Thanks very much for this response. I understand that none of us are here as medically trained people but it's extremely helpful to learn more from those who's journeys overlap and who have far more knowledge and experience of a particular disease than I do.

I suspect the results I've put up here were through before the ones my neurologist referred to as there are some blanks on the list.

The thing that my friend and I noticed during my recent VC appointment with the neurologist was that he changed his approach towards me dramatically during the consultation. He started out on a default position - listing tests he ran in January and explaining how they showed nothing amiss. We spoke about Cymbalta side effects and how I'd come to try Imuran recently and the ensuing pancreatitis.

Then he got the young doctor to do a rudimentary test on my eye responses and feet and hands and this is wheh he seemed to suddenly change his previously dismissive tune. He said that there was one result from January which had flagged up positive for autoimmunity or infection. I explained that my rheumatologist had agreed that my small fiber neuropathy was probably part of my diffuse RA inflammation. But that until my RA comes back as synovitis I will not meet the nhs criteria for biologic drugs - hence starting a fourth disease modifying antirheumatic drug - Imuran. Once I explained this he immediately said he would speak to my rheumatologist and my friend and I got the impression that something had shifted for him and he then mentioned the Vasculitis professor.

It seems they are all speaking to each other about me now so I guess this is progress. I'm not saying I was misdiagnosed with RA but I think methotrexate chased it off. But the neurological symptoms actually affected me prior to the start of the RA and I have, as you suggest, made a record of them. They went away once I got onto injectable methotrexate and came winging back within weeks of stopping two years later. I don't think this can be a coincidence but unfortunately my drug reactions have all been too severe to put up with (spewing both ends for two days each week after the methotrexate).

I think the RA diagnosis has distracted everyone from the neuro symptoms because they crossed over so much initially. No one has checked out the cause of the dizziness yet. The facial pain, tingling and numbness was dismissed by a maxillofacial surgeon as TMD caused probably by bruxism because I'm in so much pain elsewhere. I agree the mouth, jaw and nose issues aren't arthritic but I don't think it's all down to bruxism and TMJ neuralgia either. Numbness and tingling around mouth and face are rare with TMJ.

Sorry I'm waffling here. I don't think I do have MS thankfully - but nor have I entirely ruled it out and certainly don't think the neuro issues are all part of my RA as previously supposed. I probably have a mixed connective tissue thing going on but the neuropathy and dizziness are far worse than the joint pain is to me.