You sound brave and generally the nurses I know are brave and also are more prone to these types of conditions - maybe because of long hours and physical and emotional demands your job puts on you.

Everyone tells me that there is no cure and that I have to accept my symptoms - and unlike yours mine haven't shown up in punch biopsies or any tests apart from probably as part of a confirmed systemic autoimmune disease such as lupus or vasculitis. Both of these would be with seronegative autoantibodies although I do have a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis - which seems to be in remission in my joints however. All pain and pins and needles etc are in my blood vessels and nerves symptomatically.

Mine has gone on for 5 years now although it worsened significantly when I finally stopped taking methotrexate by injection because of GI side effects. I've also tried three other disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs and had severe allergic reactions to them as well as to Amitriptyline, Gaberpentin and Cymbalta. I'm not prepared to try any more of the symptomatic treatments but an currently on long term Prednisolone/ steroids at a low dose. Each time I try to taper off I have stroke like seizure and the small finer neuropathy flares badly again.

So I know the feeling of despair - but I'm also a natural optimist and feel that if the cause can be pinned down it can perhaps be addressed. I do have brief periods where the pain reduces a lot - although the weird wet tingle usually continues in the background in my legs and feet and burning hands and feet. These brief periods of respite show me that there must be some hope of getting this thing controlled. So I monitor myself to try and work out what may help or not.

My GI issues/ GORD seem to be at the heart of things and although I haven't had a gastric band fitted I have recently had my gallbladder removed and this appears to have briefly influenced the neuropathic symptoms temporarily so I sense these things are closely related.

I was about to post about this actually but I've read very good things about Turmeric as a natural anti-inflammatory which seems to be positively life changing for some. You can either take it in high potency pill form or by making a paste using cracked black pepper and coconut oil and consuming with food. Would you be able to try this perhaps or is your diet too restrictive with the gastric band?

Good luck and hang in there with the courageous attitude. Mat