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Alternative Therapy Brings Relief
By
Michele Langstaff
I have had RSD for eight years. My
initial injury was a repetitive strain injury from overuse
of the computer. However, I was unable to get an accurate
diagnosis for one and a half years, at which time I was finally
diagnosed with TOS (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) and RSD (stage
2), both bilaterally in my upper extremities.
After numerous attempts at conservative
therapies, and visits to more than 30 physicians, I had bilateral
first rib resections and T2 ganglion sympathectomies. Shortly
before having the second side operated on, the RSD migrated
to both of my feet. The surgeries definitely improved the
TOS (although it did not resolve the problem 100%), and completely
eradicated the RSD in my upper body for a limited period of
time. However, six months after completion of the second set
of surgeries, the RSD returned to my upper body, and got progressively
worse over time. Numerous hospitalizations with extensive
nerve blocks helped only mildly.
Under Dr. Robert Schwartzman’s care,
I was taking Neurontin® and Nortriptyline, which helped me
significantly. They allowed a stepped-up physical therapy
program with Frank Angiolillo at Penn Therapy and Fitness
at Arcadia College. This was combined with twice-weekly massage
therapy sessions. However, I was becoming more and more worn
down, more pain ridden, and able to do less and less. In short,
clearly heading in the wrong direction, despite the fact that
I was receiving the best possible conventional RSD treatment.
At this time, I heard about Dr. Kurt
Vreeland, a holistic physician in Norwich, Vermont, who deals
with hard-to-treat medical cases from all over the world.
He believes in looking at a person’s condition, at the most
basic level (the cellular level), and building them up from
there. He is technically a chiropractic neurologist (he does
not perform chiropractic manipulations in the typical sense),
and has extensive knowledge about the nervous system in general
and RSD specifically. I was impressed with his understanding
of RSD, but perhaps more importantly, inspired by his personal
manner, his obvious compassion, and his knowledge of where
we would begin based on what I had already done.
After three years I have seen dramatic
improvement in my RSD and overall health using Live Blood
Cell Analysis, Applied Kinesiology and a host of other approaches.
I was initially on a regimen to shore up my immune system,
which was in a state of collapse when I first started seeing
him. Through numerous holistic supplements (geared to helping
my nervous system reprogram itself to normal, balanced settings),
homeopathy, specific exercises, diet, lifestyle adjustments,
in conjunction with my ongoing physical therapy and regular
visits to my RSD specialist and massage therapist, and professional
counseling, my improvement has been staggering.
When I began this program I was taking
2,700 mg of Neurontin daily. I would have taken more, but
at that dosage I was on the verge of passing out all the time
and had tremendous difficulty completing sentences. After
a very slow and methodical reduction, I am now on 100-300
mg of Neurontin daily, and in the process of trying to break
off from it completely. My activity level has increased dramatically.
I am in much better shape than I ever dared hope to be, and
Dr. Schwartzman has said he had never seen anyone with RSD
improve so much.
I continue to work daily on a variety
of exercises that are intended to reprogram my nervous system.
Conventional doctors have told me that this is not possible,
yet I am improving.There is no question that I still have
RSD. I must deal with it daily. But I have a much better understanding
of what to do, how to cope, and how I can control, as much
as possible, my daily life and how it is impacted by RSD.
I use the skills I have learned from the medical team that
work most effectively for me; everything from knowing how
and when to regulate my behavior and activities in an effort
to outright prevent serious flare-ups, or control them once
started, by diminishing sensory overload, utilizing nerve
glides, exercise, meditation, deep breathing, guided visualization,
to adjusting my diet, not falling back on old definitions
(of success, fulfillment, etc.), getting immediate help from
my physical therapist or massage therapist, regulating my
medication as necessary while continuing the protocol laid
forth by Dr. Vreeland. All this remains a part of my life,
each and every day. I fully intend to utilize these widely
varying modalities and continue down this path of control
and improvement.
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