I don't think SFN Causes autonomic neuropathy which I had before the SFN appeared. SNF is an autonomic neuropathy among many.

My neuropathies appeared in roughly this order: sympathetic/parasympathetic, autonomic, peripheral and small fiber. I'm sure there was enormous overlap as I have a high pain threshold and have ignored symptoms and problems all of my life.

I began life as a infant with severe eczema, systemic infections (boils), respiratory and ear infections, and moved on to other things over the years. My survival depends upon moving through pain most of the time.

It turns out that I have a basic disorder of my Immune System and I have IVIG monthly to increase the amount of IgG in my body. My disorder is called CVID and is a primary immune deficiency disorder. My body has very low IgG, and IgM.

My deficient Immune System attacks also my body (systems and organs), and has caused all of the woes and ills I have today, with the latest diagnosis of Small Airway obstruction in my lungs.

In the long run, it doesn't matter what causes what, since most of our conditions cannot be prevented or cured, but only 'managed' with some relief of pain and suffering.

I am so delighted to have leg braces which allow me to walk again, and stand upright. I put them on first thing i the morning and take them off last thing at night.

Thank Goodness for forums like these for they have provided me with information and coping skills.

Hugs, ElaineD

Yes, that's why I said it causes autonomic dysfunction, not neuropathy. The issues I have with my heart and blood pressure are not neuropathic in nature but are autonomic dysfunctions.

Well, for me it is quite important what's going on exactly and what can be done. I'm in my 30s and haven't resolved myself to living with this or allowing it to get worse, and will do what I can to heal. If that's not possible, that's fine, I'll have to live with that, but I refuse to not do all that I can first.

But I agree that this forum is excellent for helping us cope and to learn. I'm grateful for that. I'm glad it has helped you as well, and that you're in a place where you've come to terms with what is happening. Best of luck.

--most nerves that underlie autonomic functioning are classified as small fiber, as they are thinly myelinated or completely unmyelinated.

So a small fiber dysfunction can result in autonomic problems, beyond the more "typical" small fiber pain/numbness/parasthesia/temperature sensation issues.

It is actually quite common for those with sensory small fiber neuropathy syndromes to have some autonomic involvement as well, though often the autonomic symptoms are "sub clinical", vague, and hard to pinpoint. Among the most common are sweating problems--hyper- and hypohydrosis--and blood pressure anomolies (especially orthostatic hypotension--too much of a drop in blood pressure upon going to a standing position).

But really in a nutshell, the small fiber neuropathy isn't "causing" anything. It is the damaging agent or process put fourth by this offender that is "causing" the damage. If the cause isn't found, the doctors are clueless as the what is taking place, or has happened. Unless they know what it is, they are completely clueless what is happening at a cellular level (besides that the nervous system is being assaulted). They don't know if it is or will attack the myelin or what will happen next, which is why they continue with follow ups. The only way they know is if we start failing tests. The testing they have is in it's infancy and will never catch up to the toxic environment that is becoming worse every day. The toxicity that most Americans want to live in denial about, that some of us are just unable to process and eliminate.
The amount of garbage that is banned in other countries and allowed here should be embarrassing to us. Our government continues to subsidize bad food for our children and so on. I know this is off topic but I can't help it. Sorry about this rant and typos, I really should be cleaning the kitchen.

Back to the topic.
Our idiopathic doctors can only speculate. Unfortunately the smartest ones clearly say "I just don't know". They don't have time to fight our fight and have full waiting rooms. They want to go home, eat dinner, and watch tv. That is why our only help is hope, trying to figure it our by ourselves, and sometimes having no choice but to take prescriptions. Oh and we have this awesome forum!