CRPS or Peripheral Neuropathy

Hi @rags that must be so frustrating.

I wanted to tag fellow Connect members, @rsnowflake @lizzyisme and @mam14 have all dealt with CRPS and may be able to share their experiences.

I also wanted to tag Connect members @steeldove @sadfeet and and @johnbishop as they have experience with peripheral neuropathy.

Back to you @rags, how are your symptoms right now? Have you had the blocks in the past? Were they helpful?

Hi @rags, I have no experience with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) but I do have small fiber peripheral neuropathy. I was able to find a comparison of the two in a few different articles:

What is the Difference between Peripheral Neuropathy and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?
-- https://rsds.org/what-is-the-difference-between-peripheral-neuropathy-and-complex-regional-pain-syndrome/

Complex regional pain syndrome type I: neuropathic or not?
-- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20461475

Complex Regional Pain Syndromes Differential Diagnoses
-- https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1145318-differential

You might also be interested in other discussions here on Connect that may help you learn what other members are doing for treatments:

> Groups > Chronic Pain > CRPS
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/crps-2/

> Groups > Neuropathy > Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-neuropathy-welcome-to-the-group/

> Groups > Neuropathy > Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Has your doctor suggested any other treatments or therapy?

Thank you both for the information! Everything I’m reading is clearly indicating CRPS. While I don’t have the burning pain, I do have the always frozen foot. I have muscle cramps and spasms. I also have lost dorsiflexion in my right ankle along with atrophy to my ankle and calf. At times I feel like my lower half of my body is freezing, vibrating, cinder blocks that are being electrocuted. During the day when I’m in a sitting position I tend to do better. But walking or even sitting with my legs extended causes severe symptoms.

I’ve tried Lyrica and Trileptal which both worked great, but I was allergic too. So right now they are only treating me with Tramadol and Vicodin. I have never had blocks before. And have been denied due to the IME dr not agreeing with my DX.

I’m already 20 months into my injury and just being diagnosed and they really want to do the blocks to hopefully help treat the CRPS. As we all know the sooner you treat it the better the outcome. But now will be pushed back in further due to fighting this out in court.

My injury was a right ankle avulsion fracture, high ankle sprain. Which ended up needing surgery 11 months into treatment. Symptoms have been there since original injury, and made worse after surgery.

@rags The job of the "Independent medical examiner" is to find anything they can to discredit your work comp case because the company doesn't want to pay for the medical bills. A lot of companies have self funded work comp insurance meaning, that the company has to pay the bills directly and the insurance company just coordinates the claims. It's not really an unbiased opinion as they claim it is. It's very biased and in favor of the employer and when you are the patient stuck in the middle all of this adds stress onto the problems that you are trying to fix. That makes it harder to heal the problem that you have, and a lot of negativity gets associated with the injury. I'm sorry you are going through this, and the court records might become public information that a company can find if you apply for another job. I hope your case is resolved soon and you can get treatment that you need. Having a permanent injury like this can be a factor in future employment because you have to say that physically you will be able to do the job. I just don't believe that anyone should be treated this way. Hopefully your lawyer can get this resolved, and you can heal and move on.

Hi Rags, Recently as ordered by my pain management doctor I had an EMG and nerve conduction tests on my lower extremities. Previously I had two biopsies done years ago that showed I have small fiber neuropathy that affects my hands and feet.A few years after that I was dx with CRPS which is now in both feet and left knee and left butt. The dx from the nerve testing showed severe sensorymotor polyneuropathy in lower extremities.I would ask for an EMG and nerve testing. Obviously from my experience it is possible to have both.

Ketamine if it’s 6 months to a year. Ask doctor.

I don’t know why Doctors don’t like saying RSD. I think because it makes them look like idiots.
There is absolutely nothing they can do for RSD except treat the symptoms.