Been diagnosed with Peripheral sensory polyneuropathy today.

He did a nerve test with sticky things on my feet and up my leg.
Everything was pretty much normal, except a small change in my left foot which doesn't respond as well to the electrical signals. Around my feet around. He measure up further my leg but said everything was fine.

He wrote all the numbers down and showed me, and said it isn't much to worry about. Husband asked what is the worse case scenario, he said when l am old in a nursing home l may get unsteady on my feet and lose a bit of balance and have to work with a cane or some walking aid. Also said l may have burning hot feet here and there and sometimes stabbing pains. He said he hasn't seen that many people with PN with stabbing pains, mainly burning, tingling and restless let syndrome. All of which l have already had. He said there is medication, but he wouldn't recommend them as they have loads of side effects. He did give me a supplement to take, Cayenne. Said all the other supplements are a waste of time.
He said he doubts drinking has anything to do with it. I would have to be a heavy enough drinker to have the shakes when l stop drinking. He also said, l won't die from it, and l won't end up in a wheel chair and he has seen younger people than have this. As young as 12 years old.

I left his room, still with so many questions. One of them being, if l have this now, does this mean l will be unsteady at an early age? This worries me as l want to enjoy my life. Also, how does he know it isn't Auto NP? Are there any tests to rule this out? Also, is it normal for the PN symptoms to come and go? Since he has seen many patients l thought his experience would be useful in answering my questions. I mean after all he is the expert and deals with these kinds of things each day. I just felt rushed as usual.

Do you think its wise to get a copy of the nerve results? Are there any other tests he could have done?

I also bought my kneck X-Ray in he said to not have x-rays anymore as they are really bad for our health. This has scared me, as l have already had about 3-4 in my life over my body. He said MRI and Ultra sound is fine.
He said my x-ray look fine and my PN has nothing to do with it.

I now have to get my head around all this, l just want to live happy and healthy without pain.


He said if l wanted to in a few years l could have another test to see if its progressing. Is this to see at what rate its progressing?

Sue

Your experience is about typical. Not one smidge of effort to find out what is happening to you. Typical.

Surely he does not think you have CMT?
http://emedicine.medscape.com/articl...overview#a0101
This presents in children:
PN in twelve year olds... that is appalling if not hereditary.
(not everyone has hereditary PN --as a 12 yr old might have)
Hereditary PN is not the most common cause, but only one of many.

Looks like you have a "winner" there, (not).

No he does not think l have CNT. He doesn't,t think l.ve got much at all

Now want do l do for here in? What should l do ?

A question, have you heard of cayenne supplement?

Also, do you know if this kind of neuropathy gives hot hands as well? Should he have done a nerve test on my hands as well, as l suffer from heart palms?

Sue

What was your test called?

Sensory PNs don't usually show up in electrical testing.

To compare you to a 12 yr old (who most likely has CMT) is pretty stupid.

I certainly wouldn't go back to him.

You can look up cayenne on Google. But if you have a nightshade intolerance cayenne would set you off worse as it is a nightshade.

Usually PN is a result of another disease no? Diabetes, MS, lupus ??? im confused. Can PN be a disease all by itself? I thought it was a symptom.

I would write a list of questions, go back to MD and ask. If he dismisses you, seek a new one.

yes, medicines have side effects, but to leave you numb, buzzing, and worried wasnt fair.

Some PN is primary. Hereditary types, poisoning etc, nutrient deficiency.

Some is secondary, to something else. Hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, diabetes.

The neuro placed conducting nodes on different sections of my foot and leg, sending current to make my nerves sensitive and reflex to create a reflex to it.
Depending on where the nodes were placed and checking the latency of my reflex reaction, they were able to determine that my reaction time was slower on my left foot than my right foot and my average reactions from ankle to foot, we're slower than average for both feet. Reactions from mid to upper leg, down to the foot were considered normal. This is the data they have used to diagnose me with sensory poly NP. Should l get a second opion, or would this conclude to be an accurate test? Current placed on my leg was in the range micro amps, latencies and variations in reflex feed were recorded in milliseconds.



My husband has helped me describe this hopefully better than l have.

Sue

Hi Sue,, I imagine neurologists cover a pretty broad area and PN is a specialty. I wonder if it helps seeing someone who specializes or has expertise in PN. Will be interesting how I go with my neuro today, this has been really messing with my head.

I may book in with neuro that you mentioned, where did you hear about her?

Steve

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerve_conduction_study

Thanks very useful as I'm going to see a neuro for the first time today.