If no tests, apart from pin prick nerve conduction, have given a diagnosis of SFN yet and this includes Lumbar Puncture, Skin Biopsy from each calf, electronic nerve conduction (not including a heat one), MRI of brain and neck and many serum bloods including Cryoglobulin and Immunoglobulin - does this mean that my parasthesia in all four limbs and face - is not small fiber sensory neuropathy? Or is this regarded as idiopathic SFN.

An oral surgeon told me last week that the numbness and tingle in my face and teeth/ gums were not trigeminal neuralgia as my GP had said it must be - but a parasthesia of the small nerve fibers - same as I have everywhere else. This didn't surprise me at all because it's how it feels. It is in my tongue now too and I feel it is spreading quite fast - more pronounced on the left hand side of my face. I feel as if I've had local anaesthetic all over the place and it's only partially thawed out. The dentist said it was a neurological problem and he was going to write to my neuro to explain his findings.

I have also gone from not sweating at all, no matter how much i exert, to having these flushes/ sweats/ fevers. I am five years post menopausal and never suffered flushes or sweats and it is quite embarrassing because my hair will suddenly be soaked through. Everyone assumes it is the menopause but I am sure it isn't. Also my dizziness of over a year has worsened and I'm always bumping into things, have to be very careful when I rise from sitting or lying and find it hard to turn my head without the sensation of falling. My heart is very arrhythmic just now too.

The dentist told me not to take any of the anti-convulsant or anti-depressant drugs commonly prescribed for nerve pain because he feels it is important nothing masks this parasthesia. He said my neurologist should probably check the nerves that run up the back of my head for lesions or a ganglion or granuloma (I think this is what he called it?). Does anyone know how this part of the head would be tested I wonder? My GP felt it unlikely that they would find anything because the parasthesia is so diffuse. I'm getting a little desperate because my rheumatologist has written to say that he and my neuro agree that I should not have any more immunosuppressents for the time being because I'm so allergic that the risks outweigh the potential benefits for me.

He advised me to come of Prednisolone slowly after my gallbladder op on Tuesday - no rush at all just slowly taper according to my symptoms. I'm slightly panicking because apart from the frantic tingle and numbness around the place the excruciating nerve pain has lessened significantly in my feet, ankles, legs and hands and arms and my face is uncomfortable and weird rather than swollen. He feels that we have to keep an open mind but as he diagnosed me four years ago with seronegative RA on the basis of synovitis and a fluctuating ESR - he is sticking to this for the time being as there is no evidence of any other connective tissue disease overlapping or replacing his original diagnosis yet.

I know many of you have read my posts about my strange form of RA - the mystery continues but it would be very helpful to know what people think about this nerve at the back of my head being investigated and how this might be done?