Hi Lori Lee

I am so sorry to see that you are struggling with the diagnosis and what it means for you. There are no statistics for remission. I have looked extensively for these and there is nothing of any value available out there. One UK charity used to quote 50% remission but this figure was never substantiated with any reference source or back-up and I have never found any data with remission figures. I suspect it was based on one person's rough estimate of what they thought from their own experience which is clearly not a reputable enough source.

The fear and anger and depression is all normal but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't get help for it. Please seek medical help to come to terms with your situation because you sound desperately unhappy. All of that will be massively increasing the pain levels you are feeling because of the way the pain mechanisms in the body work. By increasing that pain now through anger which is a useless emotion in this context, you are making the healing process more difficult for your body.

Give yourself a break - find a way to accept that this has happened and there is no point in being angry about it, get sleep, exercise as much as you can, do all the stuff that is recommended out there for mobilising and recovering your affected limb and try to normalise at least some parts of your life.

All the things you are doing are the right things to do. None of it is wasted. You have got to give yourself the best possible chance of that remission. Try and imagine how you would feel in future if you had to live with yourself knowing that you had given up trying at this early stage? You have the chance to influence your life for a positive outcome - you can't give up and stop trying purely because you might not succeed.

Yesterday, I asked my physio how long it takes for the pain to go away for the people who seem to get a remission (he has treated several people with CRPS) and he said that it is generally a couple of years. This is based on hard work in spite of the pain to keep the limb moving and active, doing the prescribed exercises and ensuring that it isn't allowed to become more sensitized. It takes time and you need to re-set your expectations of how quickly you might see an improvement.

Whatever you do, you need to get emotional support soon because you sound as though you are struggling. You can get through this but you might need more help just now. Try and take things a day at a time, don't think about the bigger picture or tomorrow or what might happen in the future. Your body and mind are not ready to face that yet. Just concentrate and focus on today and what you need to do to get through the day. It will get easier.

I have gone back to my original job. I am a senior legal director in a big manufacturing company so I have a demanding role. I was diagnosed in January 2008 after I had had CRPS for about 5 months. Its really tough going sometimes but I manage. There is hope but you need to push yourself and not give up. It can be done. I don't know what the future will bring but I am doing OK at the moment and that is what matters most.

I wish you well.