Thanks Mike!

It was really wonderful to go to lunch and leave my cane in the car!

Fourth treatment was today and only side effect I'm having is sleepiness from the sedative. Looks likely that I will only need a total of 6 treatments so we're scheduling two more for next week (Wed and Fri) and then going to see whether any more are needed or not. Acid test will be this weekend when a huge weather front moves in as that has always crippled me with pain in the past ...

I am sooo pleased to hear that the RUL ECT's are going well for you and I hope you continue to get pain relief.
I will keep you in my thoughts and please keep us all updated when you can
Best wishes and Pain free hugs
Alison
xxx

SO HAPPY for you
I hope many more will be able to explore this option .
What a treat that would be .
We have to start advocating with our doctors to make this happen
One by one will will break down the barriers to access and create cases where this works!!!!!!
Jan has already proved that to be true!

The docs will not connect the dots on their own - look how far it has got us

Good luck - as Mike said - run with it

Peace

GnP

Hi I am so happy to hear about your results- it is just incredible. So much hope for all of us. I was wondering if you would mind just posting what state you are in-(and still protect your privacy) just because you were able to get approval so quickly. It would give a good reference for the rest of us who want to pursue this. Thank you so much, CZ

It's really not about the state I'm in, altho if you PM me I'll be glad to share that with you as well. It's about the fact that I was already established with a psychiatrist and had a well-documented history of depression. That put me in the proverbial fast lane and all I had to do was ask.

It's worth noting that several storms have now moved through the area and have had NO IMPACT. In the past, that was all it took - a significant shift in barometric pressure and I'd be crippled and bedridden with level 9/10 pain. This is a tremendous turning point for me.

I am so happy for you & really appreciate you posting your status. I am working this from my end. I've also passed out Michael's article (thanks again). I have had RSD for 4 years & this news is so encouraging.
Linmarie

YAY to you doing so well! I am so happy for you. so much hope for the rest of us

About 10 days ago, Linmarie included a posting on this thread in which she said, in part:

Just wanted to let you all know that I talked to my PM about this. He was open to it & gave me the number of the psychiatric unit at a teaching hospital. He said, by definition, all people with RSD are depressed. No offense, GJmom. I think it's his way of saying that we should be able to get it. Maybe, away around the insurance.

Well, I met this morning with my psychologist, who raised the possibility that DSM IV Diagnostic criteria 293.83 for Mood Disorder Due to . . . [Indicate the General Medical Condition] might be able to provide a psychiatric diagnosis that we, our insurance companies and the ECT practitioners could live with. The full version of the Diagnostic Criteria reads as follows:

DSM IV Diagnostic criteria 293.83 for Mood Disorder Due to . . . [Indicate the General Medical Condition]

A. A prominent and persistent disturbance in mood predominates in the clinical picture and is characterized by either (or both) of the following:

1. depressed mood or markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities

2. elevated, expansive, or irritable mood.

B. There is evidence from the history, physical examination, or laboratory findings that the disturbance is the direct physiological consequence of a general medical condition.

C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood in response to the stress of having a general medical condition).

D. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of a delirium.

E. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

I have submitted this for my PM/shrink's review, but it surely looks like an interesting possibility.

Mike

Great find Mike! Hope that allows you guys to run with it!!