THE US doctor who has been treating a North-East mother's crippling condition says she is making good progress.

Ann Teasdale returned to her home in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, recently after spending three months at the Texas clinic of Dr Donald A Rhodes.

Mrs Teasdale, 42, had to have a leg amputated after contracting reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS).

She faced the possibility of losing the other leg until family and friends raised £30,000 to send her to the US for revolutionary treatment.

The treatment did not go as well as she had hoped, but Dr Rhodes, who is continuing to monitor her progress, said she was making a good recovery.

He said Mrs Teasdale was no longer taking morphine, her ulcers had healed, the colour and temperature of her right foot was normal and she had taken a few steps with a prosthetic limb. But he said she may be feeling unwell, as air travel can make RSDS symptoms worse.

"Mrs Teasdale continues to have problems with withdrawal symptoms from the morphine," he said.

"The main problem that this has caused for her is that she has had increase spasms in the muscles of her right foot and leg.

"This has made it very difficult for her to walk. I expect that this will disappear, with time, but may require up to six months to resolve."