Hello itburns,

Sorry you find yourself here, but welcome.

Like a lot of us, you appear to falling into the idiopathic PN black hole. There is a cause, of course, but it's escaping current medical diagnostic capabilities...or the right tests just haven't been ordered.

I have a lot of spinal issues as well, but nothing that explains the neuropathy. Still, could something be going on that they just don't understand yet? I certainly think so. Or it also could be something completely unrelated that is also escaping detection by all the tests I've had done.

I guess the only input I have is to not let your spinal issues obscure the possibility that your PN is being caused by something else. Here's a list from Mayo:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...s/con-20019948

Blood sugar issues and B12 are biggies. If you have unknown problem with the former, dietary changes could help. And yes, reduction of alcohol consumption could help as well.

Supplements could possibly bring you some relief, but it's a bit like throwing darts. MrsD has a nice thread discussing various ones you can try.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread121683.html

I wouldn't expect a neuro to be terribly encouraging of taking supplements. At least that was my experience. My integrative medicine doc encouraged lipoic acid, though. All the others ones I'm taking I learned about on my own, and many from this forum.

If it offers encouragement, my idiopathic small fiber neuropathy has not worsened in two years. My symptoms seem to morph and change on a whim, but I don't think they're worse.

As far as your appointment goes, make sure your neuro has ruled out all the other possible causes. And don't let him gloss over the blood sugar ones. It seems doctors aren't raising red flags when some people are pre-diabetic. You don't have to be a diagnosed diabetic to have neuropathy caused by blood sugar.