I've had CRPS type II for 8 years after a venipuncture nerve injury to the sensory branch of the radial nerve in my right arm during a blood donation. I've had two spreads, both overnight. First was to the rest of the upper right quadrant of my body, which occurred 10 months after the initial injury. Second occurred 2 years after the initial injury, and affected the rest of the right half of my body, head to toe.

Since then, the last 6.5 years, it's been stable and hasn't spread further. Hasn't gotten too much worse, but hasn't gotten better. I consider myself very lucky that I can work and do most of what I want to do. Weight gain and fatigue has been an ongoing battle, but pain/discomfort is generally under control with warmth, meds, reasonable activity, biofeedback techniques, and keeping overall stress in my life to a minimum as much as possible.

Looking back, the first three years were horrible, espcially with the uncertainty of it all. The past five years have been much better, mostly because (1) I'm just used to the right half of my body feeling different than the left half, (2) combination (gabapentin/Cymbalta) and dose of meds that are effective, and (3) I know what works to keep flare-ups in check, and what else I need to do or not do to keep everything manageable.

I hope everything works out for you,

Ann

Hi Ann! I had to reply to your post when I read that you had a venipuncture nerve injury from donating blood cause your CRPS II. I had the same thing happen in 2006...you really made me think about things here for a minute. I went to a blood drive at work, as I had done many times before, and the girl drawing blood had difficulty placing the needle and went right thru the vein and hit the nerve (lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve). I just pulled out my records from this incident, and realized that I completely forgot the date this happened. I developed RSD in my face in 1991 and in my left arm in 2006. My spread really started after I hurt my hand in 2009...so additionally, it is in both hands, feet, shoulders, left leg, abdomen and head.

Thanks for posting and making that light bulb go off for me!
Nanc

Ann, or anyone else that got a needle nerve injury and crps spread later, what exactly where you feeling in the first 10 months before the first spread? Did you have local crps symptoms from the start and was it really bad, or did the pain go away those 10 months and then suddenly come back? Is there anything you'd recommend doing during that timeframe to stop/delay the first spread?

Don't feel alone. We all have been ther or are there ourselves. We know what you mean. I went almost 10 yrs undiagnosed because all my Drs thought I was an addict after drugs. The only thing we can do is stay as positive as we can. Don't feel like you need to keep it all bottled up. We WILL let you vent if you need to. We have all done it. Geeze I did it just a couple days ago after not being on here for a while and everyone on here is very encouraging. Also talk to your family and tell them how you feel. I hadn't done that in a long with my wonderful husband and when I did he told me if I did it again he was gonna hand me over to my grandmother. Not a good thing lol. She is 94 been through 2 thigh repair surgeries and would tear me a new one for not talking. So talk to them. If they won't listen we are here. Its not as good as having someone there to hold you if they can without hurting you but we are here. Keep smiling and don't let it get you down too much.

I am 10+ years in and I would definite say that my pain has either changed or I finally have a better grip in dealing with it. I don't push myself to get out of the house and I don't pressure myself to do and keep up with everything. The first few years I was he'll bent on not letting people see what had happened and that I was weak. Ive gotten over that... It was chill out and stop being so hard on yourself time. So. that is different for me BUT I also feel that in the last year or so, the intensity, especially of the burning pain has lessened. It's easier to deal with.

Used to be I was so guarded, especially in public, and tried to keep anything from touching me in any way. But Ive kept up things like sensitivity, tactile tolerance things and not shied away from touching and feeling. I am thinking I read some where, sort of recently that the intensity does relax with time or most people, tough I am sure it is different for everyone.

Hand in there.