Hi. My name is Melissa and I was diagnosed with what my ortho called "mild" RSD about 7 months ago. I fell and had a tiny fracture on my fibula at the spot where the nerve wraps around the bone. I was put in a walking boot and told to do "light duty" at work. About a week later I went to the ER because I couldn't feel my foot and my aunt (an RN) couldn't find a pulse. The attending mentioned a possibility that I could have RSD and that I should ask my ortho to look into the possibility. My ortho blew me off saying it was way too early to consider RSD. A month later I was still having burning pain and now I couldn't feel my two outer toes at all. He then conceded to treating the RSD with PT, but no meds. To this day the only serious pain med I have taken was the 2 week supply of Vicodin I got at the ER when I broke my leg! I have my good days when my only issues are the numb toes and the hairy legs (when I can actually handle the burn of shaving my leg, I cut myself too much and don't realize it... So I don't bother most of the time), and then I have my bad days when I feel like my leg is being dipped in molten lava and then rolled in thorns. I guess I was lucky that it was diagnosed so quickly, but I didn't get any real information on it. No one told me it could spread. No one told me it could worsen over time. The more I read the more terrified I become and that horrible sense of hopelessness creeps over me. Because of my uninformed state, I signed a settlement with the insurance company that released them from any further liability. I was off work for 3 months and I was so desparate to pay bills, and my PT and ortho both told me I was fine. Now I'm not sure what I'll do. I can't afford to see a doctor and even if I got insurance, it wouldn't cover a "pre-existing condition".