I suffer from CPRS

Alicia's Story

I was always a healthy and happy girl with plenty of friends; I'd be out almost every day shopping and going to parties. But one day, when I was 17, I went to get my nails done.

That day it was throwing it down with rain and, stupidly, I wore my comfy boots… as you can imagine: they got soaked.

I took them off and walked towards the room my nail technician works in and, as I opened the door, I opened it straight onto my foot, cutting it deeply. It absolutely killed; the cut was massive.

I struggled to walk that night, but thought nothing of it because it seemed such a trivial injury.

Something was very wrong

Over the next two days my foot had swollen to double its size and turned completely black and blue.

My mother took me to the hospital to get an X-Ray, which came back fine, so they sent me home and told me to rest it. The pain I was in was excruciating and I cried constantly.

“The pain I was in was excruciating”

Alicia

Over the next two weeks I went to my GP six times and had another two X-Rays, both of which came back normal. Eventually, a month later, I got diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) by a consultant in the fracture clinic.

What is it?

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is basically a condition that affects the nerves. My brain is sending the wrong signals to my nerves, telling me I'm in pain 24/7.

With CRPS my foot is always swollen. I cannot bear anyone touching or going near it as it leaves me in such pain; small things like when I wear socks and my bed covers leave me in agony.

To the amusement of my friends, my foot always changes colour! Unfortunately, there is no cure for CRPS.

Two years on...

It's been almost two years and, in that time, it's spread all up my leg and to my right arm. I can't walk for more than 10-15 minutes without being in excruciating pain.

I'm on and off crutches and we are struggling to find anyone that can help me. My mum spends so much of her time trying to find someone or something that we haven't tried, but it's proving impossible.

“I have the most supportive family and boyfriend”

Alicia

It's important that I have physiotherapy for the foreseeable future because my leg muscle is wasting away (as I don't really use it).

Life is tough and I'm not the same person I used to be, but I'm so lucky that I have the most supportive family and boyfriend who all keep me going. My friends are amazing and understand if I can't come out!

I still do all the things a normal 19 year old does... it's just that I have to do everything in moderation and pace myself.