Which gets your blood pressure up more? Pain or a Dr. that tells you that pain is whats doing it but doesn't do anything for it? LOL

All kidding aside. I do hope you get a good Dr. at this pain clinic. You have been in too much pain for too long.

Ada

Allen
Just a little note...
I have had high blood pressure for a while now.. maybe 10 years. It became a lot worse in 2001 when I got RSD the first time.

I took Norvasc for many many years to control my BP. I tried SO many meds and had terrible side effects. Norvasc was the only one that seemed to get along with my system. Then, when I got RSD, and my pressures went up, we tried several meds in addition. Settled on Avalide, which is a combination medication. It has a bit of diuretic in it.

Well, when I got RSD this time, I found that clonadine was all over the net as being a med good for RSD, so I requested to be put on it. I tried the patch, but my skin reacted to it. So, we tried the pills. Pills are a LOT less expensive than the patches! Anyway... I used the pills for over a year. BP levels were "ok" but not as consistent as they were with the Norvasc.

During this time, I had a very cold hand a lot of the time. I carried a glove with me all the time. When my right hand started to become involved, I started wearing two gloves. It is amazing how you can learn to type with gloves on!

Well, I still had a big 90 day supply of Norvasc at home. I asked my doc if she would mind if I switch back to it and use it up. Within 3 days - I felt a LOT better RSD wise. Did not notice a difference in my pain... but the swelling is about half what it was..... HOWEVER...... my hand and limb is no longer cold. I have had one or two instances in the last 6 weeks of it being just a little cool... that's it. With Clonadine... it was ice cold almost all the time.

SO --- work with your doc to make the High blood pressure work FOR your RSD. The small amount of diuretic in the Avalide helps with the fluid retention of some of the other meds I am on. And, the switch back to Norvasc has been just amazing in the comfort of my bad arm and hand. Also, 3 months ago, it was very painful to hold a cold can of pop in my bad hand. Now, it is not nearly as bad.

I've been using baclofen at night for sleep. 20-30 mg. Works a lot better than any of the anti-depressants have. And, helps SO much with those darned spasms!! I have had so many electrical type zingers!!! Baclofen has all but knocked them out.

Good luck Allen... hugs to you!!!
Jules

Hey Allen...

Keep at it and keep poking those drs till they sort the bp and the pain out it's great they took you seriously... (FINALLY!!)

I once made the mistake of going to the ER in my NHS chair (after getting RSD and already being unable to walk) after being dropped and breaking my ankle... The nurse took my full history and then said "WHERE DID YOU STEAL THE WHEELCHAIR FROM??"
me> I'm in one full time because of RSD.
nurse> BUT YOU'RE YOUNG! YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T IN WHEELCHAIRS! OF COURSE YOU CAN WALK!!
me> err, look at my feet.

That ended that. (Also helped having mum waving my med prescriptions around + me crying/ screaming and all of that lot).

Keeping my fingers crossed that things get sorted soon for you! can't believe you were suffering so much in silence! Has the elavil helped? and did I hear you correctly? they have PM clinics staffed by PA's?

Love ya and take CARE!!

Froggsy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This blood pressure thing is not going away, it is waaaay to high still. My doctor friend that I have ongoing emails with thinks the RSD is effecting the nervous system that controls such things. Just like it started messing around with my heart beats and breathing. Kinda scary to think about really.

So is this RSD gonna shut me down internally? Has anyone heard of this?

Yeah frogga they staff the clinics with PA's
You know up until just a few years ago I never heard nor seen a PA, then even in my doctors office you never seen the doctor just the PA.
This might be a bad trend here cause they cant do alot of what doctors do, nor do they have the experience of a doctor.

Exactly what is becoming of our medical field? It is getting as bad as christmas with, high prices, market driven and lots of misconceptions. Everyone is in it for the almighty dollar, and not for the reason it even exists.

Hey Allan

RSD does mess with your insides. It sucks big time! I really hope you get it under control. Aren't things like clonidine supposed to help? I cannot BELIEVE that PA#s are in pain clinics - they can't prescribe CDs!!!!!! and pain management is very specialised... stupid doctors.

I sometimes wonder what happens - you pay for al this medical care and STILL get rubbish treatment which focuses on what your insurances allow and not on the actual disease process/ symptoms you are presenting with..

Thinking of you lots!!! Hang on in there

Love

Froggsy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When seen in the ER, they sent a social worker to see me about how am I going to pay?

Well the county cut me off of the insurance rather illegally I told the social worker, and she agreed, but, I am going to be billed for services. Now this is after I tell her I have zero income and live off my family like a leach. It is her job to get me to being a paid customer. The county owns the hospital, and the insurance I used to have, and her as far as im concerned. She had all that info and wouldnt sign me up right there ??? LOL They deserve not to be paid!!!

Goes to show how much the dollars are more important.

I dont know how it is in other states, but here in california you are required to have auto insurance by law. That really isnt a bad thing, but, who is profiting from this?

After watching this ad about auto insurance on tv I believe I now know. The guy in the ad starts by telling us that the insurance companies are now required to report when your insurance is canceled, relapses or is no longer current to the dept of motor vehicles. At this time you will have a certain amount of time to get the insurance or face fines, jail, or vehicle registration cancellation.

Now why would they do this??? So the insurance companies can keep everyone paying? Isnt this a bit extreme? Is this about the insurance or the money?

I say the money

The insurance companies have a strangle hold on this country, and are bleeding everyone to death. Ya like my terminology?

So maybe the insurance agencies are keeping everyone hurting on purpose

LOL just a thought ???? Fer sure our politicians dont work for us, they work for the insurance companies, I mean who is getting the threats of fines, or sued for not paying medical bills. Certainly not the insurance companies

One thing I do know is that maybe the people arent happy, but Happy Cows live in california, not in wisconsin as we were all led to believe. Dont believe me? Ask the cows

ROFL TV ads are tooooo much!!