Thanks all of you! Geordie - SNAP. Ha, I'm in Newcastle and kindof guessed from your name you are fairly near here too. I'll have to be careful what I say about my naff pain doc now tee hee!

Kim - there's good and bad, what I have learned though is not to put up with the bad. This is harder than it sounds when you're sick of fighting pain, as the last thing we need are doctors who make us battle them too for proper care. I hold on to the memory of my old fantabulous GP. I've had a year and a bit of having to fight my GP and of being seen as a drug seeker by another one at the same practice. As soon as my diagnosis came through things changed, I even got an apology from my GP and he has started being a lot better. I actually feel a bit sorry for him that those presumptions were made. A lot of GPs are frightened to prescribe. What we need is for them to grow some balls lol. Still I am grateful for his help recently.

SloRian - not sure if Ikea have them scootery thingies. I used a cane the other day because I'm aware of how much I get in the way on two elbow crutches or with my rolly thing. I'm also less embarrassed by my cane, but to be honest I'm beyond that point now. I've found my pain levels after using just the cane are a lot higher. I know it's time I got a chair and I keep saying I'm sorting it out but I need to go to the GP and get a referral and I know he's against the idea in case I stop trying to walk. I am going to try ringing OT as they got physio out with the walker last time. I'm also going through the motions of getting a disabled bus pass but that's a more complicated process now too, I have to get a social services referral and then wait for a physical assessment and I'm sick of all that. Need it doing though.

The excuse thing is something I've been thinking a lot about. Which way to actually go with that. I find going all in on CRPS just makes me look a bit of a nutter/OTT, and saying I have a bad back/legs isn't cutting it as everyone has that and has advice for curing it like they did by using ibuprofen/ralgel/insert other over the counter miracle here. I often get sent those "Understand me" type statements/pictures etc on Facebook and the likes and think they're actually unhelpful as they over-emotionalise (is that a word?). Not my personal cup of tea. I think perhaps just something without all the OTT melodrama.

Imagine rainbows? She'd have been seeing stars if I were there lol!