Hi lovely people, just an update on the pain I was having on my left side, back & front under my ribs.
After the antibiotics didn't work for what the Dr thought was pleurisy I was sent for a chest xray, dr rang to say it was clear but there was a significant shadow under my left breast & he'd arrange for an urgent ct scan, had this last Thursday.
For weeks now if I get an itch on my forearms & scratch it looks as if I've burst a load of blood vessels, this only happens on my forearms, mentioned to pharmacist last Friday who used to be a rheumatology nurse, whats the chances of that 😀 she said it could be my bloods too thin & would I be seeing the rheumatology team soon, I explained I don't have access to this as I'd originally gone private but I'm on the waiting list, I'm not likely to be seen on the NHS for a year, she said that if I'd come to her she would probably tweak my meds but the consultant would most likely want to see me, anyway she said I needed to see the gp f2f, she also said that whilst covid had impacted everything there has been a serious decline on duty of care with patients.
I emailed the surgery including a photo of my arm & they rang to say the Dr will ring me tomorrow.
Spoke to gp who said he'd include another blood test with my next ones (can't remember now what he said they'd be checking for, maybe iron)
I told him I still had bad pins & needles in my feet & legs, he said my b12 was fine now, I said I knew the last test showed they were 1500 when the high end should only be 900, he said I should have enough to last at least 2 years, I said I was told in April my levels were OK then September told they were really low again, I said I'd heard LEF can cause this, he agreed & said that, along with the other meds can cause neuropathy, for now we've agreed to increase gabapentin from 1500 to 1800 a day to see if this helps.
I said I assume they'd be in touch when my scan results were back, he checked & they were, the scan was clear, he said they'd thought I had bone cancer so that's a relief however, I said the pain is still really bad & worse first thing in the morning or when I'm inactive, could it be related to the psoriatic arthritis, he said it could be & asked when was I seeing the rheumatologist (NHS) I said I'm still on the waiting list & probably not for another 11 months.
I explained that the plan with the private consultant was to give it till December with the increase in lefluminode dose from 10 to 20mg but as I'd missed 2 doses of the metoject through being so ill & a dose failing I'm now in a flare but feel I need to give it another month or I'll have to try sulfazine instead of LEF which can take up to 6 months to work.
Seems so much going on I'm slowly losing the plot 🙃
Hopefully I haven't bored or confused anyone with my ramblings above but, it was from this group & I'm sorry i can't remember if it was Neonkittie17 or nomoreheels who told me about the connection with lef, b12 & neuropathy, but thank you again x
so much pain. 
New to diagnosis, not so new to the pain.
RA SHOULDER AND CHEST PAIN
Painful Feet - update
Chest pain: inflamed sternum or heart? ( RA)
