I have had RSD for 2.5 years. It started in my right arm after a freak accident and soon traveled down my leg. 1 year ago I got into a car accident and it made the RSD "travel" to my left side and gave me whiplash. Now I have RSD in all four limbs and in my neck. I have done every possible injection with no relief and fortunately, stopped the process on the Permanent snipping procedures when I realized that they seriously limit future options if it doesn’t work ( which the chances of it being effective for me were pretty low). I am not a candidate for a spinal stem stimulator because of the amount of damage to my limbs.
However, I have found that I can usually deal with the pain ( with the aid of Methadone, Morphine and Flexeril) but there are several side effects that I just can’t take!!!! I get terrible hot flashes that make me feel as though my eyes are burning in my face! My face and hair get all sweaty and I sometimes feel faint. Once I have had a hot flash, I will usually have a series of several or I will continue to feel overheated and clammy for several hours. I’ve only heard of hot flashes in Menopausal women who treat it with hormones. My doctor does not seem to care, but this is REALLY bothersome to me. I’m not even 30! Does anyone have any tips or ideas to help?

Secondly, I gained 40 some pounds in about 4 months and have been unable to do anything about it. I have always been thin but now I am 35 pounds over the maximum weight for my size/shape! Before I got hurt weight loss was easy; I just hit the treadmill or elliptical machine a little harder for a few days. Now I’m lucky if I can go for a walk that day. If I have a good day I can never decide if I should go outside and do as much as I can or if I should take it easy in the hopes that I will have more good days. I eat very healthy and have cut my portions in half considerably to no avail. My doctor just put me on 10mg 2x/day last week to help me lose weight and to keep me awake ( lately I’m so tired I could sleep 20 hours /day). Now I just feel bloated to the extent that I look 7 months pregnant- no joke! If my body is broken, it’s not fair that it has to look bad now, too.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get a grip on these two side effects? Sometimes the side effects are more difficult to deal with than the RSD itself!

Overwhelmed & Disabled

okay i heard that apple cider vinegar helps with alot of stuff like this…………Helps ease the itch and rid chiggers
Helps with hot flashes in menopausal women
Helps treat insect bites and skin allergies
Helps relieve and heal poison ivy
Helps prevent heart disease and stroke
Helps soothe and heal a sunburn
Helps rid head lice
Great for your joints
Great for arthritis
Gets rid of bad breath
Great anti viral and anti bacterial agents
Use a cup in as a hair rinse – makes your hair shiny
Gives you relief of pollen, food and pet allergies (I need that)
Treats your sinus infections
Helps reduce the risk or tumors
Help rid warts
Reduces total body stresses and tension
Helps treat hemorrhoids and varicose veins
Great for acne, and skin problems
Helps lower your high cholesterol
Helps heals your wounds and skin abrasions
Helps retain your youth
Can act as an appetite suppressant and aid in weight loss
Helps prevent osteoporosis
Helps rid the common cold
i want to try it but i heard it also helps you lose weight but i don’t want to lose weight if i dring this but i don’t work out or try to lose weight will it make me lose weight……….and what kind of apple cider vinegar can i drink…….if i drink too much will it get me sick?
i see theres also pills but i perfer the drink because i’m afraid to over dose myself and is this something i need to talk to a doctor about

I am 42 and have had a partial in hysterectomy in 2003. My mother had breast cancer and I won’t take pharmeceutical grade hormones. I am having issues with hot flashes, mood swings, hair loss and and just recently weight gain. I have tried to search the internet with no success. I would appreciate any help that I can get at this point.

I am 23 years old. Since July, I have experience hot flashes. Not getting hot randomly because it’s hot outside, real hot flashes. I’ve lost 10 pounds in the last month. My period has always been regular, coming every 29 days and lasting for three days. But this time it came 5 days early and lasted for 5 days. This is also the first time I didn’t have cramps or bloating, however, I have been very very emotional. Crying at the drop of a hat, sometimes for no reason and sometimes because something small happened and it made me cry. My hair is beginning to feel and look unhealthy. It’s never been frizzy and now, no matter what I put in it, that’s all it’s been. I’ve been a vegetarian for a year and a half, I work a very stressful job and I just started grad school part time. I thought the stress in my life may explain why I’ve been crying so often, but I don’t feel overwhelmed or depressed. The weight loss and the hot flashes really worry me, but when I really look at everything combined including the emotions, I’m beginning to think something is seriously wrong. I called the doctor to make an appointment, but I’d like to have some opinions on what may be wrong. Am I going through early menopause??

I am 42 yrs old & just recently I have been having hot flashes & night sweats every day/night. I had blood work done & the doctor’s office called & said I have anemia, so I looked up the symptoms: http://health.yahoo.com/blood-overview/iron-deficiency-anemia-topic-overview/healthwise–hw166955.html

I bought this menopause supplement, even though I think I am too young to be going through menopause. That helped, but it is kind of expensive, so I was wondering if there was a natural cure for getting rid of hot flashes & night sweats. If it’s not menopause what else could be causing these symptoms?

A. hot flashes
B. heavy perspiration,particularly when sleeping.
C hair loss.
D. vaginal dryness
E. all of these are correct.

After not sleeping more than 4 hours per night for the past 3 months,
and not having a period since late January, I decided to see my doctor
to rule out any medical reasons. She ordered a blood test to see if
my hormones were messed up due to menopause. (I'm 47 years old.)
The results were that I am in menopause. The only symptoms I'm
having are that I can NOT sleep through the night! No problems with
night sweats or hot flashes, but I sleep for about 3-4 hours, then I'm
wide awake for the rest of the night. I'm not crazy about going on
hormones due to cost, side effects, etc., and I've taken over-the -counter sleep aids and melatonin, which haven't helped. Any other
ideas for natural, non-hormonal sleep aids that have worked for you?
I am also taking yoga classes 3 or 4 times a week, playing tennis at least once a week. I never drink coffee, and
I only drink iced tea or soft drinks about
3 times per week. I drink lots of water,
and I eat very very little red meat, when
I eat meat, (not every day) it is usually
chicken or fish. I love fresh fruits and veggies. I put lavender essential oil
on a cotton ball in my pillowcase at night.
I have a sleep-number bed, so my mattress is not the issue. Thanks for all
the suggestions!