Hi Wolf
I can elaberate on some of what your asking,But thats why were a team,,my experience with the swelligng,, when it started in my ankles,,one of my dr;s suggested to use compression stockings,[and im a dude],,but it works and keeps my feet white instead of colors,amd less veiny,,I was made to wear them[thats where i got them from the hospital] right after my THR surgery,,they make you were them to keep from clotting,,and as for the prenizone,,once your past day 3 [the heavy loading stage],,then i got relief,,but by he time i got down to the last couple of pills [day 5-6] some of the pain returned,,then the dr; after explaining to him,,he just gave me a script of them,,either way it enabled me to exercise while on the meds,and i weaned myself off the prednzone and from wearing the stockings,,but the stockings work,,ive found out that exercise is the best meds for rsd,,,it just hard to want to do exspecially if im on pain meds,,i dont feel like doing anything,,so i only take them twice a day to keep me moving,,,prayer is also very powerfull[james 5],,,,good luck to you,,and you know what wolf ?,,,sometimes[not always] ,,ice does help me,,but the key is dont leave it on too long,,5-10 min,,,it and other things like activity helped me to desensitive the limbs along with pool exercises,,in the pool,,you get to do activeity and desenseitize at the same time,,,,,,,,,,,,good luck................and may God bless you............bobber