I have continued to work full time, luckily up until now my company has been very good about letting me come in on saturdays and stuff to make up time missed from not being physically able to be at work or being gone for doctor appointments and stuff. I'm an accountant, more specifically I audit financial statements for companies, so it's a desk job with very little to no interaction with the public. I've been trying lots of different things to help me make it through the day, since drugging myself isn't an option and most of the medications I have I can't take during the day.

Some of the things I have done to help minimize the pain so I can work a whole day are:

Take frequent breaks, going outside for about 2 or 3 minutes every hour or so to stretch my legs and do some breathing excercises to help relax.

Not sit at crowded tables for meetings, all too often I will get kicked accidently by someone shifting their feet, and it's my foot and ankle that are affected with rsd/crps, so it's not at all fun to have it kicked. I'll usually sit right behind everyone with my foot up on another chair, maybe 2 or 3 feet behind the table. Also, when the meetings are very long, I will get up every 45 minutes or so and leave for a minute to stretch my legs and relax.

I've also found that on days where I'm especially sensitive and am doing something (like physical therapy) or putting certain creams on my legs, it's better to wear certain pants, which aren't exactly business wear. Since I'm sitting at a desk and not dealing with any customers or anything it hasn't caused a problem.

I've also asked for help a few times with things that require me to stand for long periods of time.

This has never been a problem before, but the other day my boss got mad at me (for a completly unrelated matter, he tried to change an important procedure and I disagreed, he got in trouble with our VP for even suggesting the change) and decided that I need a "performance review". Took me into his office and told me all of the above things that I do I can no longer do, that I will have to make more effort to just "not be in pain", and that my "attitude" is bad because I look like I'm miserable sometimes. All of my coworkers know about my condition and have been told by me that they can interrupt me at any time with a question or need, regardless of if I look in pain or something. He gave me a written warning. Some of the items he listed were things I have prior permission from HR to do! Like the clothing and leaving meetings I had cleared ahead of time. I strongly feel that he is mad at me and is trying to use whatever he can to get me in trouble.

In response, I have turned in a written request to HR outlining my need for reasonable accomodations at work. Has anyone ever done this before? I feel like he's trying to use my rsd as an excuse to get me in trouble, as he even wrote on the bottom of the warning that "I have been very impressed with the work product that you have been producing on the “projects” i.e. the Fresco project with the attorney. Thank you very much for doing such a great job with this." and has never had a single complaint about my quality or quantity of work. His complaints are all directly related to my foot. Is this discrimination? Now that I've informed my company of the accommodations I need, if he continues what do I do? I don't want to have to get a lawyer and sue, because in general my company has been great, it's just him that is a problem. Has anyone gone through anything similar?

I'm an auditor also - I've been a CPA for many years. My gut instinct is to urge you to work it out with HR and your boss' boss if at all possible. It sounds like you have been able to work through your illness pretty well so far, which is so great - I got too sick too work last summer and miss work so much!! I can't wait to get better enough to go back. The stress of having your boss give you a hard time could be enough to put you over the edge, though. Stress makes us sicker. So try your best to work it out, as soon as possible. Try to get assigned to another manager. If you are a good worker (and your evaluation says you are), they will try hard to keep you happy and other managers should be pleased to have you on their jobs.

I don't trust lawyers (except our friend Mike here on Neurotalk). If you get one involved it's going to cost you money and it could give your company the impression that you want to fight. Who wants to fight when they are sick? Sounds like you just want to work the way you were and keep the peace - and you were you were doing a really good job.

Stay cool and good luck. XOXOX Sandy

I have missed a lot of work due to my foot, I've just been lucky so far because I'm a very fast worker and have been able to keep up with all the demands of my job despite missing time. Lately I've been averaging about 28 hours a week, but I've also been trying to ween myself out of my airboot, which increases my pain substantially. And when I discuss it with my pm doc he tells me to keep the boot on, rather then adjusting my meds. Or he will tell me to ice it, which I keep telling him is one of the big no nos. I've read enough to know that using my airboot is bad, and ice is bad, so I feel stuck . . .

I have talked to my hr, and she agreed that my requests for accommodation were very reasonable. I'm pretty sure my company will side with me, but I know it will upset my boss, so it's going to be a stressful work environment for a while . . . Great

I was having a hard time with accomadations at work.. Some people do treat people with disabilities or limitations as i like to call it differently.. i was threatened repeatedly about losing my job when they hired me this way.. My lawyer had to get involved.. they wanted to know where i got hurt and what my diagnoses was. and all sorts of things that didnt pertain to them. wanted my medical records sent to them and i work at walmart for goodness sake.. Now i just have problems with some people treating me like crap and i just ignore it.I dont care really.. I know i have limitations, its not my fault and it just makes them look stupid cuz they cant deal with it themselves. They gave me good evaluations and i still work there., its part time.. i do the job and do it well. well as well as i can 1 handed.lol

dont let it get you down. there is always someone out there that cant handle people who are different.. it just makes them look dumb.keep your faith up and ur pain down..

You need a new doc. ASAP. Try to find one that is board certified in PM and/or Anesthesiology. Neurologists can be good too. The bigger teaching hospitals with pain management centers are often the best places to start looking.

A doc that recommends ice and a boot doesn't know what he's doing when it comes to RSD.

Good luck - XOXOX Sandy

The doc I am seeing is the only one that is certified in my area that accepts my insurance. Thing is, I don't get to see the actual doc, he only does procedures, I see his nurse practitioner, who does all my meds. The doc is an anethisiologist. I've tried to explain to the np, but he seems to be under the impression that whatever reduces pain is good, and that doing things that excaberate things and then medicating more to tolerate it is bad. I'm not particulary happy with this place anyways, because I've called before when the pain was bad and was told "that after surgery this can happen, and that I should take some tylenol, which will reduce the sewelling and then the pain" . . . . Sadly, I have had no surgery I also have noticed that the np doesn't even look at his notes from the last visits. In jan he stopped me on the morphine because I couldn't stand it, this last appointment I told him I was eating better, and he asked me why I thought that was . . . I told him because I wasn't taking the morphine, he's all "hmm, you think the morphine made you sick?" His office even gave me anti nausea meds for it! I also bring with me to every appt a "progress" sheet I found on an rsd website, have done this at every appt, the last appt I handed it to him and he asked what it was like he'd never seen one before . . . . Ughh . . . . . I hate insurance restrictions.

Holly - my husband drives me to Boston because there is no one local that I can trust to treat my RSD. Does your insurance list have anyone certified that might be further away but is any good? You might have to do some research, and you might have to travel, in order to get the best care, unless you can get these guys to just give you what you want and manage on your own....don't let "insurance restrictions" get in the way of you getting better. Good luck. Sandy

go to this website:

http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html

I used it alot when I worked for Blue Shield of CA. I had a supervisor who was worse than someone just being a *itch. I finally quit after 2 yrs of her crapola. I actually went to a much better job, but every time she tried to get me in trouble I would come back with something from this web site. It is great. And if you do call them & leave a message, they will call you back.

Good luck!

Debby