Mine is CRPS type II due to venipuncture nerve injury four years ago. Onset was immediate, and has spread to entire right side of my body and slowly worsened.

However, it is generally kept in check enough with meds, biofeedback relaxation stuff, range-of-motion exercises, etc., so that I can work OK most of the time. My job performance is affected, but I'm able to live a fairly normal life and most of my coping mechanisms work well most of the time. Sleep is better than it used to, particularly with the addition of Cymbalta (60 mg/day) to the gabapentin (1800 mg/day) I was already taking. I feel extremely fortunate that I do not have a more severe case like many on this forum.

Unmedicated, I'd be unable to work and function.

Everyone with RSD/CRPS is different. I do not have swelling, and only occasionally have redness when I'm cold (hands, feet, & sometimes half of my face).