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personal stories and notes from our correspondents
Lee - USA
My daughter has had RSD for 12 years. She is 23 now. She originally got RSD from a fall off the monkey bars at grammar school. It took 1 1/2 years before the doctors knew what was wrong with her arm. We were then sent to a doctor in a different state, by then it was also in her leg, the whole left side of her body then had it. She was 11. When she was 21 she was assaulted at work in a daycare center by a parent. That mother twisted her right wrist and immediately spread the RSD to her right arm. She has now had to drop out of college because she does not have a good hand to write with, or type and the pain is totally unbearable. We are just hoping and praying that it doesn't go to her right leg. Her depression is terrible since her career as a pre-k neurologically impaired teacher has gone down the drain. Sorry to fill you with my story, and hers, as this affects the whole family. We love her and had to use tough love with her all through school.
Deedra - USA
I've had RSD for the past 2 years and it's been the hardest thing that I have ever been through in my life. My problem started when I hurt my foot about 2 years ago at work. I have been diagnosed with RSD and also nerve damage that has spread from my foot up my leg and right through to my hip and my back. Thanks for the website. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to that understands.
Giselle - USA
I was hit from behind while on my way to work, there were 2 cars, 2 semi's and 2 pickups involved, I was the second car in line and had all the weight of the others behind me. I sustained neck, back and shoulder injuries and had shoulder surgery in April 2000 then had titanium cages put in my back on August 2000. I still suffer from a lot of neck pain but am afraid to get epidurals or even surgery for fear of developing RSD in my neck! Even before my shoulder surgery I was getting a lot of pain, burning and even dropping things, but the burning got even worst after the surgery. Right now I'm getting physical therapy for my back and shoulder and I take elavil and vicoden. They want to try neurontin. but I don't want it. You see I'm a nurse, working in a pain center, and I see a lot of weight gain with neurontin. Maybe one of these days I might give it a try because anything is better than this constant burning pain. It's scary because I work with RSD and see other pain patients every day.