Hello, my name is Eric.

I just joined today and here is my story, which is still unbelievable and surreal for me.

On January 13th I went to donate platelets and the woman who placed the needle carelessly misplaced it without looking, when I informed her of the pain, she sucked her teeth at me. I sat for 3 hours in excruciating pain, unable to acquire relief or the attention of the staff.

The soreness remained for a while after, which I assumed to be a normal post-donation effect. Eventually, however, I began to feel very severe pain. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling as if my arm was being electrocuted and burning.

As the pain progressed, I began to get more worried. I stopped using my left arm for anything. My PCP keeps very few hours so I searched desperately for hours looking for a doctor in my area who took my insurance. I found a nearby clinic and the doctor examined my arm, called a colleague who is a neurologist and was told by said colleague that the symptoms were consistent with RSD. The doctor who I was visiting recommended that I go to the ER and called an ambulance for me.

In the ER I was told that I had CRPS and given a ketamine drip, a RX for percocet, ibuprofen and prednazone and was discharged and advised to follow up with a neurologist and pain management.

I then found a neurologist who I began seeing regularly, who confirmed the CRPS/RSD diagnosis. I began physical therapy and pain management.

My time before the diagnosis was primarily spent focusing on college and on my pursuit of further physical fitness to improve my physical fitness tests to pursue my goal of becoming a USMC officer. I had been exercising daily and dedicated about 6 months of constant dedication and a carefully planned routine toward this goal. Now most of my time is spent between doctors, physical therapy, tests and in general pursuit of curing the pain and acquire some degree of manual dexterity in my left arm and hand.

I live alone. After two weeks, my girlfriend of three and a half years and I, were through. I have had to drop all of my classes but one, which I refuse to drop so that I don't give up entirely. My family members have responded with comments like, "It's not my problem," and "You are going to the ER because your Arm hurts?"

I have become isolated, crippled, depressed and anxious. My medical expenses are unbelievable. My career is over before it began. I am beginning to feel a little more clear headed and less depressed now that I have been given a prescription for cymbalta, which counteracts the side effects of the neurontin extremely well.

Seeing as I am only about two months into this process and it is already an absolute nightmare and has already torn apart my personal, work and social life, only the least of which has actually been mentioned here; please send any tips you have and any literature that I could give to people I know so that they can better understand what this is. Thank you so much in advance and I hope to hear from/meet you soon.

Eric