and suddenly my crps is making itself known.

It’s been awhile since I’ve written in any detail about my CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) because – though my long term sort of systemic symptoms are always with me now – I actually had begun to hope that perhaps the acute phase of it was in remission.

(It turns out that is not the case.)

Recently when I’ve written about daily pain – and the flares I have been dealing with – those are related to my rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic conditions as well as the fractures in my feet – and, while they are difficult to navigate, they are still a completely different sort of animal from CRPS.

Actually, November is CRPS Awareness Month and I will be doing weekly posts with more in-depth information about different aspects of the disease process and learning to live with it – but, for now, here is just a brief reminder of a few things that come with a CRPS diagnosis:

As CRPS becomes systemic, it can affect a person’s entire body as well:

Right now, some combination of stress and the first major weather shift of fall and increased activity seem to have come together to bring on a dreadful situation I really didn’t foresee, with my CRPS turning back up over the past few days.

This is presenting as severe pain in both feet (but worse on the right) and a marked deep aching tenderness in my right hand with the slightest usage and intermittent intense shooting pain through it as well. Additionally, I also am experiencing a stabbing pain on the inside of my right leg just above the ankle that is inescapable. These all started more or less simultaneously – and it is unusual to have so many areas acting so intensely at once.

As with all manifestations of CRPS, there is no way to know how long this will last or if it will spread further, if it will cycle all the way through the stages – as I have experienced before, or if – prayerfully – this is just a short and painful episode.

There is so much uncertainty.

With a flare, other symptoms tend to appear as well. It’s kind of a waiting game and it can change from day to day – or even hourly – in how my body is behaving.

The pain, combined with the “wait and see,” also tends to exacerbate my anxiety.

(How can it not be expected to? Intractable pain and changing health status frequently throughout the days – and even hours? This is a recipe for a ball of stress wrapped in panic.)

In the hopes of heading this off before it becomes a long flare, I am going to increase my prednisone over the weekend and rest lots and enjoy the cozy football weekend with my family.

(It’s Alabama/Mississippi State weekend – so a super fun one here in the Hippie Hut ❤ )

Crossing fingers and toes and praying this settles down quickly.