Hi - I read somewhere that if you're taking steroid medication it will affect the results of a skin biopsy. Does anyone know if this is true? and to what degree - ie: does it mean that a skin biopsy isn't feasible for those on steroids?
Thanks for any info.

UTGrad - all the best for the 'punches' - hope you get some answers.

Interesting. I'm taking a nasal steroid

OK UtGrad
So I did a quick search to see if I could find out more about skin biopsy and steroids - only thing I found so far to confirm it was on a Veterinarian site (ie for animals - apparently they get skin biopsies as well!)
But I also came across this neurology journal site article with detailed info on skin biopsies and PN:
http://www.nature.com/nrneurol/journ...neuro0630.html
I'll post it in the PN tips thread as well.

Thank you...that was an excellent link

I have autoimmune Addison's disease, and take steroids everyday. It is a very small physiological dose that only replaces what my body doesn't make on its own, but none of the neurologists I have seen mentioned it affecting the skin biopsy at all.

The most steroids could do is lessen inflammation in the body, but if your nerves are damaged and dying off, it'll show up regardless I would think, as mine did.

same description as ellsac. I had mine in the end of November and they are healed but dark purple color.
It is very important that they take a spot from the upper leg as well. Mine indicated much more significant damage there.

Hi Ellsac
Thanks for this - I too have primary Addison's, which is why I was asking. I had nerve conduction & EMG tests for PN in Aug 2014 - both negative. But since an emergency appendectomy in Oct 2014 (with large doses of IV hydrocortisone), my neuro symptoms have increased. Waiting to see a neurologist and from reading the PN forum was guessing that skin biopsy might be next step.

However from my own research I'm suspecting my PN might be due to B12 deficiency, (which could mean incomplete APS 4). Neuro wait is about 3 mths but seeing my Endo on Monday so will hopefully take another step forward.

My story is at: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread218283.html

My B12 numbers were ok, but I started methyl b12 and methylfolate any way along with a couple of other supplements.

I have heard of larger doses of steroids causing a decrease in neuropathy symptoms-but not the other way around. I would think that is too much cortisol caused neuropathy-it would be a major symptom of Cushings Disease, and it doesn't seem to be (unless of course the excess cortisol is so prolonged in ones system that it causes diabetes or the like-although this would be reversible if the cortisol levels were brought back down).

That being said, blood sugar regulation and thyroid problems have been shown to lead to neuropathy, and there are many stories about women hitting menopause and getting neuropathy, so certainly hormones play a part, and us Addisonians have a harder time keeping our hormones balanced in general.

I hope your endo takes regular bloods? I get blood drawn every 4-6 months to check my ACTH level (to make sure I'm not over-replaced on cortisol), blood pressure, thyroid, liver, kidneys, blood sugar, electrolytes-whole shebang! haha.

When the small fiber neuropathy kicked in, I first thought maybe overrplacement causing high blood sugar, but not the case for me. If anything I run under replaced.

Sorry you have Addison's-but nice to meet another one

I use to be fearful of never finding the answers to what was causing this terrible pain. I was lucky that my SFN was diagnosed by a biopsy within 6 months. Then all the testing started to find the reason for the neuropathy. So many test with no answers. I believe it was fluoroquinolone toxicity. It took me six years to go bak in my records and find out I was on the antibiotic when I first developed the pain.

Unfortunately, knowing the answer doesn't change the treatment for me. I'm told from now on it is just a matter of pain management. I'm trying as hard as I can to accept it. Little by little I'm getting there.

Thanks...will see if it gets approved through United Healthcare.

I'm at the two month mark of the onset of symptoms and nothing really has changed except maybe a slight improvement from the initial onset.