Has anyone here had hardware removed in their CRPS limb? I saw my ortho yesterday and one of the screws is about 1/2 out so I'll be having them all removed. The initial surgery is what triggered my CRPS and we will follow the protocols for surgery w/ CRPS but I'm wondering how you all fared. Did you need an increase in pain meds for post op management if already on opioids? My PM says I will, of course, but curious what everyone's individual experience was. Thanks in advance!

I wanted to update this for others facing hardware removal. I had them removed 1 week ago and have managed without increasing or changing my pain meds other than doubling my celebrex dose. I'm not advocating for this but my PM and ortho were both kind of useless in deciding how to manage it so I did it this way. I would definitely recommend increasing the dose if you can get your doctors to work with you because you could avoid some pain but it also hasn't been so horrible I contemplated an ED trip or anything.

Hi Annabanana123,

Good to hear that you got through that hardware removal with no increase in pain!

I also had hardware removed, for me it was in my CRPS toe. Originally, I had the front joint in the big toe "fused" because of lack of cartilage and pain. That fusion surgery is what started my CRPS.

During the long period of time where we were all trying to figure out why I was having increased pain after the fusion surgery, and because the CRPS symptoms (toe inflammation/pain) were about the same length as the fusion screw itself, my surgeon removed the screw after we were confident that the bones were solidly fused. Because the screw was right under the surface of the tip of my toe, he did it as a procedure in his office, rather than put me through the hassle and expense of a surgery. Screw came right out, no effect whatsoever on my pain level.

Removing that screw didn't help me at all, but it didn't hurt me either...except for a little discomfort of the procedure of removing it.

That's about what I'm finding. Minor increase in pain currently but I'm only 1 week post op and apparently doing too much too soon per the surgeon (but I have a full time job, a child, dogs, etc AND they told me weight bearing as tolerated. I guess my tolerance for pain is a lot higher than average...imagine that??!?!? LOL

I just had "plain" knee surgery in 1997, so many years ago, this was before I was diagnosed; I was diagnosed in 1998. I didn't have any hardware removed, but I came out of surgery with a gray/black leg. The nurse saw it and made me get back into bed asap. The doctor refused to visit. So... there you go. I was not on any medication for CRPS back then. So... can you imagine the pain I was in?

That is horrible!

Glad to hear you didn't have much more pain with additional surgery! My husband has CRPS in his hand and has had to have surgery after his diagnosis. The surgeon and pain mgmnt doctor were in communication the whole time. They decided to give him stronger pain meds for after the surgery in which time he was to stop taking his normal pain meds. This was years ago. Now we have found out that he has trigger finger, broken bone in hand, and enlarged tendons. So another surgery! he is extremely stressed out about it. I will update on how his pain meds are handled once he has the surgery. Best of luck to you. Also, he has recently tried CBD oil (w/ no THC) for comfort. He says it relaxes him but doesn't really help with the pain. Were hoping to try medical marijuana after this surgery as he is needing something different for pain relief.