Dear Loretta,

thanks for asking. My dog, Sammy, is a rescue dog that I adopted from the pound so we will never know for sure what of dog he really is. He looks like a combo of a long haird doxsie and a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. He is really, really cute!!

While he was in the pound he was housed with the cats, not the dogs, because he was so scared. So he likes cats a lot...

Have a wonderful evening, your support is deeply appreciated. Sandy

Drugs, injections and trying to keep a positive attitude! All the exercise, stretching and BS I already do.

Hi Cindi,

Sorry to hear about your pain flare! I really hope you are feeling better now and you are in my thoughts and prayers! I'm SO glad you have an understanding Doctor ... that makes a huge difference!!

I'm in a pain flare at the moment too. It was my mums Birthday on Wednesday so we went out for the day with one of my best friends and her mum. I tried to take it easy the best I could and my mum ensured I had plenty of time to sit down but I guess even then I overdid it a bit. I really hate that RSD wont let us do all the things we want to do and that we have to pay for things all the time!

When i'm in a flare like now, I try to relax as much as possible. I've been in bed the last 2 days as I just don't feel like doing anything. I keep hoping that if I rest, i'll start feeling better. Try and take it easy as much as you can but ensure you keep moving as much as possible also - thats one of the most important things you can do!!!!

I don't have any pain meds that help me really so that is hard. When in a flare, I have no choice but to take my Ketamine as it is the only thing that helps - even then, it only lowers the pain a bit though. My doctor prescribed it to me a few months ago but I am only to take it when i'm in a bad flare as he feared it could mess my hormones up because of my age etc.

It might be worthwhile speaking to your doctor and try and get some extra pain meds just to get you through this if the ones you are on aren't working.

Have you tried anything like Epsom salts or taking a nice long bath? That can help relax your muscles so might be worth trying if you can.

I'm glad your family are starting to understand RSD. I'm SO lucky that I have my mum who understands - i'm not sure what i'd do without her!! No one else in my family understands RSD and my dad refuses to go to the hospital with me - he's been twice in the last 2+ years that I have been ill!! My grandma is just starting to understand RSD but she still doesn't understand fully no matter how many times we explain things to her. I guess RSD is one of those disease where you will never truly understand how bad it is unless you have it unfortunately.

I hope you feel better and please know that we are here for you any time you want to talk! One thing is that we all know what you are going through so will try and help you if we can!

take care of yourself and please keep us posted when you can!

Alison

ATIVAN

(Lorazepam.)

THIS STOPS MY RSD from coming "out" many times now - I take a very small dose, 4 times per day now.

XANAX DOES NOT WORK on me the same way, so when docs say, "oh it's all the same" - no, when I was in the hospital, they gave me Ativan due to multiple MRIS and I have chlosterphobia(sp?) and we noticed IMMEDIATELY that the sunburn RSD on arms and neck went AWAY! That was two years ago, and I've only had one bad flare, otherwise, none of them broke through thanks to Ativan. ANd, of course the one bad RSD was due to pain mgt. doc's office failing to refill my ativan on time, so I went several days without it, trying to just use my old Xanax (and I am on Fentanyl patches.) But these did not work to stop it -

Only ATIVAN works for me for RSD.

I was given ativan for at night to help with sleep and anxiety. I had not tried it yet cause I would have to go off klonopin and though it does not help with sleep I feel my combo of meds now I am on assist in other ways. The ativan helps with pain? I know it can relax the muscles.
Take care all and I hope it is a non flare up for everyone this weekend

How long is it active? I've noticed that the serax I'm on has a massive effect on my pain levels, without it the oxy's and percs do virtually nothing. Problem is, I am scripted three a day, but they only really work for six hours. I think valium and ativan work for like 8-12 hours, and have considered moving to them. Any info?