and lasted a long time for a bruise.

I saw specialist the end of November 2011. I have seen him a few times since. Taking meds that have been tweaked through course of treatment , list includes: Neurontin, zanaflex, maprotiline, lidocaine patches. No pain block (not sure what exactly he means by this other than it is a needle in my back to block pain) because he believes my nervous system is too agitated right now and a block could risk further spread.

So right now, I wake at a pain level that averages at a 5 then to an average of an 8 to 10 by the end of the day. I have most pain at the site of initial injury. However, I also have the tingling, heat, stabbing and squeezing pain in both legs, sometimes in hips, and now starting to get the numbness and tingling, and squeezing pressure in my wrists and hands, especially the right one with a constant pain in my right shoulder. The right shoulder actually started hurting before the hips and pelvis. I thought maybe was result of the cane I was using. My mobility is limited. Walking is painful.

Nights are terrible. Why is night time so bad? I lay down and that's when the craziness really get going. It feels like fireworks are being set off inside my body. I never know where it will hit. It's so random but is it terrifying to me. The pain is severe. Does anyone else experience this type of shooting, bursts of exploding pain? Is this what CRPS is all about? My feet feel like they are curling up, so much that I often check them to see if they are but they are strait. They tingle and buzz. It hurts to touch the floor. Anyone relate to that?

I can't stand to drive. The vibrations of the car amplifies the pain. Loud noises (kids yelling and sadly, even laughing) can make it intensify.

I can't believe that this heat and pain can't be seen by the eye. I look at my legs to check out what they look like. Other than being blotchy, they look normal, no flames or pokers, knives, needles, etc sticking out of them. How can this be?

Is this what others experience? How long is this going to last? What can I expect? My doctor tells me everyone is different. I would just love to hear if others can relate to what I am feeling and if you have any advice. This has been so devastating to me. I am a young, 38, active mom, who worked full-time. Now can hardly to anything. I am told that early intervention holds best results but OMG I want my life back now, yesterday even! Help!