I am a 31 year old woman who has RSD as a result of a bunionectomy in my left foot in 1998. It has spread up my left leg, hip, spine, left arm...I am still undergoing nerve blocks,HBOT,medications etc. in an attempt to control this dibilitating syndrome. At the same time my husband and I are really wanting to start a family. I am hoping to hear from others who have RSD and who have had children. Their/your experiences throughout the pregnancy, pain level, anything and everything that you could share would be very helpful.
Best Regards~
Kim

Hi twitch,

Gees I like your handle http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif LOL Welcome to the group. You can read about me in other posts.

IMHO, Your taking some heavy medications that will have a negitive effect on the fetus as it grows with what could be a deformed baby at birth . No I don't know what I'm talking about other than over the years I have watched several women and men that were using medications that may had a negitive effect on there childeren.

You might be interested on my post about ice as my RSD is in my left foot and left side. Be forwarned that the pain will be extreame (understatement) if tried.

Best wishes on what ever you decide!!!




------------------
KenS

Kim, you definitely need to have a serious conversation with your doctor about alternative medications because you want to become pregnant. There are lots of options, it just depends on what you are willing to sustain as far as pain. The key is to get you into contact with others who have already been where you are now.
Do you have a support group?

------------------

:wave:
HI TWITCH.
I JUST READ YOUR NOTE ABOUT RSD AND WANTING TO BECOME PREGNANT.
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH RSD 2 YEARS AGO, IN BOTH UPPER EXTREMETIES AND IT HAS SINCE SPREAD TO BOTH LOWER EXTREMITIES. WE WERE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT BEFORE I GOT INJURED AT WORK OVER 3 YEARS AGO. SINCE THE INJURY I HAD RESOLVED TO THE FACT THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN. WELL, I AM NOW IN MY 4TH MONTH. WE WERE NOT PLANNING AND IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT. I WAS STILL ON ALL MY MEDS. I HAVE BEEN SO ILL THAT I COULDNT EVEN KEEP ANY MEDS DOWN, SO NOW I AM TAKING NOTHING OTHER THAN TYLENOL. I HAVE LOST WEIGHT AND BEEN DEHYDRATED BUT IT IS FINALLY STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BETTER. OUR SCREENING AND U/S SO FAR ARE GOOD. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND INFO AND PEOPLE TO TALK TO IN MY SITUATION AND HAVE FOUND VERY LITTLE. IT IS INCREDIBLEY DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL (ALTHOUGH BEING PREGNANT IS SLIGHTLY THERAPUTIC AND CAN REDUCE THE SYMPTOMS OF RSD, .... UNTIL DELIVERY). IT IS SCARY AND A BLESSING AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS MY STORY SO FAR. IF THERE IS ANYONE OUT THERE IN THE SAME SITUATION I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU, OR IF ANYONE HAS ALREADY GIVEN BIRTH. IT IS SCARY, NOT JUST GETTING THROUGH THE PAIN WITHOUT MEDS, OR THE FEAR OF BIRTH BUT OF HOW YOU WILL CARE FOR THE BABY AFTERWARDS. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM OTHER MOMS WITH RSD.
PAINFREE AND PEACEFUL WISHES
:angel:

Hi to all of you pregnant and wanting to give birth--or ready too! I pray for all of you wanting to or enduring such a hard task without meds. :angel: You gals, outta be congradulated on enduring such a task. It's too bad that there isn't a site out there just for you two! I guess you gotta keep strong and keep truckin' cause that's what we do after they are born and till they are adults, and still living at home. Stay strong--Aloha Skooze

Twitch~
The best of luck to you.
There is discussion in the medical community that pregnancy can provide beneficial long-term effects to RSD suffering women. I have not had the fortune to meet any of these women.
When I was trying to get pregnant (3 years after diagnosis), it took almost a year off of birth control after I had gotten off of all of the meds except for a low dose of darvocet (okayed by my doctor and ob for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding) before I got pregnant. I found an online support group of GREAT comfort and recommend http://health.*************.com/group/Newlife_Within_RSD/ and/or
http://*************.com/group/RSDandPREGNANCY/
Although the low dose of darvocet was all right with both of my doctors, I think it is entirely possible that it contributed to the loss of our pregnancy at eleven weeks. If I were ever to become pregnant again, I would not take any medications at all, regardless of the physical pain.
I expect that you'll find quite a bit of information and support on those groups and truly hope that what is right for you and your family will happen for you.
~*~peace~*~
mtngirl
rsd left leg since 1/98

Okay, I take issue with those links being blocked.
They should be easy for you to find, though...
They belong to a popular search engine's "groups" function. {Sounds like You Hoo!}
If you search "rsd and pregnancy" or the names of the groups at the end of the link after the blocked portion, you will find them.