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LeslieRN
07-24-2007, 01:08 PM
Hi everyone,

I have been posting on the spinal , rsd and fibromyalgia forums but this pain is just unberable.

I was daignosed with RSD in 2003 or 2004. the area involved is my l shoulder where I had surgery for a torn rotator cuff. For years the pain has been controled with medication and stellate ganglion blocks.

I was also dx with fibromyalgia in 2001. This comes and goes and when I am having a flare - nothing seems to help and there are no blocks that can treat fibro- can't be since the pain is so widespread.

In June I was hit with terrible pain, burning pain in my left upper arm and going to my fingers and up to my left temple. It was typical of RSD pain that meant the rsd was spreading. I spent days in terrible pain the pain would start in the upper arm and it felt like scalding hot water going down my arm and then up to my temple- the pain would stay there sometimes for 30 minutes or longer. The pain would stop but then my hand and the side of my face would be numb.

I was in the middle of getting blocks I had one stellate ganglion and there was no relief and then for my cervical spine for the pain- which did not help at all. The fact that the stellate did not work was difficult since in the past they did work.

So I am having this burning pain many time a day, then the fibro goes into a flare and I am hurting from shoulder to shoulder and across my chest and down my back.

My pain mgmt doc is out of town so I was desperate. We got a neighborhood magazine with the information on the new hospital and all the doctors there.

There was a rheumatologist. I called and gtot an appointment the next day. The doc did a complete exam. He then told us his findings.

My RSD is actually in remission and the terrible burning pain and other pain is all fibro. I wasn't aware that fibro could hurt so much-but then again there is a new commercial on the tv about fibro and the people talk about how bad the pain is. He tells me that and I also have chronic pain syndrome.

He did labs and sent me for a bone scan to r/o osteoporosis. He then gave me a an RX for cymbalta. It seemed to work the first couple days but noW the pain is back????????????? But after a week taking it at night, I am supposed to increase it to twice a day.

I am sitting here with the burning in my arm and terrible jolt of extra pain every minute or two- this is too much pain.

have to stop= more very "hot" burning pain now-am typing with one hsnd.

thanks for listening

LESLIE

Pharmacist.steve
07-24-2007, 01:36 PM
Those docs who claim that opiates don't work on the pain from FM - ARE DEAD WRONG!!! Lyrica, Cymbalta, Neurontin have proven useful in a number of patients. See if your doc will do a trial of opiates - SR Morphine is NOT on the DEA's list of drugs of concern... suggest that you ask to dose every 8 hrs instead of the 12hr as recommended by the manufacturer. Experience shows that these "12hr" tablets peter out in about 10 hrs and the next dose takes 90 minutes to "kick in"

Mark N
07-24-2007, 10:18 PM
Leslie, I agree with Steve and think you need to ask about opiates to control your pain. I hope you find some way to control it soon.

GardeniaGirl
07-25-2007, 12:10 AM
I just wanted to say I am so sorry you are suffering the way you are. Unrelenting pain is just such a nightmare. I hope you will be able to find a drug that can control the pain.

please post and let us know how you are doing -- it sounds like things are really bad right now.

take good care GardeniaGirl

alex44
07-25-2007, 01:22 AM
I hope you find relief. Chronic pain can be debillitating - work on the positive and find a good doc.
Alex44:o

Pike
07-25-2007, 04:20 AM
I had a DX of RSD after an ankle FX then surgery that got worse for a few years … this was on top of a long term undiagnosed spinal problems then hell broke loose with fibro type of issues then life really got bad.

I got great relief from MSContin and still do … after a few years the burning jabbing nerve pain in my leg eased as did my fibro symptoms (I felt like I had mononucleosis) … as my back got worse the other things got better … I actually sleep now!

I believe from my years of suffering that some RSD & Fibro symptoms can get much better, I never would have believed it could but old surgery pains can become intermittent even when nerves get rowdy.

For me it was a long road with a lot of spinal pain replacing the burning, jabbing nerve pain; I hope you can get some MSContin or other effective medication and with time you … could … begin to feel better.

Pike

BrokenBladder
07-25-2007, 09:49 AM
Leslie welcome over here on the CP forum. I guess you read my post on the Fibro forum and decided to come on over.
I hope you get some help soon!!

Lea
07-27-2007, 12:01 AM
Leslie,

I have fibro too after a bout with mono in my 20's, but girlfriend I'm not convinced that you are having fibro pain. That sounds like nerve pain to me. Fibro does not burn like that. I hope you go get a more extensive workup from a neurologist and your PM. I'm a nurse too and it is so hard to be the patient sometimes.

I think you have a little more investigation to go through. Let us know how you do.