I will defer to others who have far more medical knowledge than I regarding your test results. I will say that one of the gold standards for SFN is the skin punch biopsy. That is what confirmed my SFN diagnosis (although what is causing my SFN is still unknown). I would push for that if you have not had it - it is fairly painless. The test is very expensive, so make certain your insurance covers it first.

Second, I went through the whole "is this in my head" thing for a long time before I was able to trust myself. Please trust yourself. Stress can cause a myriad of symptoms, but searing neuropathic pain is not one of them to the best of my knowledge. Some of your symptoms do indeed appear consistent with SFN, others from afar seem more like the inevitable anxiety that we all experience when one goes through an exhaustive search for a diagnosis and the stress of not knowing what is happening to your body and what it will mean for your future and your family.

I too have three children and am the primary provider for my family. This is very tough business, and I truly empathize with your pain and your journey. Like your family, mine is very "old fashioned" and they simply do not understand the gravity of a PN diagnosis on one's quality of life. After 20 years, I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that they don't really understand. In fact, I believe my father has PN because he (like me) has hammer toes, but I can't talk to them about it in a meaningful way without them immediately starting to dispense advice to me.

I really recommend that you look into that skin biopsy with your neuro. It would definitively confirm SFN.

Good luck and keep us posted.