Don't worry about it, Desi. I think it's expected that when you already have RSD, increased stress isn't going to exactly help pain levels!

Sometimes I write in a very nuanced fashion, and it's possible that I'm the only one who understands what I really mean! I wasn't really trying to draw conclusions, only saying that we need to be careful about speaking of stress as a cause of RSD. In my experience, it only leads to misunderstandings and problems. How many of us have been told, "oh, it's only stress"?? Comments like that stress me out!

I think we've all experienced something like that at one time or another. I know I'm not the only one who is bothered when what we're going through is belittled as something that anyone can understand. This isn't a paper cut or a pulled muscle. It isn't caused by stress at work or home. Whatever causes it, RSD is a serious illness.

I hope that clarifies what I was trying to get at!

-Betsy