in light of the studies that are showing increased support for a dx i have 3 questions
1) what year was everyone given a dx (age of patient)
2) what was the original injury or instance that started the cycle
3) how long after you went to the doctor to ask about the symptoms did you actual get a dx, and by whom (pcp, pain doc, ortho, other)

i was just curious about the approx year that physicians in both the u.s. and abroad applied the dx, the median time from symptom complaint to dx, and what kinds of injury (if one occured) resulted in the symptoms most often. it might be interesting for those of us who have identified the source of the nightmare that often encompasses our existence so that we have more compiled information. i know my doc is always trying to figure out what similarities exist. i know that doctors in the civil war first began to talk about the symptoms, i am more interested in the present path.
1) 1990 (13)
2) multiple attempts by a nurse anesthetist to get an epideral for a knee surgery (6 tries before the anesthesialogist took over)
3) 3 months (anesthesialogist...he also did some accupunture on me first)
thanks in advance
lauren

1) 2007

2) rotator cuff tear

3) 3 yrs. 1mos 1wk.

jenny

A doctor suggested almost exactly two years after a hand injury that it could be RSD and this was the first I'd heard of it. It was another four years before a diagnosis.

1) what year was everyone given a dx (age of patient)

2003, age 33

2) what was the original injury or instance that started the cycle

Impact injury to left knee

3) how long after you went to the doctor to ask about the symptoms did you actual get a dx, and by whom (pcp, pain doc, ortho, other)

I didn't ask about the symptoms really. I was on WC and when the first doc couldn't figure it out he packed me off to an Ortho like it was a threat. Was in the Ortho exam room for 3 minutes with him when he told me I had RSD. At that point it was just over a month since symptoms started and I didn't get any kind of "critical care" I should have due to WC not approving anything. All they did was try and deny and bully the doc into denying there was anything wrong with me and so was shipped to another doc, and another, etc.

could the people who were self diagnosed (you, a friend, a loved one, any one who doesnt have dr after their names please add an answer, how long you struggled without the help of a doctor (please try to come up with a "close" amount of time that passes in between the doctors dx and how long it took for you to feel like a effective person who just wants to live life and get the meds to allow that freedom easily.) And put the day the doctor actually said i know what it is conclusively.


non doctor dx
number of years it took tou to find a doctor that you are comfortable with
md dx

does that make sense.
i guess because pain management specifics is basically assessed on patients who are either already seeing a doc they are comortable with or they have an appt within a few days or a week at most

there are alot of surveys that talk about the injury (if one did occur)the early diagnosis, and what the patient done to help their doctors in their quest find the answer in the form of a dx

There's no such thing as self diagnosis unless you're a doctor.

I knew within a couple hours of the doctor suggesting it might be RSD that it was, indeed, RSD. I checked it out online and found the "alcohol on the affected area" test which was highly positive.

I believe docs don't like this diagnosis, they don't like the disease, and they don't like treating it. Not only are they able to provide relatively little help usually but it represents more than most conditions one of the things they don't like about their job; the loss of control of options in diagnosing and treating patients. Like all workers, doctors like to look back on their day and see the good they've done. This can be difficult with RSD patients and even the specialists can become jaded.

We end up going from doctor to doctor looking for relief and a little compassion (in the form of treatment).

If the procedures don't work then the best chance is to find the right combination of drugs that help. You will end up with a new life than what you had before.

1) what year was everyone given a dx (age of patient)? 2003, age 44

2) what was the original injury or instance that started the cycle? It all started with a botched angiogram that blocked the femoral artery for 7 days, and a surgery to remove the blockage, which also got botched.

3) how long after you went to the doctor to ask about the symptoms did you actual get a dx, and by whom (pcp, pain doc, ortho, other)? It was about 3 years. At first they told me it was all in my head, but I wouldnt go away lol. Then they sent me to a neuro doc that told me it was a bad back, and sent me for back surgery. The back surgeon said it could be RSD, and sent me to a vascular surgeon, that told me it was RSD, and also gave the complete history of RSD with the bad news.

1/ 1997
2/ Multiple fractures following car accident
3/ Orthopaedic surgeon asked for second opinion from another orthopod who referred me to anaesthetist. 18 months after accident I was diagnosed.

Tayla

1) what year was everyone given a dx (age of patient)

2007, age 21

2) what was the original injury or instance that started the cycle

TOS injury from volleyball 7 years ago, tos is another never condition... I have contraption of the nerves and blood vessel bettween the first rib and the colar bone.. Another very painful condtion

3) how long after you went to the doctor to ask about the symptoms did you actual get a dx, and by whom (pcp, pain doc, ortho, other)

Started asking 1 year ago and last week was giving the dx by my pm... Stella Gangllion Block was succesful which indicates i have RSD...

1) what year was everyone given a dx (age of patient): November 2006, age 16

2) what was the original injury or instance that started the cycle: original injury in October 2005, slamming my thumb in van door

3) how long after you went to the doctor to ask about the symptoms did you actual get a dx, and by whom (pcp, pain doc, ortho, other): two months, dx by an orthopedic surgeon

My story is strange as in I didn't go see someone sooner... it was really really mild at first, then I got a chiropractic adjustment and it sent the pain through the roof, and I have had it really really bad since!

HTH! Welcome, btw, Lauren!