Sorry but I am so fed up just now. Dropping doses of oral steroid, Prednisolone, from 20mg to zero over a month because the nerve pain in my arms and legs was so epic. I need to be off it in time for a gallbladder op on 7th July in order to reduce risk of wound infection.

It worked at 20mg but at a price as my heart pounds and I feel sick and terribly anxious on the higher dose always - a bit manic. When I dropped to 15mg after a week I flared back up for 24 hours. Now same thing again after dropping to ten mg. The anaesthetist I saw today says he won't mind too much if I stay at 10mg although may need to then hike my dose straight after the op to boost levels so that my body doesn't dip too much. White blood cell count and lymphocytes are all a bit high just now because of the steroid. But on the plus side my CRP and ESR were both right down last week - showing that the nerve pain must be in part an inflammatory response.

I have at last found the results from the neuro tests I had done in January. The neurologist did say that there was one that flagged up for infection or autoimmunity but I'm not sure which this was because they all look to be in normal range to me. Hope it's okay if I write them here for anyone at all knowledgeable to comment on.

My legs burn but feel wet and cold simultaneously and my hands and wrists burn too. This has gone on for over a year now. My face feels achy and stiff and teeth/ gums are sore and very tight. My face feels numb and tingly around my lips and one side of my nose up into my cheeks. GP say this is TMJ but it doesn't tarry with the symptoms I read of TMJ too much.

I'm always dizzy and my special awareness feels off. I am always either freezing or in a feverish sweat and have lost sense of taste and smell to a large extent now. This has gone on for a few years now and is co,ing under the heading of RA still although I personally feel more like an MS sufferer than a person with RA these days .