The thing to know about SSD is it is all about how you function, not diagnosis. I was on SSD for 7 years before I chose to go off and go back to work. It took me 3 years and a hearing before an administrative law judge to get approved, but it was mainly because of my age I was 33 at the time. To get SSD unless you meet the listing book it is next to impossible if you are under 55 years old. They go back 15 years for work history not five. Also if you work a sedentary job, you can forget getting it, it is almost impossible to get rated less than sedentary. Most people receive light ratings. It also depends on what type of work you did before, the heavier the work the easier it is to get approved. It also depends on what part of the country you live in. Nationally about 33% are approved the first time around and about 2/3 are approved if you get before a judge.
I have RSD and it was in remission, it's back and last summer I didn't want to go back on SSD like my doctor suggested because I had applied for a job at SSA and decided if I got the job I wouldn't go back on SSD. Well I got the job and let me tell you it is a tough, stressful job and I wish I had gone back on disability. It's all I can do to make it to work each day and I have no life after work. I come home and go to bed, but I have screwed myself, because my job is now rated as sedentary and getting rated as less than sedentary won't happen, and I'm not in a wheelchair, so I'm stuck trying to work, we'll see how it goes....