Ok, this is where I sometimes get myself into trouble (and thanks for a great example - no offense intended). I tend to take people at face value unless something jumps out at me, so when I see absolutes like "exhaust all possibilities" and "every possible cause" it's difficult for me to interpret how literally that should be taken. I can't tell if the writer is implying some reasonability (has some number in mind), or if they really expect/want to keep going until - literally - they've exhausted every and all possibilities, so I make some comment or observation (like my first post in this thread). My intent was just to interject some balance - food for thought, and no more.

Doc

I thought of this as I was typing the sentances you quoted.

"At what point does it become an obsession?".........Your "food for thought" point is gratefully taken.

I think for each person its different. Some people don't need answers, they just want a pill to make them feel better, don't care what is causing it. Others need to know. Some Doctors are good at researching causes and others are not at all. I know for me, the first neuro I saw was uselsess, didn't think I needed ANY testing done at all. Then I got a second opinion and he did alot of testing and together we decided we would test for as many known causes of PN as we could before saying its idiopathic. So, the term "all possibilities" is different for each patient and each Dr.

Everyone is different in this area. I am of the mind set of you and your second neuro., exhaust all tests that are know causes of PN before "putting to bed as idiopathic." With that said, I think it will be "bedtime" soon for this dx. of mine.

Just as soon as I follow through with the blood work for paraneoplastic panel. Script has been sitting on my desk for a few weeks (been putting it off).
(Scared).

I just got all my paraneoplastic panel results and they were normal. I was nervous too, but now I know I don't have cancer. I hope you get yours done soon, better to know now and then you won't have to worry.

I meet my Dr. tomorrow to get his final feelings about what to call this thing I have. And to discuss where to go from here. Wish me luck.

It's funny, I almost feel like what he says to you, he is saying to me too!