Hi All,

I was diagnosised of having RSD on my left foot 4/8/09. My pain doc is going to do a sympathetic nerve block, has this block helped anyone who has RSD. Also through research I have read that lidoderm patches help RSD. I have been having my husband put one patch over my toes and one patch over the rest of my foot. Hurt likes h**l for him to touch my foot and have the patches on my foot, but after about an hour the pain seems to be better. Has this helped anyone. Thanks. Have a nice day.

Kate

welcome to the forum.

I have had blocks and they helped me but a lot of people get no relief from them.

As far as the patches. I have been using them for about 4 years and I love them. You can use 3 at a time and I do see relief even for my pelvic area when I put it on my left thigh area.

Anything that helps us is a blessing.

Ada

Hi. We are all different but I can not tolerate these. A light touch to my rsd area hurts. These increased my pain. I do know many get relief so again it is what works for you and sometimes that may change I have found. Everyone just like the patches get different relief and for different amounts of time with blocks. Are you trying any other meds too? Welcome to the boards too and I am sorry you are facing this too

for me the blocks did help but for only a couple days and i only got any where from 40-60% relief the doc said then that was a success. as for the patches i use them and they work great, i have rsd in my foot and it would hurt so bad to remove it that i cant wear them on my foot but i do use them for my neck and back. good luck on your block... take care michelle

From my experience, the blocks are important because they work to reset the recycling pain signal and the patches are good for relief for a short period of time. I use the patches sometimes on my lower back and it does help some. Hope that was helpful.

I have not had any blocks..I know they are coming,though I am in the same place per your question. The thought of needles I have to give blood at my PM appts., hurts for 2 weeks afterward.

I have used the Lidoderm patch and the Flector pain patches. Flector is a lot more expensive, as it has a stronger dose of pain killer. I find relief in both patches. I have not been able to wear either one the 12 hrs. that script indicates. I can take about 4 hrs. at one time.

I have noticed that the Lidoderm patch stays in place better than the Flector patch. The flector patch is thicker in form.

Welcome to the forum.
Dew

Welcome to the forum.

I have an implanted SCS, and the generator/battery is in my hip - just above where the back pocket would be on a pair of jeans. It is installed very shallow. In fact, it sticks out and it feels like I am sitting on a fat wallet. (I wish! ).

I use the Lidoderm patches to (1) lessen the pain form the skin stretching and the scar and (2) to act as padding so I don't accidentally bump the SCS generator.

For this purpose it works pretty well. I would not say I am pain-free, but it is much better than just being bare.

Mike

bassman

my dad has a scs unit and it is the same way, you can see it sticking out of his skin, it was not deep enough and he says that pants hurt around his waist and when sitting it hurts.

Sorry for going off-topic a bit...

How big are these SCS devices? Larger than a pacemaker? Smaller? About that size? I'd think that they would be able to at least make them as small as possible for it to be comfortable. And if they are too uncomfortable for men, then what are women supposed to do? A woman's body is smaller. That's just another thing I didn't know about SCS. I had heard about loose leads and shocks coming from the devices, but this too is a major disadvantage. Thanks for sharing!

I wouldn't want to be without these patches.
I cut them into 2" strips.
Put them across my neck, and low back.
I re-wet them, with warm water sometimes, sometimes before i put them on. It gets the meds flowing faster. And, they stick better.

Sometimes, I cut them longways, and put them down my forearm, while I type, or around my wrist. For the forearm TOS Carpel tunnel pain.
Life Savers!
If I go food shopping and hafto lift, or walk, my low back. On my neck, they'll actually prevent the tightness that causes headaches, and pain down the arm.
And, as I've said.

Don't underestimate Lidocaine or Flector patches.

Ironically, I've NEVER used an entire patch, all in one spot.

Pete
asb