Yeah...I forgot to mention that you need to be careful with the work comp docs. Just be honest but also realize (which you already seem to) that they do work for the insurance company even though they are supposed to be "independent". I lucked out that the first one I saw agreed with the RSD diagnosis but that was sort of an odd situation where the doc work comp hired didn't want to see me and pawned it off on his partner...so they didn't get the doc they expected. But the other 2 I saw were pretty bad. Not in person so much but when I read their reports it was the complete opposite of what they said and how they acted in person. They use loaded language to IMPLY that you may be faking or exaggerating even if they see absolutely no evidence of that themselves. The very last one I saw actually watched me go out to the car with my mother from his office and was in the waiting room while I was waiting to see him (I assume to watch and see if I did anything that I said I couldn't). He actually wrote in the report that he wasn't able to see me enter the car but that I didn't need to be "lifted" into the car. I never said I did...my mom would not have been physically able to do that in any case. But he said my mom's position behind me (holding the wheelchair) prevented him from having a good view. Like I knew he was watching me and I did that on purpose...seriously? I don't really care because they could install frigging cameras in my house and they would never see me doing something that I said I couldn't do...but I felt so violated that this man was watching me like that. And then he didn't even see anything but felt the need to put that in the report in a way that seemed to imply I was faking anyway. Made me so angry.

The problem is that RSD is a clinical diagnosis...there is no definitive test that says yes you have it or no you don't. I don't know how ONE visit with a work comp doc really puts them in a position to say if you don't have it. I mean...I tell them about my symptoms, the medical reports from other docs say that THEY have seen some of the symptoms, but on that particular day at the exact moment of that appointment who knows if I will have the cold temps, the color changes, swelling, etc? I usually have at least one of those at a time but I have honestly had work comp doctors look at my swollen ankle and tell me it's normal or that the cool temp of the one leg is just circulation problems or that I just have a sunburn (when I have not been out in the sun at all of had that area exposed to the sun at all).

Easy to say, "Why would someone want to fake this condition?" and I agree with you but the answer you will get from work comp is, "So you don't have to work." Even if you ARE working or want to work...they still say this bogus garbage and use that to justify everything they do. I actually had to listen to their lawyer say that I was exaggerating...that all I had was a sprain, etc in court and all I could think is, "Seriously? I got injections into my spine, have been in a wheelchair for months, undergone a zillion tests, had so much bloodwork done that they know me by name at the blood draw office...all for a SPRAIN? Are you kidding me?" But whatever. I know it's their job but they caused me so much additional suffering and stress and delayed medical treatment. I am so very happy to not have to deal with them anymore. Just an awful experience.

Hopefully...you have a better experience than I did. But just be careful and realize that no matter what they say to you that they will use anything they can against you even if they have to make it up. I hope that you have a good attorney who can help you deal with all the work comp stuff. That can make all the difference. Good luck to you.

And one more thing...I would try to talk to the physical therapist about desensitization as part of your therapy. It is an awfully painful thing but it really does help to normalize the sensations on your RSD areas and can make things so much better long term. And I would also make sure that they give you exercises to do at home and do them every day. I did physical therapy at home this past time and the best thing about that was that I was able to do all my exercises every day because they didn't require any special equipment. I felt like I made so much more progress and it was steady progress because I did the exercises every single day...my physical therapist felt that way too. Progress felt slow at the time but I was able to do something new/harder every single week and I really made a lot of progress every month which was easier to see in hind sight than at the time.

When it comes to the meds I would maybe ask the doctor about possibly adding in an anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, tramadol (for pain), etc. Only ever go on ONE med at a time...but sometimes its the combination of meds that makes the difference. I wouldn't really suggest specific ones but probably just ask generally about the idea of a combination of meds. Neurontin really didn't help me much but I know it works great for some (though many of those are on much higher doses than you are on). Another possibility to ask about might be lidoderm patches...it's lidocaine (in patch form) that you could put right on the RSD area. They don't help a lot and I try not to use them more than a couple times a week but sometimes it's just that extra little but that can make a difference between the pain being tolerable and not. I also like to use the lidoderm patches in combination with the heat patches...that seems to give me even more relief because i have both the lidocaine and the heat helping. But of course...your doc will make the final decision when it comes to stuff like this...but sometimes if you just ask the open ended question that starts the conversation and gets them thinking about different options.