I saw my Orthopedist on Friday due to increasing pain, burning, and weakness in my left arm. His diagnosis was Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy which he sees as related to the fibromyalgia and both stemming from my fall four months ago. He prescribed four weeks of PT and a six day course of steroids. I’ve started my research on this syndrome but I would like to know if anyone else has received this diagnosis and, if so, what, if any, treatment you have received and how the syndrome has progressed (if it has). From my reading, there is a 70% chance of it spreading to another part of the body so that is scary. Thank you.
Dear Rose, this is something my Chiropractor insists that I have, my Internist and Rheumatologist say NO, I don't have it. I have researched it extensively, and have all of the symptoms, my Chiro says I'm the poster child, but the other guys say not so.
http://www.healthcommunities.com/rsd-crps/treatment.shtml
I am so very sorry that you suffer this, if they were on the ball enough to diagnose this, then I would do whatever they tell me, see if it works, the PT is a must!
Please keep us in the loop on this, I am here for you anytime.
Love and hugs,
SK
A friend of mine who has Fibromyalgia and EM, at one point had RSD. Her name is Laura, and here is her page if you would like to leave a message for her, she is not on too often, she moderates on the EM site, but she is a lovely lady!
I have been to several different doctors. Some say I have it in my foot. Some say I don’t. These doctors drive us crazy!! I still have the burning and discoloration on my foot and the swelling gets bad. Hang in there. Def so the pt
Hi Amy,
You are so right about that! This is the biggest controversy I have between my Doctors. On most things they agree, although right now my GP says I need spinal surgery right away, the Rheum says I'm not that bad, and my Chiropractor sees both sides! So I guess I'll see what the Neurosurgeon says, but if I see 5, I'll most likely have 5 different answers!
I'm to the point if anyone asks me how I am, I just say "NUTS" and laugh, cuz I know that they really don't want to hear it all anyway, and the longer I go through all of this the 'nuttier' I become!
Hope you are as well and as happy as you can be!
SK
Thank you both for your comments. I definitely plan to go ahead with the PT since, at this point, my left arm is virtually useless to me because I drop anything I try to hold in my hand and it hurts just to move my arm. I’m trying to be positive and believe the PT can only help. I agree with what you are saying about these conditions where there is no objective test to diagnose them, the doctors can’t seem to agree which makes it very confusing (and also frustrating) for us!
I know that PT will be a challenge, just please don't let them push you too hard, too fast, and really hurt you!
I wish you the absolute best!
SK