After weeks of incompetency of the infusion suite for Dr. Schwartzman's ketamine program they returned saying i didn't pass my one clearance test. Turns out if your depressed your rejected from the program. how is any RSD patient not depressed? Only those less than 2 years into it can be the ones not depressed at all. I'm irate and not alone my doctors are as well and my past therapists are going to be brought back into this equation. I've been on over 7 antidepressants and gone through therapists all to the conclusion that my RSD needs to be taken out of the equation before my depression can go away. What i find funny is the doctor which conducted the test to which i didn't pass, told me at the end of it that there was no problem and that without question i had passed. I've meet kids in Dr. Sherry's program that had went to schwartzman first and it failed for them, they than went through sherry's program and were cured. Should i really be surprised schwartzman should chicken out in the end. Every pain clinic i go to look at my file and go your to advanced. Its no wonder schwartzman would do the same. I passed all my clearances schwartzman is pulling this ******** cause hes unconfident in his own program i saw it the first time i had an appointment with him. All he did was keep instilling he was working with the FDA on other treatments that he could try. For a specialist that's been quote on quote studying RSD for 30 years i find it hard for schwartzman not to have seen all RSD patients depressed. The good news is i have had another RSD specialist on the back burner ready in case schwartzman pulled something which i am glad i had. Dr. Ronald Harbutt he does a similar ketamine treatment. His program is not up until this fall but at least there is another. I am severely disappointed in Dr. Schwartzman, he definitely was not worth the wait nor would he have been work a weeks wait. From what i've seen and from what i have learned from other patients it seems unless your rsd is in one or a few spots than schwartzman's program will work and even than it fails quite often. Good luck to the rest of you.

Sorry to hear about your rejection, LordWood. I can attest being the husband of a person who has full body RSD, she is depressed and not very happy at all. She also received ketamine infusions at GW hospital in Washington.

I am glad you have a back up plan. I am sorry that you have to go through this.

When I first got RSD my depression was so bad that I ran up on a lot of Drs. that wouldn't deal with me due to my depression. I have been in councelling for years and and I still deal with it at times but I can say, the Drs. treat me different now. They do listen to me and I know before it was due to depression that they weren't listening. I would come back from the Drs. office and cry and cry over the way they treated me.

I know someone here who went to Swartzman and all he came back with was a copy of his tomograpy. It showed the red areas where his RSD was. He said he was going to have it put on a Tshirt. At least he'd have something to show for the trip. He spent a week there in a motel and saw Dr. Swartzmen for all of half an hour. He was prepared to stay longer but found there was no purpose.

I am glad to see you post though. My thoughts are with you and hopefully soon you will get some help to relieve the pain you are going through.

Ada

Dr Schwartzman has alot of experience with rsd.
He knows for instance that the longer the individual has it, and the more it has spread, leads to a much lower positive outcome for the ketamine. I suppose he has learned now too, that depression doesn't help. I am very sorry for you, that your expectations with him weren't met.
Dr S, wants the ketamine treatment to get to the people it will help. Especially before it gets classified as something just doesn't work. I've had it. It didn't help me for any long term.
What we've got here is a disease with no "Magic Bullet". We each must work with our system of management.
The triangle.
The meds. Your doctor.
The mind and depression. Your psych pain management dr.
The body. Excercise and keep it moving. Use it, or lose it!

And, most of the most organized of us, fall off the horse occasionally.
We cry, dust ourselves off, and get back on.

I wish you the best.

Pete
ASB

Ketamine infusions didn't help my wife because she had it for 6 years at time of the infusion. One thing she learned years ago is what you stated, keep moving around, do not lay about or you'll be sorry.

Schwartzman wants his program only for those to which he knows the ketamine will cure so his success rate goes up problem is if your going to have an RSD treatment you can't play god and pick and choose just as you like to increase your success rate to make you look good. No meds work whatsoever thats been found for years now. Been through psych management docs and over 7 depression drugs all to the conclusion that until the rsd is gone nothings going to change. Exercise i keep on the move and have went through many physical therapy programs as well. I've dusted myself off many more times than reasonable. Getting up and dusting yourself off does not mean if u do it 70 times ur going to get better and never have to do it again. Other than being strong and picking yourself up its means nothing.

As well i wish you the best.

I'm sorry that things didn't work out as you had hoped. You are right, with rsd comes depression, the two go hand in hand. To get the scs I needed a psych exam. Yes, I was depressed, but like you, I had the ability to pick myself up and start over. Of course, I got the scs. In fact, I got two. didn't work out as well as I had hoped, and the 2nd one left me with MRSA and about 24 hrs short of dying before it was discovered. I now have a pm that is willing to work with me with drugs, and I have found Opana Er to be great. It really seems to work with the pain of rsd. It's a new drug only out 2 yrs so it is still new. I have rsd from my back all the way down to the tip of my toes. so for me this drug really seems to be a way for me to go on. What is on the horizon nobody knows, but you can bet I'm going to be there waiting. Hang in there.(I know, easier said then done)

Hugs
Mary
\

Oh, Lordwood.......I wish so much I had read this post yesterday. I am so sorry, honey. I know that does not help. You know that I have been suffering from major depression, too (and I've only had this for 4 months now......I can't imagine how you feel). The RSD messes with our brains. You are right, how can you NOT be depressed with all you're dealing with.

Frankly, I am inclined to agree that he may be limiting his patients to those that have the most promising outcome (it DOES lend more credibility to HIM in that case). It is unfortunate......BUT......I have done a lot of research on Ketamine and it is NOT something you want to be messing with if your brain is already out of whack (even just temporarily). It is really a dangerous and powerful drug. I know of someone who just died after the coma in Mexico about 6 weeks ago.

Go with Plan B. You're smart to have one. Find another place to volunteer, or start writing or blogging. You write SO well, and your story could help someone else. Please PM me when you get the chance.
Much love,
Mom

Hey Lordwood,

I'm sorry you had to go through such a disappointment with Dr. S.
Depression is a side effect of RSD. It sounds like your working to get that under control.
Dr. S treatments didn't work me and his last option was a ketamine coma in Germany. I'm not ready to be a statistic in that part of his research.
His knowledge is vast and even through his treatment didn't work for me he is a great source of knowledge. I have trouble with my heart and lungs the RSD is interferring with their function. My doctors here in Ohio have called him for advice on how to help. He has been very helpful getting them to understand what is going on and how to treat me.
I know you are disappointed we have all been there. We think we might be on the track to finding relief only to be disappointed. Go ahead and feel angry and let down. However don't stay there you have to dust yourself off and move on, because, there is a treatment out there that will work for you.
Take care
Sherrie

Lordwood

i am so sorry that you are goin thro this right now i know how much you were looking forward to this. keep your head up buddy maybe it just wasnt meant to be pm me and we can talk

carrie