I had a doctor say I don't have RSD because in the ten minutes he spent with me, my arm wasn't "discolored enough". It was discolored, purple/blue, blotchy...but not enough. WTF does that even mean?

For some reason, my arm/hand get more discolored as the day wears on. The later the day, the more discoloration. The cooler the weather, the more discoloration. The more discolored it gets, the colder my arm feels.

Does that happen with you too?

OMG! The new PM I saw last week said I didn't have CRPS because I could wear a sock and shoe. Seriously? My friggin leg swells for no reason (to the point of 3-4+ pitting), mottles and is 1-5 degrees colder than my other foot/leg, but because I can wear a sock I don't have it???

Yes, as the day goes on, no matter what activity I am doing (or not doing) my leg/foot swells. Sometimes it's as simple as a deeper imprint of my shoe, but it's there.

Thanks everyone for the pic suggestions. I took pictures of my knee all the time after the fracture because it never looked 'right' to me. I have only taken a few pics of my leg/foot because the pictures have never done justice to the real thing.

Yes, it so frustrating when this happens, so it is a good idea to take photographs so you have visible proof. In the winter my right leg and foot were red most of the time, but now that the weather is warm, the purply red only appears when I walk, so if I was seen sitting my ankle would be swollen, but my foot and leg might not be red.

There are lots of misperceptions about CRPS. In March my presentation was casebook. No one could touch my foot. Now there is less pain, but putting certain socks on kills me and wearing shoes is torture. I also had laser hair removal years ago, so excessive hair growth as another symptom isn't possible.

The patchy osteoporosis in my foot and ankle on a May X-ray when it wasn't there in the October xray confirmed the diagnosis.

I should specify that the 'shoes' I wear (when I wear them) are actually soled slippers.

rsd symptoms can come and go and change each day. just because symptoms aren't always there doesn't mean it's not rsd. and rsd can spread to other parts of the body without having all the symptom that you initially had. some drs think that if you don't have all the symptoms all the time that its the rsd is going away or is not spreading. that is not true but unfortunately some drs don't know this because they don't educate themselves enough on this disease. you just have to learn to trust you instincts and listen to your body. you know better then anyone what is normal and what is due to rsd. and finding a good pm dr and neurologist that know rsd helps also. soft hugs to all.

I am still learning the new me in this process. I am finding that I only truly recognize a flare when it's over, not before I have pushed myself too far or most times even when I'm in it. I am trying to learn what my triggers are. So far it only seems I flare after I have done too much. My problem is that 'too much' is different every day. Baby hobbles.

it takes time to get to know how to understand and manage your rsd pain. be patient with yourself and take it a day at a time because each day with rsd is different so you won't know what you can do each day until it gets here. i learned that overdoing it on a day that i'm having a low pain day isn't always good because i pay for it with horrible flares for days after. so i try to pace myself even on low pain days as well as high pain days. in time you will learn how to avoid flares to a certain extent. sometimes flares happen even when you don't overdue it. weather can cause flares, rsd spread can cause flares and getting other diseases due to our weakened immune systems from rsd can cause flares too i.e. fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoperosis. when flares happen that are out of your control. continue taking the pain meds your dr prescribe and have an emergency rsd flare kit. mine includes heating pad or blanket, lavendar epsom salt baths, tea, cookies, a comedy on tv for distraction while i lie down to rest until the flare passes.
p.s. i have had rsd for almost five years now and though i have learned alot on how to manage my rsd pain i am still learning every day how to deal with it due to spread i am getting from it. i just keep taking it a day at a time. soft hugs.