Hi again,

My first reaction reading your post is that it is always okay to get a second opinion. Rheumatology may or may not be the best specialty to treat you. Rheum is probably not the usual first line responder for CRPS patients and may not be as in the know about treatment options.

I don't think waiting years for a treatment to work is a reasonable option. 3.5 months of a med trial sounds like a good enough amount of time to know if something is going to work. Some meds requiring loading phase but you should be well past that by now. There are many combinations of meds to try for CRPS and everyone responds differently. Since there is no magic bullet it takes experimentation. I would encourage you to find a pain management doctor or neurologist who treats a lot of CRPs patients and is willing to work with you on finding the right cocktail for you.

On the cane - just use it if you need to! There is nothing wrong with needing a mobility aid. A cane is as minimal as it gets. If it helps your pain and therefore your overall health and function, by all means go ahead!

On the allergies. Consider an elimination diet to reduce irritants and get that part of your issue separated out from the rest. There are many common food irritants that may not be an actual allergen for you but still cause a problem. The nightshade family and dairy and wheat are common problem causers.

it may be worth asking a pharmacist if any meds you take have interactions.

Have you had a PT eval or treatment? Have you found exercise you can do comfortably? a bunch of us seem to practically live in the pool. It is a great place to walk and keep up motion when the ground is not forgiving enough.

Sending more hugs