[dancingirl]

I developed RSD after pinkie toe surgery about 6 months ago. (I didn't need the surgery, but that's a whole different story!)

I thought I was doing pretty well, my mobility is increasing and the sharp stabbing/aching pains are lessening. But now my other foot is bothering me even more sometimes. There is a constant burning, it feels like something is rubbing against the edge of my foot even though nothing is there. I use the Ketamine lotion which helps for a (very) short time. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is this going to keep spreading? I alternate all day between my shoe on and my shoe off. When it's off the air and cold (even though I have a sock on) bother me, when it's on, it feels too much. I tried increasing the Elavil but I'm falling asleep at work. I also have constant twitching ticks. This totally sucks!

[reruho]

I hate to say it but it does sound like a spread. Most people think if they start feeling just pain that it is a spread. Most of the literature says during a spread you will start experiencing more than just pain. You will start experiencing other RSD like symptoms.

Have you discussed this with your doctor? Perhaps if you start treating it, you can minimize the effects of the spread.

Reta

[Bussey]

Hello dancingirl,

Reta is definitely on point. It does sound like you have experienced spread. There are three kinds of spread. There is CONTIGUOUS spread, which is when the RSD starts in the lower part of your limb, and it moves up the limb, and vice versa. For example, the RSD started in my right hand, then, it spread up to my arm. There is MIRROR IMAGE spread, which unfortunately, it sounds like what you may have experienced. It means the symptoms have gone to the exact opposite side of your body. The last kind of spread is INDEPENDENT spread. That is when you have RSD in one part of your body, then, it spreads to a totally different part of your body. For example, someone may have RSD in their right hand, then, for some reason, it may spread to the left knee. You don't have to experience an injury to that part of your body, for it to spread there.

I am also sorry to hear that you have experienced this, but hopefully, if your doctor recognizes that this has happened, and begins to treat that area immediately, perhaps it could lower the risks of its spreading any further.

One last thing. It's very important that you "listen" to your body. When experiencing pain in a different area of your body, before assuming that it could be RSD, it is true that you would normally experience more of the classic symptoms of RSD, and not pain only. I wish I had known this early on, when I would be in pain, in other areas of my body. I would definitely go into panic mode, and I would just break down and start to cry, no matter how minimal the pain was, in a different part of my body. I would automatically think that the RSD had spread. I could have avoided, a few, "mini breakdowns"!

I hope you get the help that you need, ASAP! Take care. I wish you the best.

Bussey

[glaserandglaser7]

Hello to RSD Spread.

Hang in there. I went through this last year. I am still messed up and cannot return to work but still may have to soon. I had an extremely stressful job and was subjected to two different poisons over two and half years, My RSD spread to all limbs and now my internal organs are being effected. I blame the RSD the doctors are clueless as they cannot get to the route of the problems of which we all know what the underling reasons are. I fell asleep on my are the wrong way at work last year and damaged the bicep nerve which caused drop hand. Thank God I went to the hospital as my doctor misdianosed my hand and if it was not for the hospital and pain mgt I would have lost the use of my left hand!

Take care =
ME