hi i was given the skin biopsy test for sfb which came back positive.this result explained alot to me. i first went in because over the years i have had numbness and pain in different areas mostly in my feet and legs.had the nerve conduction study which came back normal, also had emg also normal.my neuro said well lets do the skin biopsy and that came back with a positive result. i go see her on the 11 th to discuss where we go from here. this has been a very quick process so i guess i was very lucky.Ok on the funny side when my dr had me stand,close my eyes and put my arms out I WOBBLED LIKE A WEEBLE LOL like they say weebles wobble but they don't fall down. needless to say it was a big suprise to me because i never noticed. so now on we go. i do have a very high pain tolerence but my spelling is awful sorry

Believe me, I empathize--when I was suffering through the most acute stage of my body-wide burning peripheral small-fiber neuropathy, I went through hundreds of tests and the only thing that showed up as abnormal was the skin biopsy, indicating significant reduction in intraepidermal nerve fiber density.

You should come on over to the peripheral neuropathy section here--lots of discussion, advice, and very knowledgeable people:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum20.html

If you cannot remain upright properly with eyes closed, that is the Romberg's test. It basically points to low B12 levels in the nervous system. So I would have that tested ASAP and do not accept "normal" from the doctor. Get the numbers! US has very low lab ranges which are now out of date. You need to be at 400 US units for the lowest normal today.

Here is the B12 thread with medical links:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html
Don't assume all doctors know this information, because many don't.

Welcome..Hugs!

hi mrs d
i have been on 1000mcg of b12 for some time and my numbers were 556 us units
so i don't know what to think.thank you for all your info have a dr appt on the 11 will know more then

Are you taking this orally daily? Is it cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin? Do you take it on an empty stomach?

If your answers are yes, methyl, yes ...

Then I would try 5mg of the methyl daily and retest in 3 months.

Some people cannot activate cyano form well, and hence it doesn't work as well for those people. If you are getting injections once a month, then, you need to bump up higher with aggressive oral as well.

Positive Romberg's sign also is indicative of other damage to the brain. The low B12 is just the most common cause.

thank you i will do that also i was wondering if any one with sfn has had any problems with swelling. my right foot is very swollen and i am on 1000 mg of naproxen a day and i keep it elevated it doesn't help.
this is a new symptom in the last week or two. i pan to ask my neuro wed when i go but just wondering if any one else has this also it has become painful.
i am open to any possibilities. thanks again for all the info

Weebles wabble but they don't fall down, love it....Don't worry about spelling I am not so good either. This site will help you to stay upright, so I want to welcome you to Neruo talk. It is good hear you still have a funny side to you. sometimes with these conditions it is hard to smile at all. I hope you can find some pain control. There are alot of folks here who have that condition too. I have cervical issues, and found NT about two years ago. I just never left, I gained alot information, and lots of new friends. Again Welcome Mr. or Ms Weeble, you can waddle in here anytime. ginnie

thank you i try to stay positive and do pretty well most of the time.Oh btw it woudd be ms weeble lol. i have also had rls since i was a teenager (many years ago) lol in my case it seems to run in the family as with the sfn i have good days and not so good days. ialso found out that bells palsey was a pn did not know that had it twice lol. i guess over all i am lucky. oh btw some years back my dr put me on b12. sorry to run on. i will be back often

Glad you will be sticking around NT, Bells Pasly might have a forum for that too. I am here to talk to any time. I am 60 and stayed at NT as I have found so much help, information and hope. ginnie