Hi indigo

Sorry to hear things are progressing like this. If you suspect it might be scleroderma as MrsD has suggested I'm guessing there'll be a long wait for a Rheumatology appt. at the hospital.

What you could do in the meantime is contact the Education Officer at the Arthritis Foundation. You don't have to be a member to use their services. They may be able to come visit you at home and would be able to help work out what you can do to self-help and would know of any other resources.

http://www.pncsc.co.nz/cms/page.php?...-manawatu-home

Let me know if there's any thing else I can look up for you.

Take care - bluesfan

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I did see a rheumatologist in the first year of my illness, privately, as the wait list was so long. It cost $320 and he was useless. He went off on the most bizarre way and the appt was a waste of time and money. He's who I'd see if I go onto the hospital waiting list. They've tested for inflammation but it doesn't feature much in the results.

I've seen 2 pain specialists and both said Central sensitisation disorder I asked the first one about CRPS and he became very annoyed and said it doesn't spread and I didn't have it. He'd met me for about 10 minutes so i was impressed at his powers of deduction (please excuse sarcasm )
I did trust the second one, she was very thorough, so I've trusted her diagnosis. To be honest I don't think there's anyone left to see. Not in the New Zealand health system anyway.

Will have a chat with the Arthritis people.

Thanks guys ( :