Thats too true Bram. My maternal Grandmother and all 3 of her daughters had breast cancer but none of the grand or great grand children have had it. A gene doesn't become active until something triggers it. None of my family have rsd except me. We do have some with celliacs, lupus and 1 with ms but none with rsd.

I think I've only heard of one case where the mother and daughter have RSD. No one in my wife's family has RSD except my wife. None in my family at all. The only links I see are possible age groups-mostly female, and it seems more European decent than any other race (this could be incorrect) I don't think blood groups have anything to do with it.

Could people with RSD have common allergic reactions before being infected with RSD? For example, my wife is allergic to penicillin. Was anyone allergic to anything before your onset of RSD?

I'm a coeliac so I'm allergic to gluten. Other than that I'm fairly normal lol

Bram.

I have no allergies.

My pet theory is that perhaps CRPS/RSD is more likely when the injury/surgery takes place during a particularly stressful time (by this I mean, stress apart from the precipitating injury/surgery). My understanding it the disease first began to be identified in soldiers in the American Civil War and I think it is still being seen in combat troops.

Of course, that is just my personal pet theory with no real foundation. Pure speculation.

Kim,

That is more likely very true in RSD/CRPS instead of the type that was found during the Civil War times inflicting soldiers. This type is the CRPS II/Causalgia which occurs after major nerve injury such as from shrapnel, gun shot wounds, surgery, amputation etc., not saying there isn't stress during war times more or less saying that in that 'type' of CRPS there is a known cause or inciting event.

I think in either type, stress could be a factor. Of course, I have no idea. It isn't as if there is much research on which to base any theories...not that I have any scientific qualification anyway.

No one in my family, as large as it is, has RSD either.

I was diagnosed with RSD in 1991. I had allergies when younger, but nothing major. I developed more severe allergies in 1996, environmental and foods. Foods I never had a problem with and all the sudden my throat is closing...it was crazy. It has only gotten worse over the years. My husband jokes around saying I am allergic to everything but him...I told him to give it time...haha!

In my case, stress was not a factor. It was a happy time for me when it first happened. The stress began after I was diagnosed.

It is a great theory but if stress was a major factor it would seem that more people would end up with it after surgery; since I don't know anyone who isn't stressed going into surgery and some way more than others. Or why would it then occur to so many people after just having a simple blood draw or finger stick which shouldn't be as stressful as say surgery?

Phantom limb pain is another area that affects some and not others, sometimes it temporary and sometimes it is permanent even though the severing of the nerves should render the same outcome.

Sure wish the answers were easy..

To be clear, I did say it was pure speculation and just a pet theory. I am not under the impression that it is the answer.