There are a lot of doctors and other medical people who know absolutely nothing about CRPS. I have also run into a lot of doctors who think they know about CRPS because they "had this patient one time that may have had it" or they "heard about it once in medical school twenty years ago." Well, so much has changed with what they know about CRPS in the past twenty years and yet there is just so much that is unknown about CRPS still.
When I was first injured, they thought I had dislocated bones in my foot so I was put in a walking boot for six weeks. After six weeks I was told I could go back to playing basketball but when I did, it was still very painful. I was referred to a Podiatrist, a doctor who specializes in feet, to see if he could figure out why I was still in pain. I got to my appointment and the doctor looked at me and said, "There is nothing wrong with you. You can keep faking it and stay in the walking boot for three more weeks and I will give you some steroids but that's all I can do for you. This is all in your head." It was an absolutely terrible feeling. I was a fourteen year old who knew that I was in a ton of pain but didn't have any reason why and I had a very educated person telling me I was crazy.
From the time I was injured until the time I was diagnosed with CRPS was four months, which I know is actually a pretty short time period compared to what others with this diagnosis have experienced. But, in those four months I was told by MANY doctors and other medical professionals that I was faking it and that this pain was all in my head. I STILL to this day have some doctors and specialists tell me that they don't believe in this diagnosis that I have and that everything I am saying is untrue which just astounds me. Here are VERY educated men and women who spent thousands and thousands of dollars on school, not to mention the amount of time they spend in school, who don't understand this disease. It is so frustrating not only for me but for my family, boyfriend, and all of the people who are supporting me.
I learned really quickly that some people, even some of the most educated people, just will never understand this illness. I also learned early on that I could either let that bother me and get frustrated or I could do my best to try to inform them about this disease and educate them. So I chose the latter. As soon as I decided that I wasn't going to let it frustrate me that some people just won't ever get it, I was a lot happier.
Sending gentle hugs and prayers to all my spoonies today!