For those of you who are unfamiliar with the treatment, and who will be following me here, there tends to be a pattern that is important to note. Many patients start to feel better, then they sort of hit this wall where their symptoms and pain actually increase rather than decrease. This is an important and crucial point in the treatment process because it is often where some patients quit; feeling the treatment not only isn't working but is actually making them worse.
If they could only push past this spot, and where it comes depends on the patient, the medical history, treatment modality, length/depth of dives, etc., but if they could only push through this spot they usually achieve some amazing results.
That is my first point. If you read this and see that my pain starts to get worse, please stay tuned. I will stay the course, to see it through.
The second point has to do with whether or not I am a good candidate to begin with. Who knows? I think most Drs who examine me for the first time would say I am a very tough case and one of the worst they have seen, despite the fact that some people who see me say "You don't look like you have CRPS?". Currently I am not in a wheelchair, although I did use one for a while. Currently I am not using a cane, although I did for many years. Currently I am not forced to spend all my days in bed, although like many of you there are days when it is a real struggle not to do so. Many people who see me would think I was "normal", those who are my friends and family and spend some time with mw know the truth, I have gotten much better at handling and hiding my pain. Plus, most people don't see our "down-time".
As I mention in my bio, besides having full-body CRPS I also have Fibromyalgia, failed-back syndrome, peripheral neuropathy in my feet and legs, Uveitis, very bad eye problems (especially my left eye), Sjogren's Syndrome, and a few other minor issues. I have had quite a few surgeries from accidents over the years. In other words, I am not the ideal "clean" candidate as Doctor's like to say. But I thought it was important to try this treatment and share my experiences with others, the same way I did with the low-dose ketamine infusion.
HBOT has such amazing potential for CRPS patients. It is non-invasive, it isn't very expensive compared to other treatment options, especially the implants, and if done in the correct environment it is a safe procedure.
If you would like to learn more about how it works, you should stop by our website and check out the HBO Section. If you have already been through it yourself send me an email detailing your experiences so we can share them with others, especially if it was done in a facility with the hard-sided (chambers as opposed to the soft-sided home chambers).
The section can be found by visiting AMERCIAN RSDHOPE HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENT
Thanks for reading!
