Hello all,

I am a 44 year old woman with two small children. I fell down my stairs on the 3rd Feb with my son in my arms and broke my fifth metatarsal in my foot. Never broke anything major before, so I was really annoyed thinking when could I run again - 8 weeks!!! After 6 weeks the swelling seemed not to be going away and it was very painful. Next check up at fracture clinic showed that the bone is healing and the consultant diagnosis me with CRPS. I immediately thought well that will go away when the bone heals, and it was hammered into me that this symptom is a separate issue. I am still was sent away to find answers on the internet, which further confused me. I am not a person to panic about health issues, but when things say there is no cure, this frightened me. In between waiting for my bone to heal my mom had a massive coronary and I rushed home to be with her, I came back to another x ray saying nothing has fused and the pain and swelling, redness, muscle cramps, spasms, discoloration, muscle atrophy etc has increased and now I am getting swelling in my knee and top of my leg - I can only move my big toe and sometimes some flexion at a push. The consultant said there were to operate to fix the bone, and now the surgeon pulled out saying it would make my CRPS worse, so until I see the Pain Clinic Specialist they will not mend the bone. I guess I am having a hard time believing this has happened and how I can continue to be active, what sort of work I can still do, etc. I need someone to understand as my partner is in denial and sometimes I think everyone thinks I am mad - myself included. Anyone remember the beginning and how alone you feel please contact me. Sincerely, Robin