Skin biopsy results question
 

I finally got a copy of my results from Johns Hopkins. There aren't any numerical values listed and all three specimens state that the epidermal nerve fiber density is within normal limits and there is some fiber segmentation, and rare small nerve fiber swellings are noted. The distal leg one says that in addition, some clusters of terminal nerve fiber swellings are noted within the papillary dermis.

Can anyone tell me what, if anything, the last bit says/indicates? My neuro is content to wait until next year to give me his take on this and I'm curious about it.

It's hard to say without the numbers--
 

--but nerve swelling, and excessive branching, are not generally "normal" findings.

It sounds like yours are patchy and not widespread, though. This may mean that the "snapshot" that this skin biopsy has caught is of a neuropathic process at an early stage (so it is a good idea to get another skin biopsy after some period of time). Let's hope that perhaps whatever process is going on does not progress, or can be halted--there are some toxic (often chemotherapeutic) exposure/post-viral neuropathic situations that may show "subclinical" neural damage that may, given the right conditions, heal over time.

How are your symptoms doing? (Often, there isn't much of a corrrelation between objective signs of nerve damage and the severity of symptoms--in fact, severely damaged nerves that have "died" often result in fewer symptoms, mostly numb patches, than nerves being actively damaged, or those that are experiencing repair--the latter tend to be painful.)

Thanks for the response Glen. My symptoms are pain of several types and numbness to the extent that I've broken a toe, frequently get blisters, and these other red things are popping up which look like blood blisters, all without feeling them when they happen. My hands don't feel temperature properly and I assume my feet don't as well. I get muscle twitches, cramps, and itching in my legs and feet, and I've got chronic ankle issues that consist of a lot of pain. At times it feels as though my ankles have been broken even though I'm walking on them. I've been experiencing symptoms since 2007, and possibly as far back as 2005, its hard to say. The neurologists note suggests retesting in a year as he feels it will be more informative.

I just received an email from Therapath lab saying that they don't report percentages on their reports. I had asked them why my lab report didn't have a number of percentage on it. They told me that their sweat gland analysis can give more info for people who showed no reduction in nerve endings. Just thought I'd share!

For two years I would get those little red blood things,, they would come out,, fade after about a week and the area would peel,, it was mostly on my hands and feet,, dermo had no idea what it was

Thanks for sharing. These are new to me and I meant to discuss them with my GP the other day but he seemed to be in a rush that day and I forgot. I'll add them to the list for my next neuro visit.

My aunt had that and her cause was Rocky Mountain Fever, its caused by a tick bite. She had horrible neuropathy and burning from it. Google it. It was red bumps and then the peeling. But peeling can also be from certain autoimmune disorders too.