Hi All. Sorry not been around lately. I saw the neurologist a out a month ago for EEG and Carotid Duplex following three stroke like events this year. The Carotid arteries were quite hard but apparently nothing too bad for my age. EEG normal. So my neurologist said he thought the three left sided episodes were this FNE. He said I should think of it as the brain responding to trauma by blotting it out like a good fuse box in a pier surge. Made a lot of sense to me.

I saw my new rheumatologist last week having moved specially. He was great - very thorough and took a while battery of blood tests - the only one I've not had yet he says is for APS/Hughes - the Lupus Anticoagulant. Not sure when thus will come back but All the others were repeats of tests previously done.

Mat x

What is FNE?

If the rheumy is checking for APS, then he should check for the more common test of aCl (anticardiolipin antibody) as well as the Lupus anticoagulant. Both can indicate APS. And yes, this would be a good thing to check if you are having anything similar to TIA's...just to rule out any clotting issues.

Sorry - wrote this when I was half asleep Enbloc. Functional Neurological Episodes. Except I'm sure he said Dysfunctional - which would make far more sense. I assumed FNE would be a known quantity as an abbreviation on this site/ forum but obviously not! I suspect it's just another one of those things, like idiopathic or Fibromyalgia - where doctors can't admit that they don't know enough so they find catch terms to dismiss.

I do have borderline Athlerosclerosis - which killed both my parents suddenly and prematurely - and my cholesterol is raised - despite the fact I eat like a model of virtue - so I'm very glad I now have the most thorough rheumy I could possibly wish for. I'm confident that he's leaving no stone unturned. He probably took the other test for Hughes/APS - I believe there are three in total and it's possible that I've had the other two as he has all my records.

I'm hoping something comes up to at last reveal why I have this small fiber neuropathy that isn't at last. It plays havoc with my mind as I keep thinking I must have severe hypochondria and be imagining the burning pain and the cold wet legs and the soreness in the front of my teeth, guns and nose. I've at last dropped down to 2.5mg Prednisolone now. He did an ultrasound of the joints on my hands and nothing showed up which he says will be because the steroid is still masking/ preventing inflammation but I told him I want to come right off to make sure this is the case. I'm really not sure it's my joints where the inflammation is the problem now and if it comes back as RA then I'd prefer this to be addressed properly than to be on steroids for the rest of my days. I've put on weight on them and my face is all round and I hate this feeling of masking. I'll be off it by Christmas and see him again in January. Mat x

Hi Mat52
Good to see you back - had been wondering how you were doing and if your move went smoothly.

Glad to hear your new Rheumy is on the ball. Hope you get some answers soon and can get the correct treatment.

All the best for settling into your new home and being well enough to explore your new community.

Thanks so much Bluesfan - always touched that anyone here remembers me when I disappear for months. Moving location and getting youngest son to uni are my excuses this time.

I probably should ask this on a separate post but an optician just discovered that I've developed optic neuritis in one eye. Fortunately for me it's not in the macular part of the eye but I'm a bit alarmed nonetheless. Trying to work out how urgent it is that I tell my new rheumy as I'm back in my island home for a few weeks so no access to my new GP. I looked it up earlier and like many of my symptoms/ conditions it seems to relate most commonly to MS. But other autoimmune diseases can cause it too as can infections and certain drugs - although less commonly. I've had infections and plenty of drugs this year. It wasn't there last year as he had a photo of my eye ball to compare it with.

Perhaps one of the infections this year has caused it or more likely my autoimmunity. Oh well another sign that I'm not entirely off my trolley with my symptoms perhaps?!
Mat x