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Originally Posted by agate
Welcome, Ken3!
Much depends on just how much these symptoms are a problem for you, or at least that's how I see it. Do the symptoms come and go, or are they constant? Are they limiting you in ways that you find difficult?
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Thank you for the welcome (Kitt, too) and your comments! Good questions, and at present I would characterize my symptoms as slightly annoying, but not limiting at all. My concern is that they could progress to the point beyond which they're annoying, and become limiting (e.g., trouble with walking, or sleeping).
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I like to avoid going to doctors, and if there's a neurological symptom, I try to ask myself if it varies in intensity, and if so, is there something that triggers it? Maybe I'm especially tired when it comes on, maybe I've been doing something with that body part, maybe the symptom comes on only when it's too hot or too cold, etc.
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My symptoms don't seem to vary in intensity, except perhaps they are a bit worse when getting up after sleeping.
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The first question to ask yourself is whether something you're taking (prescription drug, nonprescription drug, supplement) might be causing the symptoms. If you've looked up all of the things you're taking and none of them could possibly be causing them, then you move on to other possible causes. But drugs and even supplements are so often responsible for bringing on strange symptoms that that is where I'd start.
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I'm not taking any drugs, however I do take quite a few supplements. Since supplements aren't well regulated, even if something I'm taking is seemingly harmless, who knows if what's actually in one of them might be harmful? I did do some hair tests to check for some contaminants (e.g., arsenic), but no positives.
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If the problems are plaguing you, depriving you of sleep or otherwise making life difficult, by all means go for the neurological consult.
Did you ask the PCP's opinion--the one who prescribed the nerve conduction study? It sounds as if you were told you could have a neurological consult "if you wanted one" but did the PCP seem strongly in favor of that?
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I was waiting to see what kind of opinions I received here before responding to my PCP. But what I wrote was exactly what he said (it was written, so I can't infer anything else from what he wrote). I will ask him what he thinks.
I don't recall making any dietary or supplement changes prior to the initial onset of my symptoms, other than one thing. Which, as far as I've been able to tell, has not been cited as a cause for PN. My entire life, I never drank coffee (well, maybe half a dozen cups throughout my first 60 years). But I did begin to roast and brew coffee about 1.5 years before the first symptoms. But I'd guess that wouldn't be long enough time to create such symptoms, but who knows? But if one 10-ounce cup of coffee daily was enough to cause PN, my gosh this would be a very common disease!