My RSD is beginning to spread quite rapidly in the last month. I now have symptoms in my legs, and am finding clothing very uncomfortable. Scratched in a circle around a mosquito bite this morning without thinking and you would think I had tried cutting it out like a bad spot on a potato! Hurt sooo bad!! Anyway, I guess I would mainly gear this question toward women with RSD in the legs. How do you cope with the clothing issue? Also, what about shaving your legs? I already have a difficult time shaving because my left hand (the original source of RSD) doesn't really work well, which makes it hard to reach certain areas. Because of that, I don't shave my legs as often as I used to, so I don't wear dresses much cuz I can't put on pantyhose. I DO NOT want to ever have a nerve block or any type of shot or whatever. I'm on meds for narcolepsy and cataplexy, so I have to be careful what I take or use. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

OK im a dude but .. ok as far as panty hose.. don't worry about it just don't wear panty hose. sounds easy I know but Ive noticed that women have the tendency to wear tortuous items of clothing and such in order to look better so they can feel better about themselves. I say nature is better any way. as far a leg hair well I don't know how log you've had RSD but I know I lost the hair on my legs because of it.. maybe the same will happen for you, other wise I suggest always use fresh sharp blades and choose a really goos lather or cream to guard you from razor burn.. gillette gell is pretty good but how about vaseline intensive care or cera va its a good cream. . good luck

My RSD, is in theory, in my right arm. Whole the burning pain is generally isolated to that location, I do have other symptoms in other areas. I find I can't tolerate hair on my legs past at times, it's just really painful when my legs touch cloth. You can try using waxing strips--it's a different type of pain and I used to use them a few years back. If you want to try shaving, doing it in a bath is the easiest way, after your skin gas gotten wet for a bit. Nair or the like is the easiest, but the harshest, and I only use in an emergency. This is one of those things, you probably just won't be able to do with as great of frequency. Find a time when you're feeling your best to do it.

Thanks for your responses.

On a funny note... I just almost went out front to let the dog in while holding my gown up so it wasn't touching my legs! Wouldn't that have been a sight for the neighbors?!!

painman, thanks for the encouragement about not needing to wear pantyhose. I actually haven't been able to wear them in over 5 years due to the injury in my left wrist that caused the RSD...long story but I think I explained it in my first post to the forum. I generally wear knee highs if I wear a dress or with certain dress shoes, but those even bothered me yesterday...considered taking them off many times at church lol.

LIT LOVE, I've thought about the wax strips or Nads, but I imagine it would be too painful because I have used Nads in the past and it hurt alot. I generally wait to shave until the hairs are really bugging me or they're bugging my hubby lol. You said Nair is the harshest. Can you explain that to me? Is it because of the chemicals in it?

I really need to figure this out cuz if I have to stop wearing pants cuz it hurts so bad, I'll need to figure out what I can tolerate.

I have had RSD for 12 years now that also started in my left wrist and is now through out my entire body. Im no longer on any meds for 4 years now, except on really bad days and I'll take one all natural pill. When i know I need to shave my legs I soak in a hot bath the night before and when I get out I use icy hot like crazy.... Then they next day I'll shave. I have done this now for about 10 years.

Hmm interesting idea. Might have to try that if my hubby is available to help me out of the bath lol.

Using wax does hurt, but it is a different type of pain. For me it distracted the pain in my hand when I waxed my legs, since you'd be adding pain to an RSD site, that might be very bad... And, yes, the chemicals are quite caustic in Nair.

Has the RSD in your legs caused problems with your knees or hips? I have old, permanent injuries in both knees and my left hip, and they now feel so weak and painful, and it's hard to get up or walk or stand.

Also, when I stand on my left leg, which hurts most, it feels like little lightning bolts shooting through my leg.

I was wondering how RSD spreads. I initially was diagnosed in my arm/shoulder but am having horrible pain in my knees!! I can't sleep and pain meds aren't really helping...the pain is almost worse than my arm and shoulder.

Well, there's really not a wonderful answer to that question. They really don't know the definite cause of spread, just like they don't know what difinitively causes RSD/CRPS in the first place. Surgery, injury, ice, stress, illness, look at the spot wrong (LOL)...you get the point. Anything and nothing can cause spread. And you don't have to have all of the symptoms for it to be RSD. Sucks, I know!