Recently diagnosed

Posted , 2 users are following.

I've recently been diagnosed with regional pain syndrome (has not been developed to complex yet). I fractured and disocated my pinkie during basic training and am now being released from the military because of it. The pain I from my spine, through my shoulder, and down my arm. I'm currently taking lyrica which so far has made it tolerable however it's slowly working less and less and the pain is increasing and more consistent. Any recommendations for pain relief besides taking more? I feel it's so varied with what helps. Sometimes heat, sometimes electrical stimulation, sometimes just putting pressure on it but it's all so temporary. It breaks my heart that I'm losing an entire career at the age of 26 because of a freaking pinkie.

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2 Replies

  • Posted

    Oh I really feel for you as you are still so young. I had a wrist fracture and was diagnosed with CRPS as soon as the cast was removed. Have seen a specialist pain management consultant who said that Physio is key to improvement. Also currently there is no cure for CRPS but would be working on ways to either manage or reduce pain levels. But you must not give up hope. I totally understand that you are heartbroken about this which is understandable but please don't give up the fight as this will only lead to severe depression.... Believe you me I've been there myself but please try to be positive and as mobile as possible. Get yourself a good doctor who has experience of CRPS and try and do something every day. It may also help if you had counselling as I've found that this was really helpful. As you've mentioned if you are constantly taking drugs then after time you will build resistance up. However maybe time to try alternative methods of treatment such as tai chi, which is also great for stress and hydrotherapy. So keep your chin up and hope things start improving for you
    • Posted

      Oh I won't be giving up. I workout to the best of my abilities (although there's not much left I can do) and I tt to use it as often as possible. My friend who is a chiropractor actually diagnosed me from another province (I live in Canada) and when I told my physio on base what she thought my physio completely disregarded it. Took almost 4 months (an emg, xray, and an mri) until my neurologist agreed with my chiropractor (he just wanted to rule out anything else). Can't help but wonder if my physio before had been more proactive and not just worried about my original injury if maybe more could've been done in the beginning. They still have me on a pretty low dosage right now and are trying to avoid raising it until necessary. The hardest though is they have me working in an office right now and because the pain goes up through my shoulder and my upper back sitting for long periods of time is getting really painful. Just feel like I'm whining and complaining all the time too and people get annoyed but it's so hard, especially having to turn down social events because I just can't.
    • Posted

      Oh I won't be giving up. I workout to the best of my abilities (although there's not much left I can do) and I tt to use it as often as possible. My friend who is a chiropractor actually diagnosed me from another province (I live in Canada) and when I told my physio on base what she thought my physio completely disregarded it. Took almost 4 months (an emg, xray, and an mri) until my neurologist agreed with my chiropractor (he just wanted to rule out anything else). Can't help but wonder if my physio before had been more proactive and not just worried about my original injury if maybe more could've been done in the beginning. They still have me on a pretty low dosage right now and are trying to avoid raising it until necessary. The hardest though is they have me working in an office right now and because the pain goes up through my shoulder and my upper back sitting for long periods of time is getting really painful. Just feel like I'm whining and complaining all the time too and people get annoyed but it's so hard, especially having to turn down social events because I just can't.
    • Posted

      Oh I won't be giving up. I workout to the best of my abilities (although there's not much left I can do) and I tt to use it as often as possible. My friend who is a chiropractor actually diagnosed me from another province (I live in Canada) and when I told my physio on base what she thought my physio completely disregarded it. Took almost 4 months (an emg, xray, and an mri) until my neurologist agreed with my chiropractor (he just wanted to rule out anything else). Can't help but wonder if my physio before had been more proactive and not just worried about my original injury if maybe more could've been done in the beginning. They still have me on a pretty low dosage right now and are trying to avoid raising it until necessary. The hardest though is they have me working in an office right now and because the pain goes up through my shoulder and my upper back sitting for long periods of time is getting really painful. Just feel like I'm whining and complaining all the time too and people get annoyed but it's so hard, especially having to turn down social events because I just can't.

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