Hi Doug, welcome.
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Originally Posted by takemyall7
I walked away somewhat frustrated that the mindset had shifted more from diagnosis to management, which I know is also important.
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This is the rude awakening most—if not all—of us have experienced.
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How aggressive should I be pursuing a "diagnosis" if one exists?
How much am I risking in the mean time by not having a diagnosis?
How important is physical therapy to helping with leg pain?
Should I seek a second opinion or find someone who will be more aggressive in ruling our possibilities?
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These questions are difficult to answer, partly because there are over 100 causes/resons for peripheral neuropathy, and aside from diabetic peripheral neuropathy, idiopathic is the next largest segment—accounting for ~40% of us. Frustrating can't/doesn't describe it.
Partly it depends on how rapidly (if at all) your symptoms are advancing. Most cases plateau at some point, but others are more aggressive, and those are the cases worth being more aggressive about (IMO).
A second opinion never hurts, and confirmation may quell some uncertainty. Some folks who—for whatever reasons—choose to be more aggressive about diagnosis have found these sites helpful:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/test...ripheralNeurop
www.lizajane.org
Others of us who are less severe, and can live & function with where we are (neuropathy-wise) try to identify our triggers, find supplements that work for us (it's a trial & error process) and get on with our lives as best we can.
One thing that has helped me cope—especially at the beginning—is awareness of the
Kübler-Ross model as applied to chronic illness.
Doc