if the shoe doesn't fit, you certainly don't have to wear it. I realize that you've been in an extremely stressful and painful situation for a long time, and what I posted (an article report, not my creation) may not be at all appropriate for you.

You may not have enough energy or will left to do anything much at all. I don't know, but I've certainly known people in that situation. I was pretty much like that three years ago with pneumonia, feeling my life slowly ebb away and not having the energy or vitality to do anything but peacefully die. Somehow, I got better, but not because of anything I had consciously done.

My PN is probably also autoimmune. My ANA titer was 1600 in three tests over several years, so something autoimmune is going on in me. My current prostate problems are not bacterial, and might also very possibly be autoimmune.

While my PN is nowhere near cured, it is mostly in remission. Why? I think I stumbled on doing some right things at the critical right time. I had read "Spontaneous Healing" by Dr. Andrew Weil. Part of his findings were that people who healed from incurable disease were willing to try different things, got help, and never gave up. I would include your advice to find a good neurologist (a rare bird indeed), as getting help and trying different things. You've been in this forum for a lot of years, so I know you haven't given up searching for answers and at least considering different things.

So, peace brother. There's nothing in your reply I'd disagree with, though I'd probably emphasize different things than you. In five desperate years of trying, I saw three grossly incompetent neurologists who were actually harmful, and one minimally competent neurologist who at least did basic diagnostic testing and was open to the theoretical possibility of some improvement over the years, even though he had no suggestions. To my surprise, he even listened to me and was willing to discuss things.

You don't know the pain I was in, the panic I felt when my PN started...as itching progressed to incredible debilitating (can't sleep, can't walk, can't sit, can't think) pain in a period of about 6 weeks, and having doctor after doctor back in '93 tell me nothing was wrong with my beautiful pink, warm feet. Two suggested psychiatric consultation. None did the most basic neurological screening (I would have easily flunked) or was willing to refer me to a neurologist for the first two years of this. Then, after a 10 minute exam, the first neuro I saw told me I had PN, there was no cure and no treatment except Valium, and that it would rapidly progress until I was totally incapacitated. So, you don't know the hell I went through. You write as if my PN is somehow less than yours, but buddy, as I don't know what your situation is or was, you don't know mine.