def try the trial... although that may not always help...

i had pretty much full relief when i had the trial- then my rsd was only from my finger tips to my elbow. well when i had the perm implanted it spread up to my shoulder/neck area around where the top incision is.

full recovery for me from the surgery took about 3 months... till i was able to fully move and function normally.

my back and hip would hurt in the cold, my back would get stiff a lot..
my right leg would go out occasionally cause of how the battery was placed... i'd be walking and all of a sudden i'd be on the floor.

i'd get randomly shocked from it...

i didn't get any relief from the stim.. my pain got worse and more intense along with the spreading. i ended up turning it of after 6 months and had it removed a year and a half after having it put it. i went to see the people from medtronics several times to have it reprogrammed... it never helped...

i wouldn't reccommend it to anyone because of my experience. have you considered a pain pump? i have a friend/mother type that has rsd in her foot/ankle and she got the pump and absolutely loves it.