Okay well starting with BP - sometimes it is too high - other times recently it has been too low but no one has assessed whether this has been affected by rising from a lying or sitting position to standing.

I often get more light headed when I rise than at other times now and usually have to rise slowly and carefully and then almost manually change direction if I need to. I think this is vestibular (eyes)rather than BP related and interestingly it does improve on the higher doses of Prednsilone. My spatial judgement is more affected than my sense of balance but I've had several nasty falls this year. However I think the changes in rhythms relate to factors such as malnutrition, drugs (Amitriptyline, Prednisolone and conditions such as pneumonia the acute pancreatitis the Azathioprine brought on). Basically it's been a bit of a year for me health wise! I'm normally a healthy person and look after myself well.

I did wear a week long halter monitor this time a year ago which picked up the arrhythmia - and eventually Amitriptyline got the blame. But since the pneumonia in March I've had it back and wake with a feeling of having to catch extra breaths because I have forgotten to breathe. I have reported this to pre op nurse and has my heart checked in hospital twice by ECG and both showed arrhythmia again but this is all. However this wasn't done when I was sleeping or had risen either. I'm resolved to think I'm worrying about nothing once more. Just my family history making me anxious. I guess the heart monitor during surgery will be the ultimate cardiac work out

The sweating is a longstanding issue because for about a year I stopped sweating entirely - even rigorous exercise couldn't produce a drop so I had to be careful not to overheat and keep my fluid levels up. Then since the pneumonia it has gone the other way and I have these random sweats, but an more usually freezing cold with white toes and have to wear gloves. This was thought to be Raynauds but could just be that my hypthyroidisn isn't properly medicated. Doctors say Raynauds but I'm not so sure as don't get the blue or white fingers - just toes. I tried nifedipine for six months and it helped but my BP would dip dramatically causing faints and my legs became terribly swollen with EM red feet and knees finally causing a follicular rash. Shame about the latter as it was quite a good drug on several fronts for me I think. It's all very confusing but I think the answer lies in rheumatology and inflammation as you say as this at least shows in my blood.

The face stuff - my GP and the maxillofacial surgeon ruled out the GCA that hospital doctor suspected. I'm ANCA negative so Wegners ruled out although I did have an extended spell of crusting and nose bleeds when everything was veer dry prior to the pneumonia. Now I'm left with tightness around my gums so my teeth feel overcrowded and my gums feel very sore and swollen but they aren't. Hence why I use the word phantom - because there is nothing actually wrong with my teeth and gums but the feeling of tightness is so real.

This sensation of mechanical tightness goes up into my nose and even slightly into my left eye abd is marinally worse in left side. It is more severe gum soreness than pain and has been explained at trigeminal neuralgia by my doctors because it follows the trigeminal nerve exactly. My lips tingle unpleasantly all the time now and this has gone on for about six months I would say.

However I did some reading and numbness and tingle would be unusual symptoms of tmj. More likely to be an underlying disease my research showed. I don't get the intense shooting pain in my jaw that is usual or the claudication after eating. Just ache and soreness and tightness around my teeth inproves on higher dose of Pred - so I believe its inflammation of the nerves around my teeth and lips.

Have asked about this on the TMJ forum here but no response. Hoping the very experienced special interest dentist will shed more light lighter today because this symptom gets me down more than anything else. They tell me it is the peripheral neurooathic pain causing me to clench at night (I use a special mouth guard) and this bruxism should be alleviated by effective disease control ie get RA/ neurooathic pain sorted and bruxism will stop. Hmmmm jury is out in this suggestion for me as insomnia means I'm quite aware of what my jaw is doing and I rarely seen to clench

Thanks for letting me waffle on here in attempt to iron out my thoughts.