Hi, my name's Robin, I'm a middle-aged male, single, living alone in a rural area of central Scotland, UK.

A few days ago I told my physiotherapist that, having done some research, I thought I probably have CRPS type I, and he agreed that seems likely. I've yet to discuss it with an MD. I'm due to have acupunture at a pain clinic on Friday when I might be able to have a short chat with a doctor, otherwise I'm due an evaluation at the end of the course of acupuncture, in a couple of weeks, when I expect to be able to discuss the big picture with a pain specialist.

The problem is in my left knee. I first injured it many years ago, but about 2.5 yrs ago it got hurt on a hill walking expedition and it's been getting worse very gradually ever since. I used to do a lot of hill walking but haven't done any since that incident.

When I say it's been getting worse I don't mean steadily: there's a cycle in which I rest and it gets better, then I get more active and it gets worse again, but the general trend is for the lows to be lower and the highs to be less high each time around.

A bit over a year ago I had surgery on the knee: debridement and decompression of the patellar tendon. The operation seemed OK (as far as I know) and the wound healed very well but then it seemed I was back where I had been before the op, except maybe a bit worse.

I saw the surgeon occasionally, and a physiotherapist regularly for a while, with no improvement, then eventually the surgeon noticed that my left leg seemed cooler than my right, and there was some discolouration of the skin on my knee, and he decided to refer me to a pain clinic and a different physiotherapist. This was towards the end of 06.

Unfortunately, neither RSD nor CRPS nor chronic pain syndrome was actually mentioned until a few weeks ago, so I was skeptical and paid for a second opinion and MRI. The scan showed nothing significant and the second orthopedic specialist agreed with the first. (It was unfortunate in financial terms but maybe a good thing in that it convinced me that there's probably no major mechanical problem.)

The pain specialist decided to try acupunture first. I had three sessions, from which I noticed no benefit, then they switched to electro, and I thought my knee felt slightly better for an hour or two after. When I said that, they decided to increase the course from 6 to 8 or 9 (not sure) sessions in total, on a weekly basis, so I'm due 2 or 3 more.

I've gotten the most info from the physio, who when I first saw him mentioned "chronic pain syndrome" and took the time to explain how nerves can get "activated" so they keep reporting pain even when there's no good reason for it. It's only looking back that I can see that's what the specialists and my GP have had in mind.

My actual pain levels are not that bad. I'm not using any prescribed meds just now. Most days I take just one 400mg ibuprofen for comfort in the evening. But the activity level I have to keep to is very low. I stopped working towards the end of 06, I get food delivered, and, apart from medical appointments, get out just once most weeks, to see my elderly and frail parents on a Sunday afternoon. I spend almost all day, most days, sitting in my armchair with my legs raised, using my laptop, reading or watching tv. If it wasn't for the laptop I'd go crazy! I have a couple of websites of my own and run ones for other people. Also, as I was a self-employed computer technician and still have ads in some directories, I get regular calls from people with pc probs, and do what I can to help them over the phone.

My big problem right now is that, when I work on the laptop, my leg muscles tend to tense up, which sets off the knee pain. It feels very like a muscle or tendon strain, and if it wasn't for the temperature and colouration anomalies, and the clear MRI, and the time it's lasted, I'd be quite sure that's what it is. (It gets inflamed sometimes too, but that could happen in either case.) It seems like I only need to avoid putting any strain on it at all for maybe 3 or 4 days and it would get better -- it has done in the past, in the short term, before "going" again -- but it's very difficult to reach that level of inactivity, living alone, and it seems to take less and less to set it off.

That's probably enough for now. I'd be particularly interested in hearing from people with similar symptoms, and those who have strong views on whether I probably do or don't have RSD/CRPS, but any comments will be welcome. Thanks for reading this far.