Bad Biopsy
 

I just had a sureal nerve biopsy, I was told there would be no pain. Im in terrible pain, it feels like I have pain shooting from the site to my foot. Does anyone know what this is?

Actually, it is considered phantom pain, because the nerve has been cut and a section removed for the biopsy. This interrupts the nerve pathway to the foot (anything past the point of biopsy) and can cause severe phantom pain. This is common with amputees. Cutting the nerve where nothing below gets a signal produces the same scenario as amputating (in regards to nerves).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_pain

You should contact the doctor that did the biopsy and inform them. They will likely prescribe something to help relieve that pain. I'll be honest, it is difficult to relieve but mine did fade over time.

BTW, sural nerve biopsies are very invasive and commonly cause this type of severe pain. The numbness involved with this procedure (because the nerve is severed) is usually permanent. Whoever told you there would be no pain was not honest.

I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but:

This test is no longer recommended, because it can lead to
permanent pain and damage to that nerve.

Here is one post from here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...t=sural+biopsy

If you use the search engine here, you will find many other posts:
use sural biopsy as a key word in the search box. I cannot post a search result because our software does not keep it accurately so it won't post correctly. Each poster has to do their own search.

I see en bloc and I were posting at the same time! ;)

My neuro doc says that I may need a nerve biopsy to look for vasculitis or amylodosis. I dont know what I should do about that. Can these be determined with some other less invasive procedure?

My surgeon at the VA said that there would be numbness, their could be a painful tumor. But the surgeon was against it. My neuro doc wanted after MrsD mentioned the fire could. it made sense but not to him.

The skin biopsies are now replacing the sural type, for sensory neuropathies.

Diagnosing amyloidosis, is often done with a fat biopsy off the abdomen, I thought. It is least damaging there.
http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients...yloidosis.aspx

Here is a good site on diagnosing vasculitis:
http://www.hopkinsvasculitis.org/vas...ng-vasculitis/

I go to a pain management clinic sense I've had neuropathy cause ¿VA just won't do it. Excuse. my spelling my phone tries to do it for me. So the next day my pain was horrible so I called the VA And she said there shouldn't be so she recommened

Not a surprise
 

Do you think I will have to have a muscle biopsy ?
My neuropathy starting to progess like Im fatigued all the time. My legs and feet both jerk even when I sleep. I know my Emg came. back severe neuropathy. My doctor won't listen to me when i tell I think it's. caused by smoke inhalation. The doctor said all these possibilities we will never find. the cause .

So know I have severe neuropathy, plantar fachitis and now I have horrible phantom pain. I am looking for help but help is making me worse. My neurolgist has made no effort. to help me. My neuropathy is progressing which he agreed , he said if we don't do something fast I might be able to walk. There has to be a way to stop this pain its almost debilitating right now.

I don't understand why they even did the biopsy if your EMG came back showing severe neuropathy...what did they think they would find?

The skin biopsy would have been more helpful if they were looking for small fiber neuropathy.

Not sure why they would do a muscle biopsy. Do you have muscle weakness?

You need to be proactive with the doctors and ask what they are looking for and why the additional tests if they have already confirmed the neuropathy.

Have you had a B12 test? Do you know the numerical result?
I'd have this tested ASAP and make sure you are above 400 in US units.

way back in 2003 i was diagnosed via emg/ncs with peripheral neuropathy. the neurologist that did the test referred me to columbia presbyterian hospital in manhattan. the first thing that they wanted to do to look for a cause, before blood tests, glucose tolerance tests, a1c, spinal tap or anything else was a nerve biopsy on the sural nerve. I read up on it on the braintalk peripheral neuropathy forum which was the active one at the time with some of the same posters who are here still, and ran not walked to another neurologist who gave me a full testing workup without the sural nerve biopsy.
you must become fully involved in understanding and researching the testing, diagnosis and treatment of your medical issues, because it is you who will be the one who will be suffering or debilitated when unneeded or damaging procedures, surgeries or Rx's are done or presecribed to you.

I have peripheral neuropathy & inflamatory muscle process in my legs and my left leg is worse.Iwent thru all the blood test and mri of the lumbar spine, left femur the test came back normal execpt my b-12 which was at 275.So the doc at my va recomended I had both nerve & muscle biopsy done which i'm glad i did becauce it showed a problem with the fibers and red blood cells ?? and it has taken us into a new direction of blood tests and i wont know till next month what the results are.The only pain i have in my leg from removing the nerve & muscle is when i cross my left leg.If your doc what to have the biospys done i'd say yes, go for it it my show something or it may not.

You need to start B12 NOW.... 5mg methylcobalamin daily on an empty stomach. It is better than injections and may help. Methyl B12 is the ACTIVE form and superior to cyanocobalamin. Some people cannot methylate cyano so it doesn't work for those with genetic failures in methylation.

iherb.com, Puritan's, Swanson's, amazon have it for about 10 cents or so a day. Get tested in 3 months, and you should be over 1000 for best results.

Did your doctor offer B12 to you? Anything below 400 is considered abnormal today according to new treatment protocols. Other countries have been treating these lows for many years now, but the US is really behind for some reason.

275 is a low normal.They talked about b-12 shots.I'm taking 1000mcg B-12 tablet aday.For right now there trying to firgure out what started all this crap.All i can say i'm glad i went with the biopsy's.By the new round of blood test it sounds like my blood was exposed to something.

i looked at the wrong number. B-12 is 379 if i'm looking at lab results correctly.Sorry about that. Removal of left sural nerve and adjacent muscle for biopsy.

Thanks Mrs.D I'll order Methyl B12 . Thanks for the info.

Sural nerve biopsy can leave you with permanent pain. Did you read all the posts on this thread?

Skin punch biopsy is a better alternative.

Even at 379 you are below the acceptable low of 400 today.

People with neurological issues can need more B12 than others.

Please read this:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post698522-70.html

and
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0301/p979.html

Injections are typically cyano form, which is not active. Some people lack the genetic ability to utilize it and so it does not work well. The active form is methyl and that works much fast and better.

The only pain i have is when i cross my leg, i can live with that.The biopsy's they had to do and what there looking for i have no idea.
All i know is that the blood test are more specific & deeper. 3hr glocuse, cooper, either vit-c or hep-c, toxins & other test.I ask the nurse if this has anything to with agent orange, all she was yes & no.The base's i was station at were cleared by the epa. What labs there sending out the samples to there not saying.I'm just along for the ride. lol All i can say for me the nerve & muscle biopsy's was a must. Sorry to hijack duarte1985 post.

Not a problem billygee! MrsD the VA tells me its been done multiple times looking for my B12 that is by I will get a release tommorow.

I forgot what the office is called, you can get your medical records at the vamc.Everything is on computer now.

If you ever need you get your medical records when you where in the service www.NPRC.Vetrecs@nara.gov

My B-12 is 906 which I think is good right?

Ahh ya. 906 is a great number.Have you had the biospy's done.If so find out where they are sending them.If your going to a va that means your a vet??

Yes, 906 is good. No worries there. It is always a good idea to
figure this out early, so there are no worries later.

4 years active Army!

Usaf, 71-73 got out early.Injures from a car accident.

duarte1985 if you could keep us posted of what they find.

I sure will not a problem!

Thanks for serving!

And Thank You for Serving as well

My Va sent either the nerve or muscle to Bethesda MD. See if you find out where yours is going and what blood tests have they done so far.