I was wondering if anyone had ever heard of one of the side effects of RSD being the development of fatty tissue and lumps
Alison and her friend had injuries at the same time, went to the same hospital and saw the same doctors
Alison's original Orthopedic consultant said she did not have RSD but a second opinion from another hospital met with an immediate transfer to our Pain Management Consultant and an immediate diagnosis of RSD
At the same time the same Orthopedic consultant said Alison's friend had RSD and sent her to see our Pain Management Specialist who diagnosed her with Anterior knee pain and ruled out RSD
Alisons friends mum rang today to say that her daughter has recently developed a small lump on her back which has been scanned and shown to be fatty tissue. The orthopedic consultant has told her that this is an extremely common side effect of RSD and seems to confirm the original diagnosis
I have never heard lumps mentioned in any of the documentation I have read regarding RSD symptoms and wondered if anyone else had come across this
As a parent I would have been thrilled to have been told the diagnosis of RSD was wrong but Alison's friends mum has persisted in trying to have the diagnosis of RSD confirmed by a Pain Management Consultant
Any ideas ????
Andrea

Hi Andrea,
Fatty lipomas are quite a common ailment in people with or without RSD.
They sometimes occur in an area that may have been knocked or an area that has had increased pressure on it,ie- splint etc but they can also occur quite spontaneously.They are not usually a problem at all and should usually just be left alone.
I don't believe there is any reason why they are a symptom of RSD
However many people with RSD may have them.
Not sure where this Orthopaedic surgeon is coming from at all.
Is it any wonder we get so confused
Cheers Tayla

I have the lumps in me but I don't believe they come from RSD either.

I have had 3 removed. One was on my left shoulder, 2 in my right leg and I still have one in my right leg the size of a half golf ball and one in my left arm where it bends. I have 2 small ones in my right leg about the size of a pea. In the 70's I had one removed in my neck and one removed in my arm. You can see the scar good on my arm because the surgeon didn't do a good job of the surgery. I didn't have RSD then. I kind of thought mine was due to artificial sweeteners but couldn't swear to it.

It could be that she is going to just be prone to them as I am. The one in my left arm is wrapped around veins and nerves so they say it's too dangerous to try and remove, the big one in my right leg is too big also to be removed.

I think they are just fatty tissue as Tayla said. My Dr. just watches mine for change.

Hope Ali is seeing some better days of late.

Ada

Hi Ada,

I have a couple myself, they are not so obvious and not causing any problems.
Some patients like them removed if they are in a place where they are really obvious and they are self conscious of them or they are in an area which may cause harmful pressure on a part of the body.ie the eye lid.
To the most part they are best to be left alone as they are totally benign if they are fatty lipoma's.I especially would do nothing to them now I have RSD/CRPS-who knows what the chain reaction could be
I hope you are feeling better now Ada,
Love Tayla

I am pretty much going to leave mine alone unless they have to be moved for some reason. The one in my leg is big. When I wear shorts in the summer time it can be seen but I will most likely just leave it.

I am very tired tonight. My Dr. did TPI's on me yesterday and I believe they made me tired. I see the surgeon next Friday to see if he will do the exploratory surgery that my Gyno and PCP think will tell what is going on with my pelvic pain. It has gotten so much worse.

My TOS is acting up also due to staying at the computer too much.

I hope you are doing ok. I know things have been rough for you also.

Ada

I have lumps too as do alot of friends at another forum I frquent as a matter of fact I was very surprised at the time and meant to look into it.

Neuromas - though i hadn't heard about lipomas - are yes, very common in people with RSD. The problem is that having them removed is an invasive procedure which, of course, people with RSD should avoid at all costs because invasive procedures can cause the RSD to spread.
Unless the neuroma itself is causing unbearable pain or a mechanical blockage problem in the body you might consider some other type of treatment (acupuncture?)(Ultrasound?) or just leaving it.

Hard for an adolescent to have unsightly bumps

Hi Andrea..

I tend to think Ali's friends ma must be convinced that is whats wrong her.. I remember how nuts I felt when I did not know what was wrong with me, even with a firm diagnosis we do tend to get the odd therapist who says its in our head.. we have all read how early treatment is so important and so has her mom I would think.. if I was sure this was whats causing my child such extreme pain I would be desperate for a diagnosis to get her treated too.. if not RSD then what is what I would be saying to the docs.

On another note I wanted to tell you how absolutly thrilled I am that Ali is going to be getting HBOT treatments, I would love to have that opportunity here too for both my son and I.. My son Danny has CP and autism he is 23 years old, the research on HBOT and autism lately are showing they are actualy bringing more awareness back to children and youn adults who have been locked in their own world for so long, little by little with HBOT sessions.. but so very huge a benifit that I thought just wasn't possible, the most clarity I ever seen in Danny was when he' had a fever.. it's like he wakes up somehow when this happens but sadly it never lasted past the fever time. But aparently the HBOT realy helps clear the fog somehow and I believe it will help Ali alot as well, with her inflammation and her circulation more normalized her pain levels should go down.

Hugs
sandra