Hi Stllaborette and welcome to Neurotalk,
I am so sorry for your injury and problems with pm. I've chanced Drs. and for good reason. I wasn't diagnosed for 4 years. It's been 14 years now and full body and internal.
Sounds like you could use a supportive Dr. If you go to RSDSA and then type in your zip, a name and number of a local support group will come up. A local group usually are aware of the good RSD Drs. (if plural)
I personally go to a neurologist, psychiatrist and pharmacologist. With the 3 degrees, he is my pm Dr. When I was diagnosed with full body by a neurologist, he suggested I see a psychiatrist to help deal with it. I didn't like his two references and found my great Dr. in yellow pages. He has helped me greatedly. Kept me mobile. When my toes started turning up off the floor, he gave me pooll exercises and they were touching the floor in 4 months.
My RSD came following breast surgery. Had therapy for frozen shoulder. Then remission, then other shoulder-more therapy, then remission. Then injured hand while water skiing. misdiagnosed, went another Dr. -orthopedic hand Dr. who diagnosed me with rsd. tests supported it. Started on hand therapy and hand de-sensitization. Desennsitization is extremely important. I couldn't stand anything touching my hand. My hubby had to cut my food. My hand was frozen solid. Anything can touch me now, and I got partial use of my hand, half paralyzed.
So to answer you question, if you can find a foot Dr. with knowledge in RSD, I always tend toward specialists. I have more than one Dr. I also have a female hormone bio-identical Dr. And an internist.
I really believe if you are not getting results from an educated, caring Dr. it's time to find one. I was misdiagnosed on my hand, and it cost me 50% loss of my hand. I fly back to home state, Oregon and was diagnosed in 1 minute. It wasn't till 9 years after my breast surgery, when I told my present Dr. about my surgery and systems, he told me that was the beginning of my RSD. I still remember the Dr. shoving me off to a rehab.Dr.
On the desensitization, get 5-6 plastic bowls and put coffee grounds in one, rice in one, cotton balls, rice in one,different textures or piece of fabric and put you feet thru them and hands thru them. Over time you won't have the sensitivity. My hand Dr. did this for part of therapy and I did it every day .
It's hard, but it time, worth it.Do whatever you can tolerate. For me massage therapy was a lifesaver before pt. I still find it so helpful. At home I do stretches, swim, and anything that helps me keep moving. Biofeedback can be very useful. Please don't give up. I know it's hard to get out of bed some days. But just try to move and stretch. There are even second hand
tools at sports shops to help do therapy at home.
Please don't give up. Just doing a little a day helps you from atrophy and keeps you mobile. Most cities have public pools you can take advantage of- it is easy on the body.
Let us know how you are doing, we really do care and want to support you. Your friend, loretta soft hugs