Originally Posted by MAT52

It's me back again with another question - this time regarding flu and SFN. I have flu proper - sick as anything but have been really unwell for ages now - since weaning off Cymbalata or even before.

I have trouble accepting everything I'm disgnosed with so far. This is because things keep changing for me - a shapeshifting autoimnunity which causes havoc with me psychologically. How can I come to terms with something that dramatically changes its face so regularly?

So after a two years of rollercoaster with fatigue, burning hands and feet, wetness in both legs - (but could have been four if I count the heat waves through my wrists and burning soles) suddenly the SFN has lifted. Up until 3 days ago I was getting dramatic increase in lightening bolt pains around my body - especially in hands, wrists and elbows. Now, despite being almost drug free I have had two nights of no burning, no joint or tendon pain and a lessening in widespread stiffness. Most amazingly I haven't woken with any burning nerve pain in perpheries, haven't thrashed about in the early hours trying to find a patch to cool my burning hands and feet. I'm not even aware of the usual wet sensation in legs.

However before I cheer madly and woop for joy I need to know if anyone ekse has had their SFN disappear while sick with flu? And I don't mean a heavy cold - I mean full blown flu. Haven't been ill with a virus for several years now - usually my immune system is far too frantic to let any lurgies attack me it seems. This cough has triggered severe costochondritis but on the plus side I've not had to use eye drops or treat nose sores/ bleeds for at least ten days now as everything is gushing!

So I am now taking a 24 hour over the counter flu medicine but until last night I was getting by with a few paracetamol ever four hours. Paracetamol never helped the neupathic pain before. Could this horrible and all encompassing flu have chased off my SFN - and more importantly might this be it forever? It's only faded once before last year when I had 3 months back on injectable methotrexate and nifedipine (gp experimenting as thought this was Raynauds).

Or is it more likely a case of brain only receiving one set of pain signals at a time? Oral surgeon said today that my jaw pain is TMD probably although will have am X-ray to check it's not erosive arthritis. This hasn't gone away though!