Originally Posted by jennyb

Hello everyone, I am glad to have found a place for some answers (I hope). I have been battling severe chronic pain for five years now. Had every diagnosis told to me, then taken back you could think of, so you could understand my skeptisism in my diagnosis. I have read there is no definite diagnostic tool for RSD is this true? I ask because my story is so different then those above. While my pain is unmanageable, I do not have the "black&blue skin" nor did it seem to have started with a specific injury then spread. First I had horrible pain in the hip, no reason, just all the sudden couldn't bear weight. I had to wait a bit to go to docs (no insurance)all tests clear, then the pain started in the long bones (all right side) and the pain when I would get home from work would drive me to tears, you could actually see the throbbing in my right ankle. I haven't been able to work for two years now. Time has seemed at a standstill and all mushed together but either way, this pain has consummed my whole body now. I did fracture vertabrae in l-5 in a car accident but that was when I was far younger, then broke my tailbone and cracked the sacrililiac joint(sp?) due to the pain in my hip, sent me reeling down the stairs one day. When one seems to get a different diagnosis every year, not only do family members start thinking its all in your head, but sometimes I wonder myself. I know my pain is real, but I can see why people would think something fishy. The pain levels have now gotten to the point where normal "hermit" living isn't even doable anymore. When I first stopped working there was somewhat of an improvement, then a sympathetic doctor put me on some pain meds, at the time my dianosis was RA and FM. That helped take the edge off enough to allow me to walk up to store and back, which kept my joints moving, and care of the house. Now the pain is so out of control don't know much what to do. I started seeing a new family doctor very organized and up to date (old doctor told me I had "grown back my tonsils" when I had a couple growths on tongue/cheek, and asked him about them, when he siad tonsils, I said I had them removed at 23, lol let alone tonsils aren't on the inside of your cheek!lol. That was the last staw and sought this new doctor. Anyway after going over my records and taking an extensive history, I mean he mus have stayed with me a good hour! He started telling me about RSD and how he believes I have it but no way to tell for sure. Sorry so long and disorganized anyone out there have the same experience?