Is this really peripheral neuropathy or something else
 

Hi everyone

Just an update, had a nerve conduction test last week and it came back totally normal. Some days pain is getting much better in terms of burning and numbness which hasn't been as prevalent.

However 2-3 times a week seem to get flare ups. Usually starts in late afternoon with burning in the feet. Then start to get pain random burning and achy pain in both wrists, fingers, toes, ankles, hips and elbows. This can get very intense and lasts hours now even there when I get up in the morning. Doesn't seem to be related to exercise. It can go from two toes for 20 secs, into ankle for another 20 secs, into one wrist 20 secs etc. Feel like it is affected by pressure in bed and I want to click it to ease it.

Any ideas, all bloods fine, no swelling, no redness, sensory only symptoms still, having vitamin B12 injections, working on diet. All inflammatory and connective markers normal. It is just very annoying any suggestions appreciated as it is starting to drive me nuts!

I had three normal nerve conduction studies, before a neurologist, the third I had seen, said this is silly and that I clearly have small fiber neuropathy. So he did a skin punch biopsy, which is how you diagnose SFN. SFN does not show up on nerve conduction studies that pick up damage to larger nerves. Hope this helps.

Acute onset small fibre neuropathy. I have been reading an article which seems to have a lot of my symptoms. Has anyone else heard of this before? The article is:Acute small fibre sensory neuropathy: another variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome? Here is the link.
http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/72/4/540.full

Would appreciate any feedback on this or any experiences of similar symptoms...

Yes--
 

--this is apparently approximately what happened to me: an acute onset (hours/days) rapidly spreading small fiber neuropathy that began distally but eventually encompassed the whole body.

Not a variant of Guillain Barre syndrome per se--Guillain Barre is primarily a demyelinating process, and this by definition involves an attack on the small, unmyelinated sensory fibers that subsume the sensations of pain and temperature (and most autonomic functions)--but analogous to it in presentation.

I also had acute onset, although other odds things had happened leading up to the day I woke up feeling like I was plugged into a electrical socket.

My symptoms are not as severe now as they were for the eight months after onset, but they're with me daily, and some days worse than others.

I had a very fast onset also. However, I did have low grade symptoms leading up to that not so glorious day on Feb 19, 2014. It was like someone tied a noose around my ankle and was pulling it tight all day long. I felt sick, cold, and electrical; and it felt like someone ran electricity through my spinal column. A few days later, I had symptoms all over, including my face. Then over the next 3 months things went off the rails - intense burning broke out all over the place to the point where I wouldn't sleep for days at a time.

I recently tested positive for Lyme disease. I've seen significant improvements with antibiotics and Low Dose Naltrexone to the point where all the burning is subsiding and I'm starting to get my life back.

It makes me happy to read this: "I've seen significant improvements with antibiotics and Low Dose Naltrexone to the point where all the burning is subsiding and I'm starting to get my life back."

Thankyou all so much
 

Hi all

Just an update about these weird symptoms I have been having. I am indeed very fortunate, my symptoms remained sensory for the past 4 months but today I celebrated my first run without numb feet. My symptoms have continued to slowly but surely reverse. I am almost convinced now that I had some sort of virus that was attacking my sensory nerves and that they are now fighting back. I still get some numbness and occasional burning in my feet but the hip joint pain and hand stuff has just about abated. Thankyou for all of your help and I really appreciate your support....It just goes to show that at least some sensory neuropathies can be reversed!:winky:

This is excellent news! My symptoms started around the same time as yours and are almost identical. All tests have been normal.

Are you still seeing improvement? What do you think is helping the most?

Flare ups again
 

Hi there. Yes my symptoms almost disappeared for three weeks and just had the odd burning and tingling in feet and hands. However over the last three weeks have returned with a bit of vigour.

They are weird and annoying. Sensory only still but seem to affect my joints as well particularly the ac joints and the ankle joints accompanied by burning and tingling. Where are you at with your symptoms?
:winky: