I am so sorry to hear this. I believe that everyone has to make the right decisions for themselves...but I just hope that whatever decision you make that you are not making it out of desperation. SO many horror stories about what happens to people when they do that. Please just make sure that you are confident in your ability to weigh all the risks and benefits of such a thing before you go ahead with it.

I don't know if you have looked into tDCS at all or read the thread on here...but personally I would try that before anything more invasive. Several people have seen AMAZING results and unlike the pain pump which just treats the symptoms...tDCS aims at the root cause of the RSD. I have only been doing it a month and I have already seen some wonderful results...though I did not start out nearly as bad as the situation you (or bellerina or CRPSjames) are in (but I was there last year prior to all the physical therapy I did and stuff).

I do not take pain meds...the only presription that i have for pain these days is the lidoderm patches. But I do use a TENS unit and an ultrasound machine as well as part of my therapy and pain management so at least I have gotten some relief from those things. I think back to last year where it was just agony every minute of every day and I could not do ANYTHING...it's like a nightmare. I did a lot with physical therapy and I just started tDCS a month ago. I already had a lot of the function back prior to the tDCS...but I am already seeing that if I had started this prior to or along with the PT that it would have made THAT journey a lot easier on me. I have seen a reduction in the burning pain and allydonia and for me the absolute best news is that when I got into a small car accident the other day (got rear ended) I did not end up in a flare that lasted a week (which would have been normal prior to the tDCS treatments). Instead...my increased pain only lasted several hours. I had to do a lot of my "tricks" to get the pain level down initially...but once I did I was back to "normal"...and I founds that simply amazing.

At any rate...just my opinion that this is worth a try...especially if you are at the end of your rope. Thought it would be worth throwing another option out there to you as I know that when we are desperate we will try anything and that's not the mindset you want to be in when you make a decision like this.

Take care and good luck. I hope you find some relief soon.