strange symptoms keep popping up what is it and why.

[jelly4toes]

I'm taking 10mg predisolone and 125mg azothiaprine (can't spell) 100mg sertraline .I've been taking this for a whole year

I'm quite new to it all and I feel like I don't know my own body anymore.I just wondered what other people think about these things that keep happening and whether its just part of the course.

I can't seem to see properly when I am reading i'm getting double vision my left eye seems to be wondering towards my nose hence I'm seeing two cats ,two milkbottles etc I'm having to try and focas all the time.I've always worn specs for astigmatism.

If I'm sat in front of the computer I'm struggling but I also just nod off just like that.I can be sat heredoing some work then just nod off and wake up an hour later.Sme in the cinema DR'S surgery.WHat is that all about does anyone know please.

I keep twitching like someone with turrets but without the verbal element.I threw the chips up

I keep getting muddles up to the extent my daughter is losing her temper as she will have told me something a number of times and i have forgotton.

I'm so muddled trying to keep trying to do my paperwork FOR work but I either just drop off or writhe something down that is not the same thing that my head thinks i'm writing down.

I've just found the tv remote in the fridge

And I keep having a chat in my head with the invisible man .I have just bben nodding my head saying to my self 'yep your certainly right about that' theres no one there

please more experienced people do you think iits all as a result of taking steroids? Am I losing the plot so its a mental health issue ,the menopause I'm 49.

what should I do.The rheumy didn't really tske it on board when I last went.

I'm sorry its so long

[jelly4toes]

I should have said I have been taking the sertraline for a year with no problems.And when I first took the predisolone I felt really suicidal 15mg was dropped to 10mg.

[helixhelix]

Do you have lupus rather than RA? As strange to me that you've not been started on more common DMARDS. Not that that makes much difference, as it's all down to what works for you.

I'd be tempted to go and see your GP rather than the rheumy and talk about how you're feeling as in my experience rheumy's aren't that good at emotional things. They care more whether your joints work than whether yo can hold a rational conversation. I've never taken azothioprine, so don't really know if that makes you foggy like some of the others. But steroids make me go totally loopy. I know for some people there's no choice as other drugs don't work, but they are powerful and can cause all sorts of side effects. But whatever you do, don't just stop taking them! Polly

[earthwitch]

All the things you have said could happen along with autoimmune problems but there are a number of different reasons.

I think you really do need to start with your GP. Tell them about everything that is a bit odd (make a list to give them if you don't have time to talk about it all). They may want you to have a neurology or neurosurgery assessment to see if either something is happening in your brain (as lupus can do sometimes) or arthritis in your neck that is pressing on your spinal cord. That dropping off to sleep when you neck is bent wrong is definitely a sign that should be looked at to see if you spinal cord is being a bit compressed.

Ask about a neurology or neurosurgery referral for your peace of mind, but also ask if you can see the rheumatologist a bit earlier too, so they can explain if they think any of this is linked.

[earthwitch]

If you want to do some googling, check out "cervical myelopathy" - thats where arthritis in your neck presses on your spinal cord.

[jelly4toes]

i'm not diagnosed with anything in particular were treating you as a connective tissue disease at the moment so I don't know where I fit in.I was a professional rational person with a good degree holding down a busy job until I started with the steroids.I've just re read what I wrote above this.Its scary that I'm not the person that I know or was.I've managed to keep plodding on at work head down but i'm sure to get caught out soon.Its no good talking to them they aren't too sympathetic .They like to get rid of people who they don't think are bringing in enough cash.Even after 20 years.

[helixhelix]

Connective tissue disease covers a whole host of things, but sometimes it takes time to work exactly which one you have. But I'm in the "if you hear hooves then look for a horse, not a zebra" school of thought, so if all this started alongside staring steroids than may well be them. But do go talk to your GP...that's what they're there for!

[Hidden]

I agree with Earthwitch - this sounds more neurological to me than rheumatological and I would urge you to ask your GP to refer you to a neurologist asp. Because I've had some weird symptoms myself such as all over pins and needles I've looked up other autoimmune diseases and some to bring up visual disturbances and confusion as the main symptoms. I'm not a doctor or an alarmist type of person but please don't assume that this is all down to steroids - although like Polly and yourself I get really bipolar when I take steroids so I'm lucky I haven't needed to lately. Tilda

[jelly4toes]

a bit more to my mystery, yestersayi went to buy a couple of things from tesco and at the checkout i felt wobbly started shaking knees felt like jelly started sweating buckets then felt like i was going to pass out my hands were shaking all over the place wish i could make sense of this

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Hi Jelly4toes

Definitely sounds like something's going on and it doesn't sound typical of RA, so probably best to see a GP as soon as possible, as the others have said, and try to get to the bottom of this. Even if it's not neurological, probably best to at least rule this out!

Kind regards

Victoria

(NRAS Helpline)