Does RSD/CRPS have you backed into a Corner?
I've tried over and over to explain what this condition feels like. I have a video on our Instagram page with this guy on fire... Yes, literal fire. He's being burned alive but of course he gets decency of dying. I'm tired of people abusing the medications that we need to be okay. There are 672 hours in a month you see a doctor for maybe 10 to 20 minutes... Maybe you're at the office for an hour or two so that leaves 670 hours. Now your next task is to go to the pharmacy. If you go inside the pharmacy and there are people in front of you in the line, give it about an hour. Pharmacist didn't tell you to come back an hour or two, let's be generous and give it about four hours for them to fill it that still leaves 600 and 65 hours for the rest of the month. I don't know about you but I don't like going outside showing any type of weakness. Sometimes I don't have a choice. Flare ups happen at any time that's not something we get to control. What are the odds that out of the 672 hours do you think you'll have a flare up at the doctor's office? Granted sometimes happens, and that's great because then they get to see what you go through. Fact matter is the odds are against you. Let's say you don't need to prove to your doctor that you're hurting and that you're in real pain The Next Step is the pharmacy. Again, what the odds that a flare-up was is going to happen specifically while you're at the pharmacy? You can try to not take your medication... { I wouldn't suggest this course of action as the consequences could mean death if the location you're at is not prepared to bring you back.} . Keep in mind that there is a big difference between having aflare up and a slight increase in pain. Those that have no understanding of what any of this is, difference between an increased level of pain and a flare up. So, let's say miraculously I have a flare-up in front of your pharmacist.... Then what? I'll write another article about are pharmacies over here actually legal drug dealers but I'm not talking about the chain pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Etc. I'm talking about the mom pharmacies in Florida and as I said that's a different article for a different time. Okay, so your pharmacist now saw what a flare-up looks like to you. He or she, if they didn't believe you before, will believe that you're actually in pain. That you actually need the medication being prescribed to you. Here's the problem.... Most of the time places like CVS, Walgreens, Publix etc they have their own rules and regulations they have to follow. So realistically speaking you could be dying in front of the pharmacist and it would be irrelevant . I'm sure they call 911 if you want to get technical but that's not the point. The point is no matter how much your pharmacist may want to help you sometimes they're tied up with bureaucracy. So if you're a pain patient please don't blame your pharmacist for not being able fill a certain amount of medication anymore. For a condition like RSD you have doctors recommend minimal opiate regimen along with physical therapy, injections, probably ketamine infusion, most likely stallion ganglion block, etc. What if you tried all the available treatments, did all the surgeries, did the physical therapy and you're still hurting. When I say hurt I don't mean take a Tylenol and Walk It Off. I mean the kind of hurt I really can't put into words. You'll find the term quality of life being used at this point. How is it affecting your quality of life? What if it's affecting your quality of life to the point where it's debilitating you've become utterly useless. That is without the medication. What now? Go to one of the states that approve euthanasia? Come on man, no one wants to do that. No one wants their life to end. I don't and I'm sure you don't either. Anyone in this position wants one thing minimally.... Adequate pain management. . Please notice I didn't say go away I said managed.... I am grateful to have a doctor who actually cares about both my physiological and psychological well-being and I'm grateful to have a pharmacist who's not judgmental but understanding. It took me 7 years to get here. I can't imagine what it must be like for people who don't have that and who's trying to get help but keeps running into closed doors. There are resources out there that can help you depends on where you are at. The least I can do is offer my assistance. I can't guarantee I'll be able to help but I will try. You can contact me using the contact us option website, or if you have social media you can reach me on Instagram @RSDKILLS. We really do check our inbox, and we do get back to everybody... So please don't hesitate to contact us if you find yourself back into a corner and need help. Read the full article