Golly gee! No one ever explains these things!

As to the ortho ‘issues’? That is something that HAS to be ruled out. Plain and simple. Key to the ‘diagnosis;, would be: Blood tests [especially IG type tests and the other special things ‘immune’ they test for]; Nerve conduction tests [deterioration of normal nerve velocities etc]; spinal fluid tests [again for signs of inflammations and specific ones]; MRI’s and X-rays [w+wo contrasts showing up any other ‘physical damage’ that mite have caused nerve issues]; and lastly progression-especially in regards to ‘reflexes’- W/us? You should be losing ‘reflex’ a lot! or Heaps.
The shrink ‘functional capacity’ aspect is to see if you are psychomatic in any way. When they ask me my mental state? I always reply: as well as can be expected under my circumstances! [and leave IT at that!] Sometimes, slyly I insert, a normal person shouldn’t have to endure this much pain. Yet? I am. I am never asked any more questions in this quarter.
How your diagnosing doctor writes up HIS opinions about your case is crucial to how soon or easily you mite get approved. It mite not hurt to seek a top-dog type neuro to evaluate you? But it’s a gamble? Because this other doc mite say ‘it’s all in your head’. AND IT WILL GO INTO YOUR FILE, whether you like it or not. I’m going to have to go thru this soon? I am sort of going to love/hate the process… But, it’s essential for the long term. Sigh!
I’m crossing my fingers and eyes for you! [My toes don’t work anymore!]
Keep faith in yourself and what you KNOW to be right – then? Slog on.