Sue,

I have had symptoms for over 20 years. They have been mostly mutifocal burning dysesthesias with some paresthesias and other neuropathic goodies thrown in. My neuro exams have been normal. I think the stress of having two foot operations in one month(10/07) really flared things up again, in terms of bad burning pains. The symptoms have waxed and waned. My Barrow doc feels it is a variant of small fiber neuropathy.....though I do not have any deficits. As many in the groups with this know the skin biopsy is a new quick diagnostic tool for this. There are also the expensive autonomic and sensory tests. Currently the Barrow does not offer these. In terms of the skin test my neurologist feels it has to be done by a good lab. He recommends only the labs at Mayo and Barnes in St Louis......thus the Mayo appt for another opinion.

Unfortunately Mayo in Scottsdale does not offer the skin biopsy...only the other expensive tests. I have had the million dollar blood workup in terms of all the diseases with small involvement such as diabetes. I feel better now and did not want the out of pocket costs with the Mayo tests. They would probably tell me... idiopathic small fiber disease.....no cure anyway.

Barrow has a new peripheral nerve attending who trained at Mayo Mn. Maybe he we set up the biopsy and other tests. Sorry for the long post.

Glenn