Hi again. I've done reading to try to find out answers to my questions, but wasn't able to, so I'm hoping it's okay that I started a new thread with questions b/c I keep having more of them!

1. If the botttoms of my feet burn, why are they taking the biopsy sample from my thigh? Sometimes the tops of my feet burn as well and I get tingling, etc. BUT I don't have any burning on my thighs... the doctor is taking three little punches from my lower thigh, above my knee. I know that he noticed differences when he was testing my legs with his instruments, so I guess I seem to be losing feeling in my feet/lower legs as well, but I'm confused as to why he wouldn't take a sample from the soles of my feet--where my worst pain is located.

2. My pinky toe goes numb sometimes. Does this have anything to do with SFN/PN?

3. This has been going on (the burning feet) for more than five years. I have had a glucose test in that time, and it was fine. There's no way I have diabetes. Is this different than diabetic PN? I'm asking because I have a close friend who ended up with gangreen in his foot b/c of this, but he had Type 1 Diabetes. Will I have to be careful not to get small cuts etc. on my feet?

4. Could I make this worse if I do too much? I mean, I know it FEELS worse when I am on my feet too much they're much worse and they burn more at night, unless I'm in a flare, then it's bad all day, but I have learned how to balance rest and activity, but should I be resting (off my feet) more to stop disease (disorder?) progression?

5. Could this be a precurser to Rheumatoid Arthritis? For the past two years, my joints in my hands have been stiff and painful and a bit swollen in the morning, BUT my bloods are all fine. I guess my question is...doesn't RA (or other autoimmune diseases) come FIRST and the SFN/PN come next? Does that make sense?

Thank you again. This forum is amazing. I am still waiting to get my skin punch biopsy, and am very interested in what that will say.