So back in August I fractured the side of my left foot at work. The bone healed but still severe pain was persisting at the end of September. MRI was taken which showed edema around the injured bone. Ortho said I probably had some bone bruising and started me on Physical Therapy. Around this time the foot gradually began to have pins and needles, first in the toes and by mid october it was the entire foot along with severe pain. At night I began to have shooting pains of electricity going up my shin. Ortho prescribed gabapentin, it gave me vertigo so it was discontinued. I was given topical NSAIDs, which helped with pain but pins and needles continued at a constant rate.

November the ball of my foot and the original injury site began to hurt again. Ortho gave me Elavil which was ineffective. An EMG was ordered but this showed nothing. The neurologist suggested I go see a podiatrist. The podiatrist found that I had decreased sensation in my foot compared to my good foot, and while examining me my foot turned white and cold along with a slowed capillary refill. He said I had CRPS and would send a message to Ortho to send me to pain management.

I had to wait another few weeks before seeing Ortho again, and in that time frame symptoms escalated. My foot was constantly cold later in the day along with painful stiff joints. Pins and needles turned into stabbing pain. When I went back to Ortho they said nothing was wrong with my foot and I should wait it out. They said my symptoms shouldn't be intermittent and they should have a constant visible presentation. They said my MRI which showed no bone changes supports that I dont have CRPS, but the MRI was taken very early.

I talked to my PCP and she gave me the referral for pain management. While waiting for that my foot went from cold sensation to burning. It always seems fine in the morning but as the day progresses I develop painful patches of red. My knees turn red/purple. Every joint from my knee down hurts. Pins and Needles are intermittent but sharp. At night my ankle swells and looks thick.

Pain managment, whom I saw in the morning, said they could not diagnose me because they could not see my symptoms. I brought pictures of the symptoms but they said they couldnt count those. But in case they started me on 25mg of Lyrica. I asked for something to help me sleep, as I hadn't slept more then 2-3 hours the past month and some nights I dont sleep at all from the pain. They said to give lyrica 3 weeks to kick in. Its been 3 weeks and my next appointment is in 2 weeks.

I'm in constant agony and feel like a monster is living inside of me and causes chaos starting in the later afternoon. I still don't sleep, my driving is becoming dangerous. I call every other day to report increases in my symptoms, I just keep being told to let the lyrica work and that it sould make me sleepy, which it doesnt. yesterday I could barely get my shoes on with the swelling and the night before my foot was light purple. Now my right leg/foot is starting to hurt and bruise. I feel like I am crazy the way they talk to me. My pain, insomnia, and quality of life seems to be insignificant to them and treat me like I am only after narcotics. This morning I have painful red patches that can't stand to be touched. Tomorrow they might still be there or they may not.

I don't have permanent visible symptoms yet and I'm worried that if my treatment stays this conservative that they will appear and I will be worse off. Does anyone experience something similar with thier symptoms not always being present? I am considering the day of my appointment to go to the gym beforehand and move as much as possible so maybe I can evoke the weird symptoms for the Dr.

hi ksa. i'm so sorry you are in so much pain. you are not crazy for thinking you may have rsd. and you are not an addict for wanting meds to help deal with it. if i were you i would check out rsdhope and rsdsa online to see if they have a listing of drs who know what rsd is and how to treat it. if you have it, the sooner its treated the better.

not all rsd symptoms have to be there all the time for you to have rsd. although the pain is always there, the symptoms can come and go and spread. you are not crazy for thinking you may have rsd and you are not an addict for wanting meds to help control the pain and help you sleep.

i am not a dr, but have had rsd for almost four years and have a neurologist, pm dr and physchiatrist to help me manage the constant pain and depression and insomnia that rsd causes me to have. they treat me with medication, but there are other methods to help with the pain too.

lyrica is used for fibromyalgia which is not like rsd. fibro does not have the physical symptoms that rsd has. neurontin (gabapentin) has side effects, but they go away after a few weeks and this med can help with the rsd pain along with meds like percocet. xanax and zoloft can help with depression and insomnia and advil can help with imflammation.

what helps one person with rsd may not work for another. rsdhope and rsdsa help give info on rsd and its treatments too. i hope you can find a dr who can help you and am here if you need a friend. this forum is a great place to find support and comfort too. take care.

Welcome ksa898.

Symptoms can absolutely be intermittent. You need to find someone more experienced with RSD/CRPS IMO. This often means travelling to a larger city.

For sleep, try taking a warm bath with Epsom salts and then listening to music that was designed to help put you to sleep--you are under a tremendous amount of stress from the pain and if you do have RSD/CRPS, your brain is dysfunctional as well at this point. If that doesn't help, explore melatonin based meds--over the counter might be sufficient. I had a Rx for a melatonin based med that truly worked years ago, I can't recall the name unfortunately.

And, well, you might be crazy, but nothing in your post points in that direction!

Ksa,
Sorry to,welcome you for this reason but sure you are in the right place .
My experience with rsd is being changing from time to time ,I'm sure we all experiences in Different ways .
I,leaned all this time the best tool you have to Battle is knowledge . Learn the most you can about The condition and also keep a journal with dr appointments in which you will write notes of what you discuss and treatments for further reference and also if any discrepancy you may experience you can recalled with specific dates and treatments suggested ,also record your Meds side effects ,changes anything related to rsd should be there. Hopes that help a bit.
The following links have a lots of Info you might know them already if not I will posted and always keep them also as reference In your new journal.
I hope you can get the right treatment and get better soon.
Hugs and welcome ,Jesika .
www.rsdhope.org. www.rsds.org
Good luck .