Hi Lindkaye, I'm sorry you going thru this nightmare. Dealing with pain 24/7 is so difficult. Talking here really helps to understand what is happening to us. Of course, everyone is different is some ways and certainly meds work differently for different people. But I know what you mean about depression, depression really is a central part of RSD. It's because RSD affects the Limbic part of your brain that controls emotions, and judgment. What's why the depression, not to mention the huge changes in our lives, like loss. It's like the grieving process because there is so much loss. What we used to do, we can't now.Our family still loves us, but it's difficult for them to understand the changes we go thru. Most of us have a difficult time with social settings and shy away because of our limited energy level and being in pain doesn't lend itself to wanting to be around people. I'm on two different anti-depressants, both double dosed. Most of us take them not just to help with the depression, but the components of the drug help with nerve pain. After seeing many Drs. and getting correct diagnosis, I've ending up with a wonderful phychiatrist, that also is a neurologist and a degree in pharmacology. I've seen him for four years once a month, and now I see him everyother month. The Dr. that correctly diagnosed me was a hand orthopedic surgeon. It took him 30 seconds and confirmed at the hospital in the neuclear med. dept. Even though my surgery was breast surgery, the next day my entire arm swelled and the shoulder started too get stiff and froze up so bad, had maybe 100 physical therapy session to get range of motion back to almost normal. Then moved to the other shoulder and more therapy. Then some time passed and I felt a pull in my left hand while water skiing. It froze up like a board, and back to therapy. I think I mentioned to you before, it is only partially useful. It's so important to try and keep moving, even sqeezing a soft rubber ball. or swimming and sqeezing your toes so they won't curl up, then walking is a problem. It sounds like you need a orthopedic Dr. and/or neurologist is see what is going on. So many of us have fibromyalgia too. It does feel like the flu and muscle aching. I also have the burning, the stabbing and electric shocks, muscle spasms, stopped when I was on neurotin. 3200 mg dailey. I've switched to Lyrica, I feel it works better on the nerve pain. Others feel differently. I know one thing, Both drugs cause weight gain. I hate that and am working so hard to get it off. One things that helps with the sadness, grief, loss, is journaling. Get a tabled and write in it about your true feelings and sadness, let your feelings out. I went thru two years of therapy when my parents died and writing really helped me, of course prayer. I hope your application for SSI goes well. I talked to my Dr last week about SSI and he said he would back me. So I'm going to apply too. I can no longer work. I'm going to use an attorney. My daughter is a court reporter and is going to give me the name of a good one, specializing in SSI. I hope you get in to see your Dr. soon. Loretta