Yeh..

It is a nightmare!!! All I need is rain/ shower etc and I will have managed to go from black to red in about 2 seconds. It absolourly kills. So. I cheat. (I figure that to be honest I have better things to use with my "ok" time during the day when I can achieve things --> lectures, seeing friends, doing physio, wearing my legs, getting some work done etc.... and showers just knock me out for the next couple of days.

So, I tend to have bed baths at the moment and we wash my hair over the bath once a week. (or at the hairdressers - but as I'm in a solid cervical collar it's harder to wash it properly without me flopping everywhere.) I am currently waiting for my hoists to be put in and then I will hopefully be able to get in the bath...

With showers especially the pain is like... being stabbed and set on fire millions of times from each drop. We did come up with holding a sponge in front of the shower head to reduce the dripping but it is still so hard...

Love

froggsy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Frogga,

Very nice to meet you. Not so much in these circumstances, but this is a great place to meet people that suffer and can relate to the pain of this awful disease.

I see how progressed your RSD has gotten in 5 years, through reading a few blogs. I feel that I am on your road...though no one can ever be certain. My prayers are with you. I am new to this site and do not know your entire story. But, I do wish that you weren't confined to a wheelchair.

Thanks for understanding MY pain as far as the shower goes. When you write the word "DROP", I cringe.

You descibed it perfectly. Thanks!

have you tried a warm bath with epson salts? i find it really helps to soothe the pain and decrease the swelling. getting in and out of the tub is rough but sometimes it is the best thing for me to do.
i also have a small heater in the bathroom to keep the temp up so there are no quick temperature changes.

Yes, I have used the Epsom Salt baths multiple times, but I didn't know why. My fiance just said that I should try it one time, and it did work. Now I know that others do as well.

The space heater has come up a couple times, so that seems like the way to go. That will be on the next shopping list. I live in Las Vegas, and the weather is so extreme. It's either 40 degrees in the winter or 120 in the summer. This will be my 1st summer here. So, hopefully the heat doesn't impact too much. The cold REALLY bothered me.

Thanks again for the advice. I have been feeling pretty good, no pains, and no ms yet. I will let you know how the US goes on Fri.

Thanks,
Heather

Hi Heather!

Welcome to the group. Good bless you and your strength. I can only imagine how difficult this must all be with the baby on the way and the physical and mental strains that you have to deal with on top of the RSD. I have read that on occasion just being pregnant sometimes causes the body to remiss, but this is by the few that have actually found remission (nothing jurnalized). Welcome to the group and nice to meet you!

Get lotsa rest and try not to push to hard with your preparations for the newcomer. DO you know what you are having? How far along are you? Where are you located? There are a few, US companies I can forward you information on, for relief from feeding\diapering your joy if you are in the US.

Gentle Hugs,

Rain

It's very nice to meet you. Thanks for the kind words. Yes, this is already a struggle to begin with. I am fortunate that I am not sick yet. No pains, or beeding, so that's good.

I am either 7 or 11 weeks tomorrow, so I am unsure of the sex as of yet. I will find out at my first Ultrasound tomorrow. I live in Las Vegas, NV. It is so hot out here right now, OMG!

The temp extremes are hard to deal with. The shower is the worst right now. I flare-up after every shower. It's ridiculous. But oh well.

I am not going to gick up, I am going to get better. I want to be healthy and productive for my baby. Some may say that I am dreaming, but I won't let this disease take me down.

Any info in this area, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,
Heather

Hey Heather,

Nice to meet you. Dealing with the RSD and the pregnancy (and the stress of pregnancy) must all be sending your pain levels through the roof. Especially fears about medications etc.

Ok. lets be honest about showers. You can make the choice to not have them and either a) have a bath if you can tolerate that better or b) make your shower once a week and make sure you keep certain bits washed properly..

I will write more later but I have to go now - it was great to meet you!!

Love

Froggsy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx