nasta25

Thank you for you're input.

I still have not found a doctor that does specialize in RSD. The main problem I have encountered is docrtor's will say something along the lines that they have sucsessfully treated RSD patients but when it acually comes down to it, they mean they have gotten the pain under control - for now. One did a partial EMG test (partial meaning he stuck me the electricaly charged needle only about 1/4 of the times he was supposed to in order to get the correct nerve diagnosis) and when it came back normal told me I was perfectly healthy, the same doctore also gave me a sympathetic nerve block but for reasons unknown, it made the pain much worse(?). I did some research on my own and I do not remember the web site but it did say the in some RSD patients, a phenonenon called Neronal Plasticity can occur if you have had the disease disease for too long (it happens because even though the main nerve causing the pain has been placated, the nerves surrounding it remember the pain and take over, hence increasing the pain). Well anyway despite the fact that I had every symptom of the disease (splotchyness/redness, weird skin, gross nails, sensativity to heat/cold, excessive sweating and the giveaway - a 3 degree (lower) temp. diff. form the other leg), he sent me back to my Ortho surgeon, telling me that it must be something else who in turn told me he had no doubt I had it.

After that I saw three more doctors who all agreed it WAS RSD but where of no help as the only thing they are able or should I say willing to do is medicate or incorporate a spinal cord stimulator (which is not an option for me right now as I have 6 bulging discs and a 15 mm lesion in my middle ear, both of which still have to be addressed).

I decided to research before actually going to the new doctor. You would not believe what some of them said! Some would not take me in at all - big surprise, one told me he had treated 6 RSD patients and only one did not fully recover (I read on the RSD hope web site that this is a sign that the doctor has no idea what he is up against).

I am going to at least call Dr. Schwartzman and get on the waiting list, what harm could it do??

Can you tell me if he takes insurance? I know some RSD specialist do not...

And do you have his number?