Its been a while but giving an update. The doctor finally scheduled an MRI, he says that it came up clear. I'm not sure about that. I have muscle detioration in spots on my arm. The doctor is releasing me to full medical recovery this coming up visit. I'm not fully healed, no where close. Although my discoloration is down to a minimum, thanks to the OTs I was seeing. They tell me there is no doubt in their minds that I have RSD, the only difference I have compared to most is I still have decent motion. This doctor is telling me my pain is not related to my injury. He doesn't even look at the area that was injured. He looks at the opposite side. I told this doctor too that I had a reaction to the shots he gave me but said that is not related to the shots. He needs to go back to medical school. My reactions were those of an anaphalactic shock. He also said it was just a shot of steriods, I told him I have had the shots before and same reaction. But I didn't seek medical attention because I didn't feel that it was severe enuf to do so. Apparently I should have. I called the attorny who I had started everything with, they are gonna reopen my case and see what can be done before this doctor fully releases me. But the attorney's secretary was kinda snooty to me thinking all I want is money. I don't I just want to be normal/better again. All the stress I'm under is not helping my pain any. My hubby lost his job. We've both been looking but there is nothing. I have still applied to places but I have to be able to lift things which I can barely hold my daughter's sippy cup. I always thought that knowledge was powerful but it is getting me no where and being treated like I looked all this up diagnosed myself and just think that I have all this pain when I don't. I have been having a lot of muscle weakness in my right arm as well. Doesn't matter if I do to much, a little bit, or nothing at all it comes. It has become harder to stretch my fingers all the way out without severe pain. Still having the sensitivity issues. But every OT I have ever seen since this injury has all said that I hit right on the ulnar nerve. Now my nerves are misfiring. But the doctor isn't even listening to them. The doctor also took me out of OT, said he saw no point in me continuing. I so want to cuss him out but don't want to hurt my case. Any suggestions on how to get thru to this doctor? Also have been experiencing some horrible head rushes. They aren't like normal ones where you get up to fast goes black and pull out of it. Standing up laying down or just sitting down I get them. It usually takes no less than 2 mins to pull out of it. The last OTs I had said that this is because of my nerves.

I don't know the specifics of your case, but it sounds like it is a WC issue. You just can't get thru to a doc whose paycheck comes from the ins. carrier! In general, if you are treating with a doc your employer/insurance carrier sent you to , then you are at their mercy as they are paid by the ins. co. so extrapolate from that! Sounds like you need an advocate for you, if you are are represented, then your attorney should have a competent doc who will see you without bias. If that is already the case and all is askew, then you need to change attorney/doc as they are clearly not giving you an objective opinion. If your attorney's secretary was thinking you're only ot for the "money," then she will be out of a job soon as the attorney is usually paid a percentage of your settlement! Go figure!

*Big Hugs* What a rough time!! You mentioning you have good ROM....reminded me of what what idiotic IME doc I got sent to said. He told me I didn't have rsd because my joints weren't stiff. ROFLMAO OMG!!! I had been through 2 rounds of pt at that point and had gained back the rom I lost. DUH!! If I saw him now, well let's just say I could almost be board my joints are so stiff! LOLOLOL I still have decent rom. Not all rsd'ers lost rom in the affected part either, but have stiffness especially in the morning or on bad pain days.

I don't have any answers about the doc. Ones like him don't listen and refuse to open their tiny little minds to learn something cause they think they already know it all. I suppose you can't change docs huh? If you're wc, then I know full well how it goes. I was there one time myself. Why would the lawyer have to reopen your case? Did you settle out already? Or is this some other kind of case and not wc?

Either way as if you don't have enough to deal with, the job loss really sucks.

Hugs,

Karen

They have to reopen it because when our car's engine blew up, I called them and told them to just stop everything. Thank you for letting me know about the ROM thing. I was always getting told that people with RSD have absolutely no ROM. I do have the stiffness in the mornings and on those really bad days. I've been doing some more looking too. I'm wondering if maybe all this didn't start out as unlar neuorpathy, and went to RSD. Does that happen? Because when my wrist hit, it hit straight on the ulnar nerve. Or at least that is what every OT has told me. If I'm repeating myself I'm sorry, I just dont remember everything I put in my post.

Yup....that's a good possibility. I believe my rsd started when my knee was fractured....the handle that said hello to my knee hit it on the side. The spot right beside the kneecap just below your knee bone. Hope you get where I'm talking about. RSD is a result at times of nerve damage. It doesn't mean the nerve has to stay damaged, but certainly has an impact.

I know plenty of people I've talked to over the years that have stiffness like most of us and have no problems with rom in any of the affected parts. They may have at one time but pt "fixed" that. LOL That's pretty much how it was with me. I couldn't use my left leg at all. Pt, specifically pool therapy got me walking on my own 2 feet again with just as much rom as I had before my knee was fractured.

Hugs,

Karen