Hi. Thank you for the welcome and I'm sorry you have the same problems.

I saw some pictures you posted in you photo album of your hand. My hand looked just like a few years ago just after I was diagnosed with RSD. It was also dark purple/red depending on the temp. I thought I had gangreen and was going to loose my hand, but it was the RSD giving me these symptoms. So luckily I at still my hand! It was very swollen and my wrist was locked and fingers bent. I was unable to straighten them. It hurt to move it or have any touch it to xray it. I couldn't even pick up a pick of paper without pain. My orthopedic dr diagnosed it about 4 months after I broke my wrist in several places. He took my cast off before my break was completely healed and sent me to pt for 6 months and a pm dr who gave me pain meds and 8 nerve blocks. I also went to a neurologist for a second opinion and she confirmed rsd and put me on prednisone for a few months. The combination seemed to help bring down the swelling and make my hand look more normal, though the pain was increasing. It was a deep aching pain. The color still changes but is not as pronounced. I still can't move my wrist or bend my fingers all the way, but it's a little better. I also had long dark hair growing on the back on my hand and wrist. It was very furry and embarrassing. The dr said that was also a symptom of rsd.
My fingernails also were growing very long quick. Also a sign of RSD. Though I always wanted to have long nails so that wasn't as bad! lol. After about a year, the furry hair fell out, thank goodness. I felt like a werewolf! Now in my second year of RSD even though my hand looks more normal, the pain has increased. It's now a deep aching, spasiming, burning pain. It has spread to my left hand and down my right leg and foot. I use a cane to walk mostly in the morning, because my feet hurt so much. I drop things all the time because I can't grasp well with my right hand and now the same symptoms are happening to my left hand and wrist now. Stiffness in fingers, redness in joint areas and now my left wrist is locking. When I tell my drs, they say to keep exercising as well as taking meds to control the constant pain. There is not much else they can do. One of them said the prognosis of my RSD was basically in God's Hands now. I started freaking out and started to see a psychiatrist. I take Xanax and Zoloft for my anxiety and depression that have come with this disease. My immune system has been compromised too. I am loosing teeth, hair and am having bone loss. My memory is awful because of meds. (Neurontin is the culprit). But Neurontin (1800 to 1900,mg daily) help me get through the days.) I also take percs and advil for pain and inflammation. This is so sad being that I never as much even took any pills before in my life. Except for Flintstone vitamins! I always love the taste of them! If your hand still looks like the pictures you have posted, maybe you might want to ask drs to try some of the things my drs have done for me as mentioned above. Maybe it will help you. At the very least, you may get more movement in your hand. I hope I helped and am not scaring you. I'm just telling you my experiences, hoping maybe it will help make you feel better. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I'm here if you ever need to talk. The people on this website are wonderful and thank you for your kind thoughts. I am gaining comfort and strength from knowing I have such great support from all of you. I hope I can give the same comfort and strength back. Take good care of yourself.

We all have different symptoms that add up to a whole. Kind of like math that I really stink at. I wish I had long nails. Mine are thick and brittle. I have no hair on my knee and I get red and swollen on my left leg. I don't just mean the knee. I have cankles lol. I have had since this started. I love wearing my slippers and flip flops but can't when the cold sets in. If only right lol. Keep smiling. Now when I can't pull my husbands pants on over that leg I will worry but not before. Renee it might be all the meds your on that is hurting your stomach also. Dont rule that out. Also have your drs confor between them and you about certain anethesias and best way to employ them during surgery if you have to have one. I read that if someone with rsd needs surgery then to do totall block, and extra meds. Also take vit C for I think its a week before and longer after. One of my sisters had endo and she finally just had a hysterectomy. They left the ovaries but to took the main part. Im kind of lucky that after all my medical and dental issues this hasnt spread except down my leg to my foot. Which is hurting like the dickens. That will teach me not to kick the coffee table 2 times in 1 week. It still hurts and that was a month ago. Oh well I can deal. Just remember people to keep positive and don't let anything get in your way. We may hurt and look fine but we are all strong. Even when we have a meltdown. This beast of a disease is making us stronger.

I forgot about the meds maybe hurting stomach. My memory is not so good with these meds either. I will try not taking advil this morning and see if that is the culprit. I hope so. I don't want to go to the dr today. Yesterdays dr trip to the city wore me out and it's sooo cold out here in Jersey today. My nails used to grow long in the beginning. I had to cut them though because they hurt when long. I don't know why. My skin was also very dry and scaly on my rsd hand and my fingers were twisted. Now my nails are more normal except for my toe nails on my feet. They are thick and brittle. It's so weird. The big toe nails are a little yellowish too. Well I'm going to hope its just the advil upsetting my stomach and ask the dr if I can take mylanta. I hope maybe I can just call and find out. I'm tired today. Was up since 5am because of pain and think I might try to nap now. It's hard for me to type today too long because my rsd hand is very cold and stiff. I'm trying to just type with my other hand, but that one's starting to hurt too. Thanks for reminding me about the pills. Hopefully I won't need surgery, but if I do I will make sure to have a list of meds I take every day, permission note from my pm dr and my cell phone in my suitcase just in case (as well as giving info to drs) if I have to stay over. The last two surgeries I had, my meds were not given to me (even though I gave them a list prior) and I started going through withdrawl and had severe pain from rsd and from the surgical pains I had. Apparently, even though I told my drs and hospital (this happened in two different hospitals) about my condition and the pills I needed, they forgot to note it in my chart and would not give me my pills until they could get a hold of my dr in the morning. I got a hold of my husband by asking the nurses for a hospital phone. He came and talked to the dr on call and showed them copies of all my paperwork that he had from my pm dr and surgical dr, so that they could help me. It was a nightmare. I didn't think I would make it through the night. I dread the thought of going back to the hospital and hope I don't need surgery ever again, because of this. Most of the staff had no idea what RSD was and when I told my drs what had happened, they said they would have an inservice about how to dispense meds properly. I like to tell people too, so that they don't go through the horrible experience. I wish people would have inservices about RSD too. Anyway, I'm sorry your leg is swollen and your nails are so thick and brittle. I hope you're having a better day today and I hope it's as pain free as possible. Thanks Allanira for being so nice. Talk to ya later. I'm going to put some gloves on my freezing cold hands and try go to back sleep for a while.

Thanks Allanira for remininding me that my meds maybe upsetting my stomach.

I stopped taking advil today, but am still taking other meds. It's hard without it, but my stomach does seem a little better. Hopefully, by tomorrow it will get even better.

I hope you and your babies are doing good too. Make sure you get lots of rest. You deserve to take good care of yourself. You're a good person.

I've attached my favorite prayer for you and everyone on this website. Especially all of the new friends I have made here. You've all probably heard of it, but I thought I would try to end the day on a positive note. (It also helps get me through the tough times.) I hope you all have as pain free as possible night again tonight. Well here it is in its entirety:

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Thanks Renee I know that piece well, and there is much truth in it. BUT I must be honest here and say that I do not have a faith, and that some of the ideas in that prayer upset me - I do believe, but in humanity and our ability both to support and love others without the doctrines of different faiths, and to do right by each other and the planet we all depend upon.

I don't say this to upset or offend anyone here who offers their help and advice freely, or to say that I am right and those who believe are wrong. If my lack of faith upsets anyone reading this, then please don't read further. I am just trying to explain my alternative view because I find it uncomfortable when religion is brought into any suffering. I explain myself because I have found that if I mention my lack of belief without some context, some who have a strong faith can misunderstand and the resulting discussion can get nasty. I would hate that to happen here, in a place where there is so much support. It is sad but true.

I was brought up to believe within a Catholic school, I love the beautiful and amazing buildings that were erected both to celebrate religion and to shout the power of the Church, the incredible music created by man to honour it. I feel the power in these buildings, the hundreds of years of deep emotions felt within their walls. But deep within me, I am happier without a faith. Everything makes a lot more sense, and the world seems a kinder place, humanity as a whole representing the good and the bad that is in each of us to one extent or another.

When I believed as a child and young woman, I often asked how various things could happen in a world with a loving God, not to mention the many injustices and crimes that came to light within (and protected by) the Church itself. The many many wars over faith, over whose God was best, saddened and sickened me. I no longer have to ask that unanswerable question, and things are so much clearer.

I say these things not to upset anyone, but just to present my alternative view. I find my strength do deal with life from within myself, and I believe that we all do. I find the idea of pain, illness and loss as some kind of decision by a deity to be quite disturbing, and the idea that we should accept and embrace it as such quite upsetting. I have been told occasionally by well meaning people that we are given only hardships that we can deal with, that he will give me the strength I need if I believe. Ahhhh....I have to stop here!

I think we are amazing, every single one of us. We deal as best we can with some of the terrible, cruel and random things that can happen in life, and we support each other from a common goodness and love of each other that has no other need for explanation than our own kindness and wish to help. And for me, that is the most powerful force for good in existence, and all the more incredible for it.

Thank you for listening, and I hope nobody who has read this thinks less of me for not having a faith.

Bram.

Personally I don't like to see anyone bicker over anything no matter what the topic. I respect diversity.

I personally have faith! For without it, I would have given up a long time ago. I would also rather see prayer surrounding any type of suffering as I have personally experienced being very near death on 2 separate occasions and I can't think of anything more positive to do in times like that.

At the end of the day, being respectful to others beliefs brings peace.

I do hope it didn't sound like bickering! That wasn't my intention at all...

I think anything that gets each one of us through our day is good if it helps even a tiny bit. I have no problem with others having faith at all - I just present an alternative thought when religion as a balm is suggested, that's all.

Everyone here has been so great, I would be sad if by expressing my atheism I have upset anyone.

Hope you all have a good day today, and a better one tomorrow

Bram.

Hi Bram,

Sorry I upset you.

I just liked the poem and didn't mean to come across as preachy.

I understand your feelings, for one of my brothers feels the same way.

I won't post any more religious things, so as not to upset anyone.

I am not a religious fanatic, I just always liked poetry and that one just comforts me.

I thought it might do the same for you.

Sorry again.

I hope you have a good day today.

I also wanted to thank you and Allanira again for the medication advice.

I stopped taking advil for a few days and my stomach feels a little better.

It's hard to be without it and I'm still taking my other meds for the pain, but will try to stay off of it for a little while until my stomach feels better.

Anyway, maybe I'll post a T.S. Elliot poem next about cats or something like that. Or some E.E. Cummings poems about love and joy! They are inspiring too.

Bye for now.

Thanks for your kind thoughts too. I appreciate your views too. I do believe faith is important, but posted the poem because I just thought it pretty. I don't want to offend anyone, and I respect all beliefs. We are all struggling so much with rsd and I don't want to upset anyone. It's bad enough that we have that to deal with. So thanks again for your kind words and I apologize again for upsetting anyone. I hope you have a good day too.

Hey Renee, I am sad if you feel bad about this. Just because we think differently on this one issue doesn't mean I don't appreciate all your support and positive comments. Please don't apologise for posting what you did - you meant nothing but good and I do realise that. I'm glad if your poem gives you comfort, i like Shakespeare and Wordsworth and Keats in a similar way. My response wasn't an attack on you personally and I apologise if that's how it came across.

Poetry posting is a brilliant idea! Maybe you should start a thread on that and we could all put up our favourites..... I wrote a long poem about a cat once, years ago, wonder if i still have it....

I'm glad your stomach is feeling better - I had to stop taking ibuprofen because of stomach problems (and later Gabapentin for the same reason) - I'm not sure whether Advil is a similar thing under a different name?

Take care of yourself today and be as pain-free as possible.

Bram.