Hello Shell,
Welcome to Neuro Talk. There are a lot of wonderful people on here. We all have been through a lot and I'm sure you will get lots of advice.
I have full body RSDS/CRPS. It started several months after my disc fusion at C6 and C7 (the neck). The nerve that was pinched by the ruptured disc was the main nerve that goes down the right arm. I have learned it takes 18 months for an injured nerve to completely heal. I was making the bed and pulled hard with the right arm and restressed the, not yet completely, healed nerve. It took about 6 months before the doctors gave in and DX me with RSDS.
If they want to go in and remove scar tissue ask if the area they will be working in can have a nerve block done? So it doesn't aggrivate the RSD more than need be.

I am having a scope done on my left ankle in June. My ortho doc is familiar with RSD and called Dr. Schwartzman in Philly (RSDS research doctor) they are going to block the nerves going into my left leg and hopefully won't set off a flair up when they scope my ankle.

Good luck and take care,
Sherrie

Hi Shell, welcome!

I can't help you as far as the spinal fusion goes, but when it comes to RSD, we can all relate. They always told me never to let anyone operate on my RSD limbs again. Nobody wanted to anyway as it might make the RSD worse.

Hope someone can provide you with more specific answers.

Hi Sherrie my name is also Shelley, i had surgery 8 mths ago for a C5-6, i had a horse accident when i was 14, and am now 38, so the injury is 24 yrs old and had deteriated to fall backwards into my spinal column. It took 6 mts to get a specialist to do am MRI and find the cause for my pain. Another 6mth wait for surgery. So i had my first surgery of just another disc and it fell forward into my throat, so had surgery again 2 mths later with a bigger disc and plate n screws. My place now is i wont to get fit again and off meds if possible so am seeing a pain manage specialist and trying to get into a course for pm, i didnt even know why i was getting the burning in my neck, so some more info on RSDS and DX. thanks shelley