Of course there would be cake!

I've often wondered why there has never been a medical drama using CRPS for an episode.... I love watching House, and it is just the sort of thing I can imagine them all discussing. They are missing a trick - there are so many weird and wonderful symptoms he could be enjoying

Sorry your migraine is still so bad, hopefully some cooler evening conditions might ease things a bit. They are horrible to have. My leg has been awful today, I have shooting pains and sensitivity from above my knee to my ankle, as well as the full leg aches as usual and the foot crap. Ouch ouch ouch.

Ah well, you have to laugh. I'll give the cats a bit more catnip....

Bram.

Lol it's worth it just to have the entertainment of watching them roll around stoned. Of course after your post we may all be competing with the cats for it. Can you imagine approaching a dealer and asking him..."Yo dude, got any.......catnip?"

As for House, can you imagine if they did a special episode on CRPS and simultaneously ran the bystory of House changing from Vicodin to catnip? Haha! Ow my head. Hope you're feeling better tonight Bram

I think you are all amazing. I have only had this horrible thing for about six months, so far it is limited to my right arm (maybe my neck) and I know that so many of you are in so much more pain than I am. Yet, I am feeling a bit of the 'woe is me' too.

I am really struggling to keep up at work. I have had so much time off and I continue to need time off for physio and appointments with both doctors. I really need to get to the dentist but I just don't feel like I can take even more time off work. When I do have appointments, I stay late to make up the time but I know they don't really understand. And the longer days mean more pain.

And now, too really cap things off, my husband has been in hospital since Sunday night. That means I'm having to do everything for me and my dog (she is a princess, btw). The poor wee thing hasn't had a walk all week though because I really just can't do it.

I keep trying to pretend that I'm not in pain but I am. It hurts. It hurts a great deal. I am exhausted from pushing through the pain all day. And then I keep waking up through the night because of the pain. I am just so tired. I desperately don't want to lose the independence of being able to work but I am struggling.

I am sorry. I know I shouldn't complain. You have all been through so much more than I. Like I said, you are all amazing.

O...M....G.... Kathy, you HAVE to pitch that idea to every US medical drama out there!!!!!! It would be priceless!!! I was chatting to my mum and sister about the catnip this evening, and we all ate a leaf it tasted quite nice actually... Haven't tried anything more adventurous yet lol.
...

Hi Kim - Sorry you're having such a rough time, and hope your husband's doing ok. You must be so worried for him, and stress really adds to the pain doesn't it. Oh dear. Just when you least need it, life really knows how to kick you a curve ball

This isn't a competition , and CRPS varies so much from person to person that someone who's only had it for a month could be in a worse state than someone else who's had it mildly for ten years... If you feel bad you feel bad. Your pain is just as valid as anyone else's!

The work thing is a horrible dilemma. I had to give my job up as it was quite physical, and my knee just couldn't do it anymore. I was lucky to be able to set up self-employed doing something that I can control the hours more - on the negative side, I don't earn anywhere near as much, and there's no sick pay... I admire anyone holding down a job while dealing with CRPS

Try not to feel so bad about everything - you're doing the best you can. Have a good play with your wee dog throwing a ball or something. That's pretty good exercise for her, and you don't have to walk about much! She'll love it and you can stop feeling guilty about at least that bit!

Bram

Thanks Bram.

I'm just feeling a wee bit overwhelmed at the moment. I'm sure I'll feel much better once my husband is home.

My dog is a beagle so when I got home from work and the hospital I threw some very small biscuits for her in the garden. She loved it. It is her favourite game. She's rather old, so she got a fair amount of exercise running and sniffing around for biscuits. Her vision isn't good enough anymore for her to watch where it lands when I throw it. Not that she was ever very good at that. She is a joy to watch. And there's no therapy as good as fur therapy.


And ladies...I love the idea of a house crps/catnip episode!

You have truly had a rough time of things. It is very sad to hear this story, and all the stories that have the same or very similar experiences. Each and every one of us seems to have come up against this sort of abuse, and in the vulnerable states that we are in, are unable to pop right back and lead with a perfect game plan or reply - it is hard enough, as you say, to even 'try' normal! Is there any way that your old pain team and doctor can forward all the relevant information to the new one, and could not the 'backing' of the old plan reassure your present doctor? One would think that if it was good enough to cover the other guys *****, it should cover his too. Perhaps it is possible for you to have the other team write an introduction and outline the protocol that is in place and working (as well as can be expected) and send this to your new doc? I hate, absolutely, that every time we seem to come forward a bit with our ideas and attitudes around and about pain and medication, some big news splash seems to snatch all the hard won ground straight out from under, and, again, all the doc's except a small and very dedicated handful hang in there and truly make life worth living for another day. Rest, redirect your energies the best way you can to help yourself, and take heart that there are some wonderful people here on your side and hoping that you feel some relief soon. hasmag.

I'd so like to help but I'm sure I can't. Find your triggers and avoid them. Get your sleep and stay as busy as you can even if it's just reading a book. Exercise and eat right. Try to stay connected. Try to be find new things to occupy your time.

Best of luck.

Hey guys, I honestly dunno what I'd do without you. You all keep me marginally sane (oh who am I kidding?) and laughing! You're a great support, you know that? All of you.

Kim - I don't know how you do it, without belittling this bloomin' awful thing we all have, you sound like you have real Wonder Woman strength in there and haven't given up on giving life your all. Your dog sounds lovely too. Our dog is like a little torpedo, she's a staffie, but also likes fetching/running games when I'm not up to the walks. I hope your husband is better soon

Hasmag - it kindof works differently over here, our records get centralised and relevant stuff is passed on to new doctors at the referral stage by the GP or what's on the computer system (if the doctors are in the same area). My pain docs had all the records from my previous pain doc, and just have royally cocked up my care by their own work. I'm not so sure it's what they've done so far (other than the meds side of things), it's about how he's not listened. He doesn't have a clue where I'm at - as far as he knows I have a bit of backache that's all in my head, he doesn't ever want to hear the real symptoms. There's a formal complaint in anyway, they won't find in my favour as all docs cover their backs but I won't be a doormat any more either.

Well, I ended up at the out of hours GP last night after ringing 111 for advice (non-emergency helpline that has replaced our out of hours GP service's number). They had to put me in a dark corridor to wait as the waiting room lights were so bright I couldn't stand it even with my sunglasses on and my jacket wrapped round my head lol. I looked a total divvy. So anyway, I had my blood pressure checked, 150/90, high for me but apparently not scary high. He said it was a bit of a "super migraine" and gave me an injection of metoclopramide for the nausea. He would've given me a shot of codeine and diclofenac but I can't have either, typical of me lol. He said it would only sort the nausea but it might help me get through the night til my GP was open. They don't have a full range of medications available there, especially not at 1.30am! Anyway they slung me in a taxi home and I went straight to sleep, and woke up ok. Bit tender but the migraine itself has gone. I was told I'd have to go on prophylactics of some sort given how bad it was. I've been on propranolol in the past for them so I don't mind for the sake of not having a rerun!!! My arm is delightfully bruised from the injection, I'm tough normally but bloomin' heck it's achey and tight!

Thanks for all the help and support guys

Kathy, I'm sorry you had a rough night but I'm so glad the migraine has gone. I used to take pizotifen for migraines. It didn't keep the migraines away entirely but it did reduce the frequency. It also reduced the severity when I did get them. Having said that, I've never had such a bad one (okay, I had a TIA from a migraine but that didn't really feel bad, I was just out of it).

I haven't taken pizotifen for a few years so they may have something even better now. It is a serotonin antagonist so when I first started taking it, I was really wiped out. I basically slept the whole weekend but I adjusted fairly quickly.

I hope your arm is feeling better soon.

Hi Kim

Thanks ever so much, I will ask the GP about it today. I'm finally getting to see him lol, it's been a nightmare trying to get a face to face appointment.

Slightly off topic but I have done a bit of animal rescue/fostering over the years and a situation came about very quickly yesterday that has had an effect on things. My daughter was asked by a friend to take in a badly injured kitten that had been sat on by its owner and probably had at least two broken legs from the description. We traipsed across to the owner's house last night to see if they would let us help. They denied having the kitten (and we saw no evidence of it being there, so sadly presume it has passed away) but they asked us to take a mum and another kitten in instead (who were stinking filthy). Mum has just had an emergency spay as she had got pregnant immediately after finishing nursing the kittens. It hadn't been our plan but we have got both out. One healthy kitten is already in a permanent home with my sister and mum is recovering here. Sadly we can't keep her permanently but the little bitey nervous ball of tortie fluff has turned out to be a darling sweet little attention seeker who has spent the night asleep on my pillow next to me purring and gently pawing my face when she wants a stroke. Having her chill out with me has been just gorgeous. I wish we didn't have to home her out but we do have someone interested. She can be my therapy cat in the meantime while she gets back up to health. Baz nicknamed her Pea (cos shes diddy, get it?), my daughter nicknamed her Brie as she stank (the house was minging) but she has been getting called Toots with me because of her ginger toes and how she uses them to get attention.

Sorry to the non-animal folks, didn't mean to wander off there but I am just relieved they're both out of there. We have one of Connie's friends watching out for signs of the broken kitten just in case they were hiding it so we haven't given up there either xxx