There are a number of people here who have diabetes induced PN, it is the leading known cause of neuropathy after all. Sometimes members do not read the introductions on the main page, many of us, myself included, only read this forum most of the time so you will get more responses now.
Others here have neuropathy induced by chemotherapy, toxins, medications, injuries to the CNS, and heredity. Mine falls in the last category, I have Charcot Marie Tooth disease, CMT, a hereditary sensory motor neuropathy. I have severe pain and am slowly losing the ability to walk. My hands and arms are affected as well.
If your doctor meant that you have NO small nerve fibers left in your feet and lower legs that puts you in a small group of us with severe pain and increasing disability. It is a rough diagnosis and they can't do anything but pain management. At least with a diabetic cause you may see some improvement with very tight glucose control as a number of members here have. You may be able to keep it from getting worse.
The idiopathic folk do not always get much attention from their doctors either. They have to push for every bit of testing beyond the basics and often are left frustrated. We don't have many success stories here, but there are a few.
Welcome to the forums! Again, not everyone reads the general neurotalk pages so please don't feel that you are alone!