Woman who suffers permanent pain ‘worse than childbirth’ launches appeal
A YOUNG woman who suffers from agonising pain 24 hours a day says she has “hit rock bottom” after being told by doctors there is no cure.
Paige Howitt, from Great Barr, has ‘ complex regional pain syndrome type two’ which, according to the 23-year-old, casuses pain “worse than childbirth”.
“At 17 I had an operation to correct the alignment of my left knee cap as it was too high and out to the side,” said Ms Howitt, who lives on the Pheasey estate.
“I then developed intense pain in my knee and that’s when my surgeon and pain specialist diagnosed me with complex regional pain syndrome.
“It turned out that all of my nerves around my knee had been damaged as a result of the operation.”
Ms Howitt, who had her dreams of becoming a paediatric nurse shattered as a result of her condition, now suffers from a range of symptoms including severe burning pain, muscle spasms and insomnia.
After being told by doctors at The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Disease in Bath that they were unable to help, Ms Howitt researched different treatments and found hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Used by sports stars to quicken up their recovery from injuries, Ms Howitt had been spending £20 a time at the Wolverhampton MS Therapy Centre to ease the pain.
“I had 20 consecutive sessions to get my blood oxygenated to as close to 100 per cent followed by two to three sessions per week to maintain it.
“The pressure on my knee decreases and, following the therapy, the swelling, burning, temperature change and pain all started to reduce which was amazing.
“However, after spending nearly £1,000 on treatment plus work commitments and having difficulties stop.”
Not deterred, Ms Howitt battles through the pain day in, day out. She has a freezer at the side of her bed at home while at work she has to have her legs propped up straight to avoid inflammation. Driving too has become a chore with Ms Howitt only able to drive for 10 or 15 minutes due to her condition.
Now the bank worker is hoping to raise £25,000 to purchase her own nine-ton hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
“It will be like a huge hospital travelling, I had to stretcher and my stepdad says he’ll build an outdoor shed kind of thing for it,” Ms Howitt said.
“I’d even love for other people in the area to come in and use it.
“CRPS has changed so much of my life and has took away my dreams. I suffer from depression and anxiety due to it. Every day I want to give up knowing I’m out of options. I’ve hit rock bottom There isn’t a cure but I need some sort of hope.”
To donate towards Ms Howitt’s hyperbaric oxygen chamber go to www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/crps-paige-howitt