So glad to hear you are doing a little better.

I can't type too much right now but you should try a better muscle relaxer than soma and get a better medication than Percocet for the pain. If its a spasm then it's very important to get it relaxed ASAP. The pain will calm down when you get the spasm under control.

Good luck.

Percocet 10/325, even doubled works for most pain. It this doesn't touch it, the ER is the place to be. Not too many doctors give out medications stronger than this. The neurologist might, if he has a greater understanding of RSD pain. I think it comes down to the doctor. Pain specialists should be part of the whole process. Hopefully one that has some compassion. Sounds to me like a stronger medication really is needed. ginnie

The muscle relaxer is most important. The pain should reside as the spasm goes away. These severe spasms feel like you cannot breath and you do not want to move an inch because you are scared of the pain. Percocet 10/325 usually will not work for this type of pain, even if you double it. Tramadol is like a strong Tylenol and will do very little help, a better med would be something in the NSAID family like ibuprofen. Advil, Motrin, or maybe aleve would work but do not use aleve long term as it is to harsh on the stomach. Gabapentin will not help with spasms either as its more of a neuro med. Personally I stay away from neurontin,lyrica, topomax because they interfere to much with other medications taken by CRPS patients but that's for another time to chat about.



I know how to control these now but if this is your first time then you should get an ambulance rather than having someone drive you to the ER because the bumps in the road and braking from the car ride will make your pain shoot to the moon and you might pass out from it like I did which could freak out your driver. The medics can give you a few injections that will basically put you to sleep but then you can tolerate the ride to ER. I remember the doctor saying these types of spasms can fracture bone so you really need to take these serious if you can barely move or are having a hard time taking a breath. They did 3 morphine injections to me within 5 minutes of arriving plus some added relaxer which I think was lorazepam plus a few others that i cannot remember now. When I woke up 20-30 minutes later I could breath normal again and it felt like the spasm was melting away quickly. Whatever they put into the IV while I was out was enough to knock out 80% of the pain by the time I woke up.

The spasm is 100% treatable unlike our CRPS. I hate going to the ER but if I ever had that happen to me again and did not have the correct meds to help, I would goto the hospital because I know now how fast they can relieve the pain.

After you get it under control, you might want to try zanaflex 4mg tabs for spasms and/or baclofen 5-10mg for tremors/spasms. I find these to work better than soma and some of the others relaxers. I have tried flexeril, skelaxin, norflex, Valium, soma, zanaflex, baclofen(I take baclofen orally for tremors but get the extra benefit for spasms). I remember robaxin and dantrium by IV but its been too long for me to remember how these worked on me.

Ativan or Valium are usually prescribed to CRPS patients due to anxiety issues. This might help too or if you have something similar at the house. Most pain meds will not work unless you just want the edge taken off. Dilauded 4mg should be strong enough to take the edge off but the root of the problem is the spasm so get the spasm relaxed and the pain will go away by itself.

You might get lucky by using heat on and around the area of the spasm. Do you have a moist heating pad or electric blanket?

There is such a variance in spasms that are causing severe pain. The really bad spasms get worse or stay the same over time. If its causing breathing problems or you can't get to the bathroom then you really should goto the ER. Why suffer any longer, I promise you will be thankful that you went.

Hopefully you can understand what I wrote because I'm having a bad pain day which of course effects concentration/ memory.

Mike

Once you get the spasm under control you might need to visit your Chiro to prevent more spasms.

I know you're so right! Thank you!

Hey Mike, You were/are so right! Thank you for your post!

Yeah, a deep breath hurt BAD, a cough could bring tears. The bathroom was a struggle and I gave up and went in last night. In the docs assessment he was feeling around my back and I started to ball my eyes out. I thought I would die! I had my husband take me who was super gentle in the car because he knew I couldn’t take much more. Even though on more than one occasion I grabbed the oh S*%it bar in my car, just to brace and hang on for the ride.

I had no idea the spasm could cause a fracture. Good grief, I pray that hasn’t happened or that it never does.

Zanaflex never has done much for me. Soma has always worked pretty well (I am aware of the dangers). Baclofen, I requested at one time, got it, took it, and could not wait for it to be out of my system and over. I was disappointed because I had heard such great things about this drug, but my body said NO!

I did understand all that you wrote, and thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I sure hope that you get to feeling better real quick!

So... one would think that after almost 10 years with this monster I would know when my pain is getting out of control and to seek immediate help, because I do know that staying ahead of the pain is paramount. The short story is that the ones who said go to the ER, you were right. I know, I know, I’m as stubborn as they come.


I had been suffering for four days. Not only my back but my CRPS II was out of hand as well. I tried and tried to use the drugs I had, but in the end I needed far more than I could do at home. I had a few moments that I thought okay it’s a little better, but then WHAM!


Last night I could no longer take the pain anymore and went to the ER. Given the outrageous pain, and that today was a holiday, and not knowing exactly when I could see my doc, and not sure what he could have done in his office; I went. Kicking and screaming, but I went. I REALLY HATE the ER! BUT, it turned out to be an okay experience after all.


The first doc I saw straight up said "I don’t know what CRPS is". He also said, "you probably know more about it than I do". That was refreshing! I prefer that than trying to BS me. So after explaining my current back situation, and the back surgery that lead to CRPS, what CRPS is, my symptoms, and how all my symptoms were off the charts (back & CRPS) and how I had tried EVERYTHING I could (drugs, Epson baths, rest, etc.), they started to load me up.

They eased me in with valium, then it was a couple of 5/325 Percocet’s, then I requested Zofran, did that, and then it was a shot of dilaudid, followed by more Zofran (did I mention I don’t do these drugs well?) then a shot of toradol to reduce inflammation, and a round of Phenergan; I was feeling MUCH better. Yes, very doped up, but not in pain, and thanks to Zofran and Phenergan I wasn’t going to hurl.

I had done high doses of ibuprofen for so long in the past that my stomach couldn’t take it anymore. That was a year and a half ago, and this was the first time I’ve had any NSAID’s (toradol) since I quit them. Seemed to all work out okay. Does that mean I can take them again?? Ibuprofen was always my drug of choice. 800mg several times a day.


Anywho, came home, rested, and woke up ready to tackle my kitchen (yuck). But after four days I was glad to be out of pain (about 90%) and out of bed. I kind of pushed a little much and could start to feel things getting irritated and had to stop. Got the kitchen clean though (yay)! So like a good CRPS pt. I took more drugs, another Epson salt bath, and am now back to laying down and resting. This laying around ALL day stuff begins to make me nuts!!


After I have thought about all this, I think I know what happened. I was doing pretty good on the CRPS drugs my new doc had me on, but he gave me the max dose of Gabapentin, which tore up my stomach, and 100mg at night of amitriptyline which after time was drying my head out. Like I would wake up and my tongue would be nearly cracking and nose sore and bleeding. Soma nightly, and tramadol PRN.

I started to back off the Gaba, and quit the amitriptyline, and simultaneously all hell was breaking lose with a family issue (not my husband), AND I had been working my buns off physically (pushing myself like crazy), the clouds rolled in (rain was coming), and I started my period. Yep, that was it…. All those things combined, and BAM! I’m down for the count.

I know better with the stressful stuff, and still I have to work at healthy boundaries with extended family. My regular life is stressful enough, and anything extra… well, I just can’t do it. I need to start saying NO more often. I need to remind myself that I have a disease that feeds on stress, be it emotional or physical and I had both going on. Along with a reduction in meds, drastic change in weather, and good ole flo … it was like the perfect storm for both my back and the CRPS.

My next move is to get into the doc ASAP and get the meds worked out, and get my back further looked at. It is still tender, but I am nowhere near the pain I was in.

Thanks for listening! I sometimes post here all this crap going on with me so I will have some kind of record. And bonus, I get great feedback!

So glad you are out the other side of the nightmare and feeling more like Vrae!!

Sounds like you learnt a lot from the experience but at least you will be aware of the lead up to the perfect storm and hopefully see it off at the pass next time...

Don't beat yourself up about not spotting the danger signs. I am into my third year now (good grief is that all? Feels like more!) and still have those hindsight moments where I am in bad trouble pain wise and kind of piece the puzzle together....oh, THAT'S why I am feeling so awful....duh.... You can't be thinking about your disease every minute of every day because when all is said and done we are all trying to live our lives DESPITE the darn thing - and sometimes you can't avoid the stress of a situation, that stress can make you forget your meds or do too much, or just lose it emotionally. You aren't a robot my lovely

I'm stubborn too. I hate hospitals and doctors, and having to explain what CRPS is when you are in donkey-on-the-edge mode and just want it all to go away. But yes, four days of agony is probably just a tad overdoing it lol. Maybe give yourself two days max to try and control it yourself before seeking help? I'm so glad you had a good experience and saw a decent doc though - makes all the difference in the world. If you possibly can, please write to the hospital and say that - it might make a big difference to their overall approach to provide some positive feedback. Maybe another (less sympathetic/sensible) doc there will think twice about how he treats chronic pain patients. We can always hope!

Take it gently for a few days now and give your poor body a chance to get over those awful days. I heartily recommend a quiet afternoon with a good tv series, a bar of chocolate and a cup of tea. Ahhhhhhh. Carefully ease into more activity, and you'll be leaping rivers in a single bound in no time. Well perhaps not quite, but you know what I mean.

Sorry, am in a silly mood this morning. Husband tried to get amorous and hilarity ensued for various reasons lol. No result as it were, haha, but lots of laughter and I feel smiley for the first time in a few difficult days Autumn is here, and I am feeling it. Ouch.

Glad you are ok

Bram.

LMAO: Donkey on the edge...

Silly is good, and silly with your husband is real good medicine. So glad that you are smiling and feeling a bit better.

We are still waiting on Autumn but it should be arriving almost any day now. The Aspen Trees will turn beautiful shades of gold soon. It is a most incredible sight to see here. Thousand and thousands of them, with a dash of Blue Spruce Pines, and other vegetation with it's auburn, orange, and yellows all on a backdrop of the Rockies ... there's a Sunday drive with my husband coming REAL soon. We went not too long ago, and I am going to try and upload a few pics of Colorful Colorado Hope they come in large enough to see.

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