RichS

It's always possible that you don't have CRPS. I am not for a second saying you do or don't have it - it's impossible to do that and you need to see a specialist who is experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

As JimKing has also said, nerve irritation, entrapment and irritation can be wrongly assumed to be CRPS and can cause all sorts of painful and non-painful symptoms and sensations that look very much like CRPS. The fusion itself, the underlying damage it was 'fixing' and any nerves or other structures such as your lymphatic system that may have been affected by the rummaging around can all take a long time to settle and heal even after any source of irritation has been removed. Whilst they are being irritated and during any subsequent healing process nerves can produce pain, tingling, paresthesia etc while they are firing and trying to recover. Symptoms of redness and swelling can certainly occur without CRPS as a cause. It may well be something else so theres always hope!

That's why it's important to see someone knowledgable as soon as you can to try and get a definitive answer. As others have said, there are treatment options that you could start to pursue which won't do any harm even if it turns out not to be CRPS and you want to get on with those rapidly. however, if you have something like nerve impingement or inflammation it would also make sense to try and deal with that (if its possible) sooner rather than later. You could also find yourself going through some less than pleasant treatment options 'just in case' it's CRPS.

Why isn't your surgeon already recommending a pain management or other suitable specialist for you to see since he is, in fact, going to be continuing your post-op care? Id have thought he would know enough colleagues in the area that he'd be able to suggest someone he feels would do a good job for you and work well with him, especially if he suspects it is CRPS. Be careful that you don't end up in a situation where multiple specialists blame the other or try to push responsibility to the other for managing the carrying out (and the ultimate consequences of) any invasive procedures or medication regimes. You could just fall between two people, neither of whom wants to take responsibility for your case (or any errors that are made along the way).

I hope you can get a speedy diagnosis - that would seem the key thing to work on just now and then you can fill your head full of the horror of whatever that turns out to be!!