Unversity of St. Louis 'neuromuscular website....
Scroll down to the Chronic Inflammatory Demeyelinating Neuropathy or CIDP and see all the variants! There are many kinds and it seems a new variant is being 'added' about once every 6 months....
http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/alfindex.htm
Aside from LizaJane's worksheets, there is also a diagnostic testing sheet somewhere on this website that corresponds w/Liza's regarding the multitude of tests that COULD be done...not necessarily what IS done?
As for flare-ups? Yes they can be scary as heck! No question about it! At times you just are afraid to go to bed because you might not be able to get out of bed the next morning--at all [at least for me]. What IS complicating things for you is the issues resulting from your TBI's and other things...
As for the muscle 'fasculations'? Use the search feature at the top of the page and key in 'fasculations'...There's been lots of discussion here and on other forums at NT about them. Most of us deal with them thru supplements such as calcium/vitD/magnesium or potassium[bananas] and or quinine to help deal with it...Oh! forgot the Vit B-12!
Flares are only as bad as you allow them to be? By that, I mean that stressing yourself about this all CAN and does make it worse. Many here have addressed this issue far better than I can, have or ever could. I cope by focussing on learning as much as I can about what the 'processes' of the neuropathy I have are and how it does overlap or coincide with my other medical issues...sort it out and try and UNDERSTAND that, and then deal with it as best I can. You MUST learn all the medicalese as a matter of self-defense! Just don't rush it? It's like learning a new language, you just have to get the 'gist' of it all to deal with it and use it.
As for PN mimics? Well, B-12 deficiency and many other vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues [hypo and hyper], and a giant slew of other spinal toxic and immune issues....The list is so very long! That is why it so often takes years to get any PN properly diagnosed. Sad but true fact of life.
Also do be pragmatic about this all? In that getting a 'name' put to what your problem[s] are doesn't necessarily mean that any really good treatments may be available...That is the nature of this set of beasts.
I hope this all helps and 's? While the latter doesn't change things, know that you aren't alone in your frustrations. - j