Have you considered that Ambien may be a pain generator? I would do a search on it. As a nurse, be aware of drugs and iatrogenic conditions.

I don't use Ambien and from what I've read on this forum I don't think I'm going to!

I do use Neurontin and Ultram Neither which control my pain to a level that I can handle. Some days the Ultram works better than others and the Neurontin I can't tell any difference at all!

I did take Lyrica which put a small dent in the pain but insurance wouldn't pay for it and I didn't have 300 dollars a month for the prescription!

Joshua, I just looked at your age. I am concerned that you are so young. Have they really worked you up thoroughly? Do you have any history of SFN in your family?

As a nurse myself, I can say that it is really hard to work in that profession with a chronic pain issue. Since you are still in school, you may want to look at a change in your major. All of us old nurses have a ton of physical problems. If I had it to do again, .......

(Yes, I am aware of the job market....)

You will be subject to drug tests by most employers, so consider that in your decisions as to what to use for pain.

I just came off a fentanyl patch and clonazepam and it was a really difficult physically. I have done this several times, and have come to the conclusion that the meds don't help me.

I wish you luck in your search for pain relief, and also in your search for a cause of your PN. They tell you it is idiopathic really fast sometimes, way, way before they have done a lot of other tests. Also, have you had an autonomic work up? If not, I would consider that. Also, one thing I did, was do a huge genealogy.....finding out what is hiding in the genes...especially given you are so young.

I have been tested for everything under the sun, I've been suffering more and more everyday for a bit more than a year. I can't stand to be in pain any longer, especially if there is something, anything that could help keep my pain to a manageable level. Believe me, I'm exploring every option of figuring the cause of my SFN but until that day I need help. My neuro has tested me for most of the "fixable" causes and I think he's pretty sure my case is idiopathic. BUT you can never be too sure


I'm very focused with schooling and I want to continue in nursing. I have thought of it several times and how difficult it can be but I wont let this pain ruin my entire life and I wont let it stop me from doing something I really want to do. I wont let this pain control me if I have a choice.

I would never use ANY medication that isn't prescribed for me nor would I use recreational drugs so I don't think drug testing is a worry for me as it isn't illegal to test positive for a therapeutic dose of a prescribed medications.

I really appreciate your reply, it's so VERY important to have others that understand the situations we all encounter with PN and Chronic Pain. Thank you so much!

Josh

--"you've been tested for everything under the sun", do you have copies of the results of all those tests, and can you share them with us?

Forgive my skepticism, but when people say that, we often find that what they've been tested for is what their doctors can think of, which is often not as extensive as it can be.

That's part of the reason Liza Jane created her neuro testing spreadsheets (with input from many others here) to help people track test results over time, and to suggest tests that docs don't always think of. It's the most comprehensive list of possibilites I know:

www.lizajane.org

Far too many of us have been through what has been termed "comprehensive" testing only to find out it really wasn't that comprehenisve. Of course, we do recognize that there may be time and monetary/insurance considerations in attempting to gothrough even a subset of what's on the spreadsheets, but the fact remains that finding a neuropathy cause is often a long, arduous process of elimination.

I do have copies of all my labs! I always make sure to get a copy of all of my labs and tests/scans!

I'll post them here in a bit as I'm in a hurry. I've had B Vits checked, ANA, Protiens , Rhem Factor, Complete Blood Count, Fasting Glucose, SED Rate, A Blood Panel (Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Uric Acid. etc) TSH, Folate, Immunofixation Urine and Serum, C-Reactive, Infectious Diseases. No Spinal Stenosis or any cause in the spine, muscles normal, depleted reflexes in hands and feet and so on it's a long list

Hi Joshua, It was suggested I try Cymbalta and by gosh it worked. Long term neuropathy from axonal nerve damage due to vasculitis and kidney damage. TT

These are the results I have on hand

Folate RBC - 498
Hematocrit - 43.2
Immunoselect Serum : IFF Serum - 928 IGM-Serum - 108
IGA Serum - 323
Total Protein - 7.10
Albumin - 4.28
Alpah-1 - .30
Alpha-2 - .82
BETA - .79
Gamma - .92

Sodium - 139
Potassium Serum - 3.6
Chloride serum - 100
Carbon Dioxide - 24
Blucose (fasting 24 hour) - 74
Urea Nitrogen - 10
Bilirubin Total - 1.8 (have gilberts disease)
Calcium - 9.6
AST - 22
ALT - 22
Alkaline Phostp. - 63
Total Protein - 7.3
Albumin - 4.9
Globulin - 2.4
Iron Serum - 70
Uric Acid Serum- 6.7
Creatinine - .8

TSH - 3.73
Westergren Sed -3
ANA W/Titer - Negative
Rheumatoid Factor - 7

CBC (w.differential)
WBC - 5.5
RBC - 5.35
Hemoglobin - 15.8
Hematocrit - 45.7
Mean Corpuscular Volume - 85.4
Mean Corpuscular HGB - 29.5 W/Concentrn - 34.6
Red Cell Distribution Width - 12.1
Mean Platelet Volume - 10.3
Platelet Count - 207
Neutrophils - 49.7
Neutrophil Absolute -2.75
Lymphocytes - 32.4
Lymphocyte Absolute - 1.79
Monocytes - 14.3
Monocyte Absolute - .79
Eosinophils - 3.4
Eosinophil Absolute - .19
Basophils - .2
Basophils Absolute - .01

Lipid Panel
Total Cholesterol - 164
Trigycerides - 75
HDL - 57
LDL - 92
VLDL - 15

Cholesterol/HDL Ratio 2.88

EMG/NCV Impressions
Left/Right Peroneal Motor Amplitude Is Reduced at the Fibular Head. I Suspect Peroneal Neuropathy At The Fibular Head. Absent Medial Plantar Sensory Latencies Suggest Small Fiber Neuropathy.

ECG
Sinus tachycardia - 119 BPM

MRI Cervical W/Wo Contrast
C4-C5 Slight Dehydration, There is minimal broad posterior bulging. Central canal and neural foramina are within normal limits.
IMPRESSIONS - No significant dis herniation or central canal stenosis. No abnormality or enhancement of the cervical cord is identified.

SSEP
Don't have sheet here with me, test was withing normal limits!

Brain MRI
Don't have report either, nothing out of ordinary.

Did you engage in some sport or activity that could damage the nerves at the knee? (cause compression there)