Share with us your pain

I was in a car accident in 2007 , where the airbag slammed my arm into the window and broke my wrist. I developed a disorder called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), the older name is Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). In simplest terms, the nerves in my arm do not know my arm has healed and continue to send pain messages to my brain. Since this nerve pain, there aren't many medications that work well on nerve pain. It can spread to different parts of the body. It is a progressive disorder.

I have never had a doctor sit down and tell me anything about my disorder. After a surgeon unofficially diagnosed me, I read everything I could to learn more about this disorder. I joined several forums RSD/CRPS where I could ask questions. I have made it my goal that no one should have this dumped on them.

There is a reason they call it complex. It is more than just chronic pain. It affects my immune system, causes movement disorders, muscle atrophy, swelling, discoloration and affects the limbic system. That's only the short list. It is rated as the most painful condition on the McGill pain chart; higher than cancer pain, childbirth or amputation of a digit.

There are few doctors that really understand it or can treat it. Most patients see more than 5 doctors before getting the correct diagnosis. Many patients have been told they were mental ill, this was all in their heads. Years ago, amputation was a common practice that often resulted in making things worse and caused the disorder to spread. God only knows how many people have committed suicide.

I have a good primary care doctor that has helped me improve my overall health and manages ADHD and hypertension. This adds to my pain control.

I am fortunate to have a good pain management team that has prescribed enough pain medicine to control my pain, I am at a stable point. We have gotten my pain down to a manageable level.
Reta

I had fractured my femur back in 2006. They had to put in a rod, and several screws to hold my leg together.
Over the past few years the screws have bothered me. Next week, I will be having the screws (hardware) removed from my leg. And while they are in my leg they will perform arthoscopic surgery on my knee, which has been bothering me for the past two months.

Anyone have this surgery? What should I expect as an outcome?

I suffer from severe bunions. I have relatives who have had surgery, but their recovery was so hard, I'm not sure which I think is better … living with the pain or surviving the surgery.

anybody have an opinion?

My mom who is now 80 had the operation and has been very glad she did so…not gonna tell you its pain free but everyone is different and even each dr is different in what he does after the operation… when I had my operation for my knee the dr shot it up with pain killer before closing and it really made a difference on how fast I moved my knee and how my pain was mang…so ask your dr what gonna happen and what to expect from what he does…I only know that both my mom and my friend who had it at 55 are very happy to be rid of the pain and wished they had done it sooner… good luck Eileen