Thanks mrsD. That is a great site, and reminded me of one I know about. It isn't about PN specifically, but does describe and demonstrate (through videos) a complete neurologic exam:

NeuroExam.com

So, if you have recently been referred to a neurologist and are waiting for your first appointment, this will show you what to expect:

Or, if you have ever seen your medical records and wondered what "Muscle Strength = 3/5" or "Deep Tendon Reflexes = 3+" indicated, you will find the answers here.

--that cycelops found at the Washington University at St. Louis Neuromuscular Disorders site:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/over/...alwebn2ie2.pdf

Here is a new article about a study from Mayo....

Inflammatory damage to nerves following surgery:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/202127.php

Thank you for the article Mrs. D. It makes complete sense in my own case. There is one thing I am confused about though. It speaks to immunotherapy. For those of us who have had fusions we are not allowed to take any anti-inflammatories as inflammation is part of the healing process. Or, I should say, we aren't allowed to take any until about 6 weeks or so after surgery. So, I wonder if I am confused or not quite undertanding what immunotherapy would consist of.

Anyway, thank you again because I did NOT have Neuropathy until, like the article states, about 30 days after surgery. It didn't come on suddenly...just over a matter of a few weeks.

I really don't know either... maybe IVIG? IVIG use is increasing quite a bit in the past 5 years. If you look on Google, I found a list once that filled a whole page! I was amazed there were so many conditions now it is being used in. The IVIG may only have to be a few infusions, and not lengthy as it is for PN and MG.

There are papers out there on post-surgical RSD...which is also a neuropathic thing. In those they used calcium channel blockers soon after appearance of the pain, like nifedipine.

Thanks again Mrs. D. When I was reading you first post I immediately thought of IVIG only because my niece had Guillian Barre and that is what was used for her. I just didn't mention it because I was really unsure. But it makes complete sense. I am just glad that Mayo has come out with this. Hopefully, it will help others in the future.

That is only a guess on my part. Other immune therapies could be Imuran, or Cellcept.

The restrictions on fusion surgeries and anti-inflammatories involve those which suppress cox-2 ... the Cox -2 cytokines have also healing ones included as well as inflammatory ones.
(Ibuprofen, Aleve, Celebrex, etc interfere with fusions, but I don't think the Imuran type do).

So don't quote me on IVIG... it is just a guess on my part!