I have had RSD since 2001, starting in right foot, then went to left shoulder, to cervical spine, upper back, left arm, left hand, broke left foot so it went there, now it's starting in right hand. So, pretty much I don't have it in the front of my trunk, in my butt or in my right thigh or calf.

In addition to RSD, I had long standing fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, and thanks to many tries with anti-depressents for pain, rounds of steroids, and neurontin, am nearly 90 lbs overweight.

My left shoulder is partially frozen. In early 2010, I got peripheral neuropathy. It has taken the strength from my hands, and I can no longer hold a pencil to write well at all, or to hold a book, or to use a knife to cook, those kinds of things - if I buy a bottle of water at a gas station, I have to have someone open it for me. I have had a terrible headache since March of 2008, which they cannot find a cause for other than RSD. I have spondylothesis, which means my cervical spine bones do not align, causing pain. I also have very bad eyesight. I wear very strong contacts and trifocal glasses with them, and still have to use a hand lens to read with.

I also have asthma.

I have trouble walking and wear knee high plastic leg braces called AFOs. I use a service dog.

I am telling you all of this so that you don't think I got the SSDI on RSD alone. I had 10 years of medical records that I turned in, showing a steady decline in my health. I know you don't need 10 years worth. But, ever since I have had RSD, I have kept a copy of all my records, test results etc. so I sent them all.

I am treated for RSD at Cleveland Clinic, and I think that had some weight in the decision. My Rheumatologist, my neurologist, and the pain management doctor (Clev. Clinic) all had in their notes that there wasn't anything else they could offer me. The doc at Clev Clinic would like me to do ketamine infusions but I cannot afford them under my current insurance.

I also went to a pain management psychologist. She did quite a bit of testing with me. She diagnosed me with severe depression related to my health and pain, and also social phobia. She recommended that I not work away from home because of my severe anxiety of being touched due to the pain it causes. I think this also had a lot to due with my approval... both having gone to this doctor - who was the head of the department of one of the countries largest universities - so had a mile long list of credentials... and the finding that I should not work away from home.

Then, I had the head of the physiatrist's department at the same university (doctor that specializes in movement) say that I cannot sit longer than half an hour, and should not be placed at any job where I had to work at a desk looking down at paper work, or looking at a computer screen as it would be to painful.

When I got their symptom reports and function reports, I called the adjudicator and told her it would take me a lot of extra time to fill them out, as I had so many things wrong with me, and due to my physical problems, I could not fill them out very fast because I could not spend much time typing up answers. After I did the first one, which took me several weeks, I actually purchased dictation software for my Mac to help me fill out the second one, and I told them I had to do that to get it done, because it was to difficult for me to type. I am using that software now.

I kept telling them that I became much worse after a car accident I had in Nov. 09, which was true. My performance at my job went way down hill, I could not concentrate due to pain, my thinking went out the window, and I was doing things over and over and over to get them right. I kept mentioning that I only sleep 2-3 hours a day and that messes with my ability to remember and concentrate.

For me, it was a matter of taking a few months before filing to go back to all my doctors - foot surgeon, orthopedic doc, physiatrist, neurologist, pain management (RSD) doctor, family doctor, rheumatologist, and go to the pain/rehabilitation psychologist long enough for a treatment history to be developed --- then file for disability. I had new cat scans done, new blood work, new Xrays, new MRIs. All showed further degeneration from a couple years before. I was let go of my job in mid Dec. 09, but I did not file until May 2010. They found me disabled the day I left my job in Dec. 09.

During those months I waited to file, I kept a notebook with notes on how I felt, everything I was doing to compensate for my health. I made lots of notes.... Every time I would have done something but did not because of my health - such as spending time with family at Easter Dinner, going shopping, going to a music festival - all the things I used to do before I became so ill... All these notes helped me when it came time to make out the symptom and function reports to tell how different my life is now than it used to be. Even things like I can't listen to music now because of vibration, so I have given away my stereo - so working in an office during the day time would kill me to hear a radio playing or a printer working - that is one reason I worked alone on second shift. That I am able to listen to music only on an ipod because only my ears hear the music, there is no vibration on my body for my RSD to feel.

I hope that helps you.