I am so happy for you Tessa! This is fabulous news all the way around, from reduction of pain and meds, to the getting your life back to the oh so important resuming of showering lol, I bet your husband likes this one best just kidding.

You’re going to do great tomorrow and I can’t wait to get an update! Did they say how long you’d be in or what recovery would be like?

And I don’t think there’s any need for feeling guilty for feel’n good. I think that’s worthy of shouting from the rooftops! It gives me hope.

Best of luck tomorrow hon!! I’m pulling for you T! You go girl!

Vrae

I a soooo happy for you Tessa. I was just thinking about asking you how you were doing with your procedure. I am so glad it's working for you and will pray that everything goes smoothly tomorrow. I'm sure it will. And please don't feel guilty about such great news. Your courage and strength to try something new gives me hope too. I'm glad to hear some good news! You've had your share of struggles too and deserve a break too. My loving thoughts and prayers are always with you and everyone else here. I look forward to hearing more good news from you after your implant is done. Thank you for lifting my spirits! From your friend, Renee.

Congratulations Tessa!

We pray for you an easy procedure and utmost speed healing!

You will not walk or hike... you will be flying...floating on air!

I had my temporary for one month and as you,and felt little to no pain. Presently this is my first option for further treatment, not only for CRPS but also DDD, and a date would be set now if I hadn't missed my monday appointment... So. The pump/stimulator debate just has to wait for another week or two. I am just too worn out at the moment.

LOL about your fleeting memory... lost in cake, and cookies. It sounds so good.. now what were you saying? So many of us are in this boat

Prayers for a successful procedure and speedy recovery!
and for all, relief of pain.

Hana

Quick update:

Thanks to everyone for your continued support and encouragement, it means the world to me!! I am doing amazing. Surgery was at 8AM this morning, I woke up at Noon then went to the recovery floor. From there I was given the option to stay for the night or go home - that wasn't even a question I hit the ground running (well sort of).. traffic was on my side today so we made it home in just under 3hrs, I am now sipping a cup of tea in my pj's YIPPEE. The visiting nurse should be here shortly to go over things and I see the doctor 3xper week for the next 3 weeks so he can also keep a close eye on the incisions. I have three incisions - two in the spine where the epidural begins, then the catheter tunnels under the skin over to my ribcage area where there is another incision that will eventually heal over the port. The pump and meds attach to the port externally so I am still stuck with this backpack but, they are working with another pharmacy to try do reduce the med bag size so I can use a smaller more convenient pack. I've kind of gotten used to it by now so it isn't so annoying but, when out and about it would be nice to have some less conspicuous and perhaps even a little more stylish.. this is anything but that! haha.. I shouldn't complain since I'm having such an amazing amount of relief!!

Vrae - OMG.. the show YES my husband is eager to see me soaking wet. He even threatened to use the pressure washer on me the moment we had permission to bathe lol.. honestly I don't stink that bad.. I have taken sponge baths

Renee - Thank you my friend.. having HOPE is the only way to get through each day when tragedy strikes. Without hope, I would have given up long ago.. never give up and always strive to make a 'new statistic' instead of being lumped into one.

Hana - I hope you are able to re-schedule your appt. soon! I will continue send positive vibes your way, for whatever treatment option you choose and that it works for both CRPS and DDD. You mentioned you had this form of treatment for a month of success - do you mind sharing if you had the same medications as I (ropivacaine/fentanyl on a continuous infusion)? Curios to see if it was same or similar or if there are other combo's that work. If you don't go for the SCS are you considering this option again or are you talking about an intrathecal drug pump?

Blessings to all - I do hope that anyone who has exhausted all other forms of treatment options will look into this option and discuss the possibilities with your doctors.

<3
Tessa

Tessa - so happy for you! It takes courage and determination to go through this. We are proud of you and celebrate your joy the same as we listen to folks who share concerns. Rock on! ~lottie

So happy that surgery went well today Tessa! Also happy that you are doing so well!!

Nanc

Tessa, I am so happy that you are okay and everything went well today! Thank you for letting us know. You are an inspiration to us all and have given me hope that there is something that will help take the pain away from rsd. Maybe someday I'll get the courage that you had to try this procedure. I am so proud of you for being so brave! I hope you get a good night's sleep. You deserve it! With loving prayers, your friend, Renee.

All I can do is sit here and smile for you! You are crazy amazing! Surgery .. ain’t no thang.. I’ll be on my way now.. lol, completely understandable though. Just nothing quite like home, and there’s certainly no rest in a hospital. I’m so glad they have the visiting nurses all worked out for you, and hopefully they will be able to get a smaller med bag for you soon.

Well good deal! All done and let the healing begin. I know this will be tough for you but perhaps rest over the weekend? I don’t know.. just an idea since you just had surgery and all. Think about it. Happy Easter Tessa!

WOW!!! That is soooo wonderful!!!!

I am glued to this post

If it works, I am sooo interested. I too have CRPS II, and have asked the doctor to cut my leg off a few times now. He told me that it wouldnt relieve the pain, So it stays.....and really I dont want it gone, just the pain.

I sure am hoping this works for you, and will be praying for you! Keep up the posts, and thank you soooo much for sharing this!

Thank you allentgamer!!

There is no doubt it works! 23 days of pain at a level of 0-3 is something to celebrate!! Like you, I begged the doctor early on to take my leg. Being very athletic prior to my accident, I knew that I could live with a prosthesis rather than an extremely painful, non-functional leg. However, after CRPS II was already present (though wasn't diagnosed yet) I underwent another surgery that was meant to fix the nerves causing the pain and if they couldn't fix them they were going to sever them which was supposed to render me numb rather than in pain. That was a total disaster - I awoke to more severe pain, in a much larger area and now had what they called "phantom limb" pain from where the nerves were severed on top of the CRPS II. So, I knew at that point amputation would not work. I'm glad now that I didn't go that route!!

This continuous epidural has been absolutely amazing!! Because I am receiving anesthetics it works!! As we all know pain killers notoriously don't work for neuropathic pain but anesthetics do. I have the epidural catheter w/port but that is partly because of my body size (my frame is small) but you being a bigger guy (no offense) would likely accommodate a reservoir system that way you wouldn't be attached to tubing and a backpack. The downside to that is, that anesthetics erode internal pumps much more quickly than pain medications or baclofen does, so more replacements might be necessary. It is real easy to determine whether or not it will work fro you simply by having an epidural injection with lidocaine/morphine and possibly a littler versed. They place the injection in the spine at the nerve root that feeds the nerve that was injured and caused CRPS II. If it works it will immediately take your pain away and render your leg numb. During the test injection the leg is more numb than what it would be if an epidural is placed, so don't mind that if it happens just note whether your pain is reduced substantially or better yet gone. After my injection I was able to rub my leg, walk normally and even jump up and down for the first time since onset. It was amazing. There is some pain sure, but nothing compared to the misery I was in and I never want to go back to that! With your active life "squatchin" I can only imagine how this would help you. BTW I live in bigfoot country

Thank you for your kind words, prayers and encouragement!! I will continue to post because I am sure this can and will work for others. When I asked my doctor why it isn't used more with CRPS patients he asked me if I wanted the truth. I said of course! He then shared that "it is too time consuming" and further explained that many doctors wouldn't offer it because the time/fee ratio didn't make it worth it.. I was angered and saddened at hearing this. Some doctors would rather inject over an over for high fee's, write scrips for useless meds, than take the time for less compensation to truly help someone. Sad, sad, sad!! I am so grateful for my compassionate care team!

Anyways.. I hope that this is something you can discuss with your doctors and perhaps even get at trial injection. If you want the case report that we are using to base this therapy from please let me know. I posted it in another thread somewhere but, don't recall what I named it. ;/

Have the best day possible,
Tessa