Living with RSDThis section is a place to share stories about Living with RSD Below are entries of those who have already shared their stories. We hope that you find their experiences helpful to your own situation. You may also Help others by sharing your story. To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Living With RSD 
I am a nurse who had back surgery in 5/2005 for L3,4,5,S1 with stenosis removal and fusion. About 2 months after the removal of my back support, I began having SEVERE burning sensations, hot jabbing sensations, “pins and needles” in my right side with tortuous muscle spasms that would last for hours. I also developed polymyagia rheumatica characterized by increase temperature, muscle stiffness and pain, decreased Hemoglobin and Hematocrit levels and increased Sed Rate. I was hospitalized for 8 days with every test run that could be run to find out why the decreased H&H and the increased Sed Rate. I was seen by 8 different doctors while in the hospital with only one doctor who started me on steroids. I also was on analgesics for pain and was treated by hospital staff as a drug seeker. My medicine was witheld and I was treated like a 2nd-class citizen. I was diagnosed six months after the symptoms with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and nerve damage due to prolonged diagnosis. I am still living with pain, burning sensations; stinging sensations and the “feeling” of my right foot and leg swelling although there are no outward physical signs. I have been on methotrexate and I am still on prednisone although my cardiologist wants this discontinued due to secondary problems that prednisone creates such as increased blood pressure; increased cholesterol; cataracts; bruising et al. I take Lyrica, baclofen, valium, prednisone, tramadol and lortab as needed for severe pain. I always have a pain score of about 5 increased with stress, exercise etc. I was wheelchair-bound March 2007 to May 2008 with physical therapists telling me that I probably would never walk again. I now am walking, although with a limp, disabled for regular workday schedules. I have worked 4 or 5 hours a day two or three days a month in the Emergency Room. I can no longer keep up the pace that I did before the RSD and some brain cells were also destroyed due to other illnesses arising from my immunocompromised state and causing my blood pressure to be extremely low with ICU hospitalization. I want those who have RSD to know: YOU CAN LIVE WITH IT AND NOT LET IT COMPLETELY RULE YOUR LIFE!
May 2009
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