Aa
...RSD?
...04-2010 rotator cuff repair, partial removal of clavical and joint "sanding". never had such pain in all my life, pt guy told me to quit crying wolf!!!!, surgeon refused to see me for ongoing complaint of pain and swelling and discoloration in arm and hand, filed a complaint about pt guy, refused any further service from medical clinic... another clinic has taken me in, rx of RSD... now what??? any advise is welcome... still have swelling and bluish hand, numbness, weakness, cramps... however i do have fairly good range of motion....
I do not like to welcome anyone to this club and I wish this club did not exist
I developed RSD symptoms 2 weeks after a car accident where I broke my wrist. Mellie is correct about your prognosis, the sooner it is recognized and treat the better things will be. My best advice is become educated on this topic, so read, read, and read some more. This is a very complex disorder that goes beyond your injured arm. Some of the best websites are RSDHope.org, RSDS.org, RSDFoundation.org and rsdrx.com. I also recommend joining a forum that is RSD/CRPS specific, it will be very helpful.
Who treats your RSD/CRPS can vary. Ideally yo would have a team that treats the whole person. At present I have my RSD/CRPS treated my a pain management specialist and my primary treats the rest of my problems. Be aware that medication can have side effects like dry eyes and dry mouth, so make sure you get regular eye exams and dental checkups. I have friends that have their RSD/CRPS treated by a primary or a neurologist.
Also be aware that this disorder affects your limbic system and can cause insomnia, depression, fuzzy thinking and irritability to mention a few problems. Do not let them tell you that it is all in your head. You are depressed because of your pain, you are not in pain because you are depressed. The best description of the full effects of this disorder can be found in Dr. Hooshmand's CRPS Abstract found at www.rsdrx.com. It is harder reader but by far the best place for information.
One word of advice, avoid ICE, it is not your friend and will make your RSD/CRPS worse. PT love to use and will try to force it on you. Stand firm in your refusal, it is in your best interest.
I am fortunate that I have had good success with PT, stellate ganglion blocks and medication. I have regained ROM and strength. I am now what is considered a mild to moderate case. I had been thinking I was in remission, until the holidays and the cold weather reappeared. My pain has increased and I am tired.
Please feel free to PM me with any questions you might have.
Reta
I developed RSD symptoms 2 weeks after a car accident where I broke my wrist. Mellie is correct about your prognosis, the sooner it is recognized and treat the better things will be. My best advice is become educated on this topic, so read, read, and read some more. This is a very complex disorder that goes beyond your injured arm. Some of the best websites are RSDHope.org, RSDS.org, RSDFoundation.org and rsdrx.com. I also recommend joining a forum that is RSD/CRPS specific, it will be very helpful.
Who treats your RSD/CRPS can vary. Ideally yo would have a team that treats the whole person. At present I have my RSD/CRPS treated my a pain management specialist and my primary treats the rest of my problems. Be aware that medication can have side effects like dry eyes and dry mouth, so make sure you get regular eye exams and dental checkups. I have friends that have their RSD/CRPS treated by a primary or a neurologist.
Also be aware that this disorder affects your limbic system and can cause insomnia, depression, fuzzy thinking and irritability to mention a few problems. Do not let them tell you that it is all in your head. You are depressed because of your pain, you are not in pain because you are depressed. The best description of the full effects of this disorder can be found in Dr. Hooshmand's CRPS Abstract found at www.rsdrx.com. It is harder reader but by far the best place for information.
One word of advice, avoid ICE, it is not your friend and will make your RSD/CRPS worse. PT love to use and will try to force it on you. Stand firm in your refusal, it is in your best interest.
I am fortunate that I have had good success with PT, stellate ganglion blocks and medication. I have regained ROM and strength. I am now what is considered a mild to moderate case. I had been thinking I was in remission, until the holidays and the cold weather reappeared. My pain has increased and I am tired.
Please feel free to PM me with any questions you might have.
Reta
So sorry to hear about your experience ... it sounds dreadful. In my own experience with my surgeon, I found he was very frustrated that things didn't go as planned. I ended up having 9 surgeries with him and finally asked for a pain management referral after I saw he had written RSD under diagnosis. I was really upset he hadn't told me that verbally. He probably figured I wouldn't read the checkout sheet.
RSD can be very difficult. From what I know about it, beyond my own personal experience, is that it is something that can spread to other places beyond the injured area. I also was told that the quicker you have a diagnosis the better your prognosis. So in that regard, you're in good shape.
There are lots of treatments for RSD ranging from medication to procedures. I've tried several things. The medications my PM team uses for RSD I couldn't tolerate for different reasons. (Neurontin, Lyrica and Cymbalta.) Narcotics have taken the edge of, but my base pain level is still pretty high.
I have had some good relief from stellate ganglion blocks on pain that had traveled a bit outside my surgical area. (I had a thumb joint replacement and eventually the pain was the whole hand, fingers, wrist, lower arm and elbow. The blocks don't always work and they last varying amounts of time. The last one I had has lasted the longest but I've received moderate relief.
Who do you plan on treating your RSD? I prefer the pain clinic as, at least in my case, my surgeon wants to cut and fix and gets frustrated when it's not fixed.
I hope there is someone here who has had a similar experience to you and can offer more information. I do know rotator cuff surgery is difficult with a long recovery even when it goes well.
RSD can be very difficult. From what I know about it, beyond my own personal experience, is that it is something that can spread to other places beyond the injured area. I also was told that the quicker you have a diagnosis the better your prognosis. So in that regard, you're in good shape.
There are lots of treatments for RSD ranging from medication to procedures. I've tried several things. The medications my PM team uses for RSD I couldn't tolerate for different reasons. (Neurontin, Lyrica and Cymbalta.) Narcotics have taken the edge of, but my base pain level is still pretty high.
I have had some good relief from stellate ganglion blocks on pain that had traveled a bit outside my surgical area. (I had a thumb joint replacement and eventually the pain was the whole hand, fingers, wrist, lower arm and elbow. The blocks don't always work and they last varying amounts of time. The last one I had has lasted the longest but I've received moderate relief.
Who do you plan on treating your RSD? I prefer the pain clinic as, at least in my case, my surgeon wants to cut and fix and gets frustrated when it's not fixed.
I hope there is someone here who has had a similar experience to you and can offer more information. I do know rotator cuff surgery is difficult with a long recovery even when it goes well.
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