Lit Love used to be very active over on the Social Security part of NT. She went through the disability process a few years ago and has CRPS, but she has not been active in a month.

I am still finishing going through the process myself. I filed my original claim in October of 2014 and was just awarded a fully favorable decision on June 1st of this year after my hearing in front of an ALJ on April 20. I did live in Metro Detroit when I filed, so that may be part of why it took so long. I was told the Social Security office closest to my old house is the busiest office in the Nation. My first payment is supposed to be coming sometime in the next week, and back pay may be as late as November, but having the whole process over with relieved a lot of stress. and worry.

Chances are, you will be denied on your first application, but you never know. Just keep at it, file your appeal right away, hire a good representative or lawyer but act as if you are representing yourself, submit all medical information and problems, even those not related to CRPS, keep track of all of your paperwork, go to any appointments they want you to go to, and go for a Functional Capacity Evaluation if you can. Try to stay with your treating physician through the entire process. The longer you keep a relationship with your doctor, the better it looks to Social Security. If you do qualify for Disability, these will all help you in the long run and it will be difficult for an ALJ to deny you if you should get to that point.