I really had forgotten about this thread and things have moved forward in the last year.

The lupus diagnosis is still unclear _ I have some antibodies but not others.

I have, however been diagnosed with Erythromelalgia which causes intense heat and pain in the hands and feet - it's worse at some times than at others. Generally a maximum daily dose of co-codamol keeps it under control.

I still have problems with the heat and just hibernate on very hot days.

I have discovered that all these auto-immune problems may be caused by a childhood disease when I was poisoned by mercury in teething powders.

Pinks Disease (it has other names as well) virtually died out when certain teething powders were banned, except in isolated incidences when chemicals were released into the environment by escapes at chemical works.

Obviously some children had worse reactions to the powders than others, but in the 20's and 30's the infant mortality rate was high enough for the use of mercury to be banned in the USA. Britain for some reason didn't act until the 1940's.