Everyone reacts differently to every med. I went years without strong pain meds, and now have been on them for years. Even a small dose of time released morphine helped me tremendously. A reduction of pain is more likely than an absence of pain. Things like Lidoderm patches can be helpful as well.

So long as you find a doc experienced with RSD, I doubt you'll be accused of exaggerating.

If you're content with your situation, there is no reason you have to start meds. But if a fear of a stranger's opinion is stopping you, then that's giving them quite a bit of undeserved power over you. A pain psychologist can help you work through some of these issues, as well as giving you additional resources to decrease your pain.