i am so happy you found such a compassionate dr who also understands rsd. they are hard to find but they are out there. you just have to keep looking and not give up. i am sorry though that the rsd has spread to your face. my rsd has also spread to my face. it has affected my eyes a little with on and off blurry vision and caused me to have ringing in my right ear (tinnitus) which is annoying. i also get sores on my scalp and in my mouth that take forever to heal. the worst part for me in my face though is my teeth. i have had five pulled since rsd because of infections i keep getting because of my weakened immune system due to rsd. i still have more teeth that need to be pulled but am having a hard enough time eating as it is. i am sorry your eyes are so affected by rsd. my eye dr said that could happen but don't give up hope that it will go into remission. and at least you have a dr who is willing to make you more comfortable. i hope that your eyes get better and that your rsd does go into remission. sending soft hugs your way.

Dear Stillsmiling,

What a beautiful post. It was so well written, I felt like I was in the room with you, the doc, and the student.

I could feel the compassion.

So happy for you that you have found such a physician to walk this journey with you with understanding.

Wishing you the best and so thankful for your post.

Ok, after such accolades, i have to ask...what's the doctor's name and where is he located in florida? It may very well be worth the travel to see someone so well versed in crps. I hate hate hate paying for doctor visits and testing and medications and lets see how well you do with this injection or some physical therapy only to end up where i started from but more frustrated for the aggravation. All because doctors dont know much about this problem. Really seriously i would love to see the doctor you went to.

Hi happygirlpa, his name is Dr. YiLi Zhou. He is the head Dr. at the Florida Pain and Rehabilitation Center. I traveled to his Ocala office. He has an office in Lake City that is almost 50 miles closer to me but is only there once a month. He also has an office in Lady Lake Florida (further South) and I don't know his schedule at that location. From my understanding his home office is in Ocala FL. The way I found out about him was I was looking and praying for just a normal family GP. I found one that I heard was very knowledgeable in my small town (Dr. Mimi Balch.) I went in really just to have a consult and establish her as my new GP. I told her I had full body RSD, I am in chronic pain, I am so done with my neurologist, I didn't have a PM Dr., and frankly I was so tired of the same old experience. She said, "Would you mind trying one more Dr.? I know an excellent one." I said a little prayer in my heart, had a great feeling, said yes, and she walked out of my room and called right then and there to make the referral. She called the Lake City office and I heard her more than once say, "no....I only want her to see Dr. Zhou." Dr. Balch walked back into the room and said, "they should be calling you within a couple days to set up an appointment." After a week and a half they hadn't, so I called the LC office and the girl said, "I'm sorry Dr. Zhou is only seeing nuero patients right now." Then she got back on and said, "Actually he's only seeing PM patients right now." Aye aye aye. Finally she made me an appointment that was over a month away, and at the end of the phone call she suggested I contact the Ocala office for a closer date. I did call the Ocala office and they were much more pleasant and professional and within no time they had an appointment set for me to see him 2 days later. Take away- It sounds like you need a Dr. to really press to get Dr. Zhou, and also don't waste your time calling the Lake City office. Call the Ocala office! He really is unlike ANY Dr. I have ever met. I went to the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville for 9 months. I had a GP there along with 8 specialists!! I saw soooooooo many Doctors after that just desperate to find anyone that actually understood RSD. Dr. Zhou really is a GEM. I had reached the point of being willing to go ANYWHERE to find a good Doctor. He is excellent, and personally I will absolutely be traveling anywhere he goes (I wasn't kidding) if he moves. When you walk in His office there is a glass case of all the books and articles in books he has written. He knows his profession better than anyone I know, and yet he is the most humble and compassionate Dr. I've met. Google Florida Pain and Rehabilitation Center. There you can see all the services offered at the center. Also look him up under Staff. His credentials are impressive, but obviously will not include his bedside manner which is by far the best I've ever seen with any Dr. Good luck, and best wishes!! Let me know!

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Dear Stillsmiling,

I am so glad to hear that you were persistent in your attempts to see this particular doctor. Can you imagine what you would have missed if you had allowed that first road block to stop you in your tracks. With many patients, they may have just given up and never had the opportunity to find such a wonderful doctor.

I have said for many years that doctors need to be sure their first line, (the staff patients encounter long before they ever meet the doctor), is a welcoming and friendly staff. A bad receptionist, nurse, medical assistant, whatever, can kill a great doctor's practice.

Sometimes even good doctors are given up by some patients when getting through all the other staff becomes too much hassle to endure.

Maybe someone should alert the physician of how the "front office" treats callers at some of the facilities.

I always make a point of telling my docs of what a good job their staff does if that is the case and how they impact the docs practice. I should be as forthcoming when it comes to BAD staff but usually don't unless it is really horrific.

A bad "front line" can kill a doctor's practice.

Thank you so much! We all need a happy story and yours gives me hope.
Besides for praying for a cure....I pray to find a compassionate doctor who finds my "story" interesting.

Stillsmiling----thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Here's a big hug from me to you! I sure do appreciate the info. I will be calling his office to see about an appointment after i consult my florida map to where these offices are in relation to my friends home in little bitty crescent city (near palatka) . Thanks so much! Xoxo

Please keep me posted!!

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