I went to a fantastic Rheumatolagist when they were not sure what was wrong with me in the first place - they thought it might be lupus or some weird arthritis. They were tossing around RSD, Fibro, neruoma, various things. I'd been to a neuro, a foot surgeon, a pain management doc. The Rheumatologist was next. She diagnosed me with Fibro **AND** RSD. That was 10 years ago, and I still see her. She doesn't really help the RSD, but she gives me trigger point injections when the fibro stuff gets tied in knots really bad. She was very much in favor of me stopping working and was great with my SSDI application. She is board certified. If you go to a good one, I would say it cannot hurt.

I've had symptoms of Fibro since I was very young, and definitely since I was 17. I'd say the difference is Fibro = stubbing your toe, RSD is like having a truck pinning your leg. "They say" most people with RSD develop Fibro. I have also heard Fibro is in the muscles and RSD is the same but in the nerves - but since we think I had Fibro for at least 20 years before I got RSD - to me it hurt - a LOT - but is not even in the ball park of RSD. So I don't buy that one.

But then I have not found any pain med that has helped me with the RSD, so that may color my judgement. I can take Aleve, Ultram, or Vicuprophen and it will help the ache from the Fibro I had when it flares up (the pain I have had since my late teen years) but none of it touches the RSD pain. The two feel different. Same as Epsom salt soaks, trigger point injections, TENS unit, etc. will help the Fibro stuff some - not the RSD.

I don't know if Mayo would be better than Cleveland for RSD. Cleveland has a lot of experience. I've PM'd you the doc that I have seen at CC and been happy with.