Stella Johnson
Active Member
Since the knife accident my hand has made progress. The ring finger still has no feeling in it, the pinky finger stays bent half way down. I wear a brace at night to try to straighten it. I take it off in the morning and within an hour it curls again.
My primary doctor put me on oxycontin when I talked to him about switching from the jerk doctor I was seeing. It is the only thing that has taken the edge off the pain.
Went to my regualr follow up with the Orthopedic hand doctor last week. He felt I needed to see a pain mgmt doctor because of the pain severity.
I went there today. She thinks I have the early signs of RSD.
My hand is still swollen, red, stays hot, sweats excessively, most of the pain is in my palm but at times it shoots through my elbow, shoulder, and into the middle of my back.
When I got home I read about RSD. I'm scared to death. There is no definitive test that shows RSD. But they do tests to rule out other things. I'm having a nerve block next Thursday.
I was thinking of getting a 2nd opinion. Think I should get one now or wait until after this first test next week?
From what I read it could possibly be another chronic pain disorder but they are all treated about the same with narcotics and seizure drugs like Topamax or Neurotin.
I went back to work today. I've been out for 2 months. I work half days this week. I did ok at work but after I left I was in pain again. Then on to the doctor whose office was like a freezer. When I waited for her in the room I had to turn the hot water on the faucet and stick my hand in it. The pain had gotten so badd. Hot anything makes my hand feel better.
I'm scared. I shouldn't be reading the internet. Apparently RSD doesn't get better, it gets worse as time goes on.
For a few days last week I was feeling really good. Pain level was a 3 most of the time. So I tried to cut back on the medications because they scare me. But I'm only at a 3 because of the medications. Pain goes back up to a 7 or 8 without it.
The only time I have ever been this depressed before was when difficult child was having so many problems years ago. I want to cry all the time now. I'm sick of hurting. I just want my life and my hand back. SO and I keep getting into fights, mostly because I fly off the handle for no reason. I hate this.
I just want to be fixed and normal again. I don't want pain medications, doctors, machines.
Anyone else out there with any experience with this?
Steph
My primary doctor put me on oxycontin when I talked to him about switching from the jerk doctor I was seeing. It is the only thing that has taken the edge off the pain.
Went to my regualr follow up with the Orthopedic hand doctor last week. He felt I needed to see a pain mgmt doctor because of the pain severity.
I went there today. She thinks I have the early signs of RSD.
My hand is still swollen, red, stays hot, sweats excessively, most of the pain is in my palm but at times it shoots through my elbow, shoulder, and into the middle of my back.
When I got home I read about RSD. I'm scared to death. There is no definitive test that shows RSD. But they do tests to rule out other things. I'm having a nerve block next Thursday.
I was thinking of getting a 2nd opinion. Think I should get one now or wait until after this first test next week?
From what I read it could possibly be another chronic pain disorder but they are all treated about the same with narcotics and seizure drugs like Topamax or Neurotin.
I went back to work today. I've been out for 2 months. I work half days this week. I did ok at work but after I left I was in pain again. Then on to the doctor whose office was like a freezer. When I waited for her in the room I had to turn the hot water on the faucet and stick my hand in it. The pain had gotten so badd. Hot anything makes my hand feel better.
I'm scared. I shouldn't be reading the internet. Apparently RSD doesn't get better, it gets worse as time goes on.
For a few days last week I was feeling really good. Pain level was a 3 most of the time. So I tried to cut back on the medications because they scare me. But I'm only at a 3 because of the medications. Pain goes back up to a 7 or 8 without it.
The only time I have ever been this depressed before was when difficult child was having so many problems years ago. I want to cry all the time now. I'm sick of hurting. I just want my life and my hand back. SO and I keep getting into fights, mostly because I fly off the handle for no reason. I hate this.
I just want to be fixed and normal again. I don't want pain medications, doctors, machines.
Anyone else out there with any experience with this?
Steph