It can be hard to separate the effects of the drugs from the effects of the disease. I didn't mean to trouble you and stress can cause a worsening of symptoms. I take gabapentin and this drug severely impedes my ability to see connections between barely related events and wierd coincidences. I don't notice when I take it but when I stop these things will come flooding back. Don't get me wrong, my whole life is like one big Twilight Zone episode with few voice overs by Serling and the music's always playing, but it's moreso without the gabapentin. I kindda miss it.

It's similar with some of the other drugs. Tizanidine eases the tremors but probably affects my thinking. Depakote reduces my ability to obsess which I also miss a little. Fortunately it's primary effect seems to be as an analgesic for me.

But there are numerous things that make this seem like an infection. When in the hospital for a probably related problem they were pumping me full of powerful antibiotics. At the time it felt like the RSD was trying to go away! It came right back when the drugs stopped. A lot of the sensation that it's infection is the two way communication type events. At one point it seemed like the amygdala was involved but this didn't last long. I often felt like I was in a sort of fugue state at the time. It seemed like I operated my legs to cause the world to walk by.

It does seem that this thing prefers other nerve fiber than brain though. Like I say this is just the sensations I get and I'm sure a doctor would use other terms to describe it. Even were I entirely correct it's probably more important to not worry about it than to understand it. I still have a lot of trouble concentrating because the pain starts up if I don't pay attention to it and comes flooding back when I quit. It's no real problem though, I just break stuff up into smaller increments.

My best bet seems to be to just try to stay on top of the triggers and to try to keep stress low.

Ali's mom here
Do you mind me asking what type of block you had
Alison had a Guanethedine Bier Block four months ago and hasn't been able to coordinate her legs to walk since - the PM Consultant says the block wasn't to blame but I suspect it was
I'd be pleased to hear from anyone else who feels a block aggravated their RSD

the movement you are describing actually makes sense, to the point that i am suprised more people dont have a similar complaint. for the same reason so many rsd patients experience dystonia involuntary movement seems plausible. in addition to the muscle atrophy, the nerves also show signs of injury. the messages that are supposed to go from an area of the body into the associated area of the brain. the simple path the messages used to follow have experienced an unexpected obstacle. just think of a train cruising along the tracks until someone throws the lever that switches the track. the train either bounces off the rails and crashes or it proceeds in a different direction. as a result the envisioned motions that normally would have remained in the mind until another image replaced it instead resulted in the actual behavior being played out. there is no filter so we act when others simply pondered the possibility.

First of all, Ali's mom... I had a Stellate Ganglion Injection.... It was put in to my right arm. My doc blew it off too until my face was so swollen it was hard for me to swallow as if i was chocking... They gave me some epi. and i was much better as far as the swelling but since the block i have been 10 times worse then i was before i went for the procedure... The burning and crushing is so much worse... If you want any more information you can PM me or my MSN is Jclem131318@hotmial.com.... I would be more then honored to talk to you about your little girls... She seems so postive.... She is very young i am sorry she is having to deal with something even adults dont understand...I comened you also as her mom it takes alot of strength...

Wakgirl... What you said made so much sense... You made me feel not crazy... Because my doctor basically looked at me as if i was ... He is typically very understanding thats what made me feel so crazy... It makes sense... If our brian is misfireing to cause all this pain why cant the signial also be confused with movment.. DUH! Expalined the way you said i am suprised others also dont experince the same thing....There are so many things these days that make me feel like i am losing it.. However i figure if i can get through this last flare after the block i can get through just about anything ... its just so random and ecspecially at night in my dreams i am doing it and just thinking about random things like the candel and there you go ... got crazy action going on lol

Thanks to everyone who has answered my post much love and very warm hugs!