Anyone had symptoms of peripheral neuropathy but negative biopsy?

Nothing, just tell me to get another opinion at Cleveland clinic. I do not want to take drugs

Have you seen the list of complementary and alternative treatments on the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy website, wondering if you might find something that helps? - https://www.foundationforpn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Complementary-and-Alternative-Treatments-Revised-2020-final.-1.pdf

I have numbness and pain in my feet but I had a negative skin biopsy. Does this mean I do not have SFN. How should I proceed?

Did you receive a diagnosis from your neurologist? Have more tests been ordered?

I had similar symptoms (tingling, numbness and burning. No pain) and after multiple tests (no biopsy ) and exam, my neurologist said that I didn’t have neuropathy, even though I do have type 1 diabetes. He could not say why I had the symptoms. But, the good news is that my burning has gone and so has most of the numbness.

I saw a podiatrist afterwards.

Have you been prescribed any medication?

Had skin biopsy, it was neg. I do have the pain and numbness. Neurologist says he can’t do anything. I think I should see a podiatrist - for exercises, electric treatments, laser etc

How did your burning and numbness go.

I’ve been diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy, and I had a negative skin biopsy test.

What I was told by my doctor is that while the skin punch biopsy is the best test they have for SFN, it can still miss about 30% of cases. So the biopsy is one factor in the diagnosis, but not the be all, end all.

They’d have to rule out other potential causes as well and if another cause isn’t identifiable, it can be “a diagnosis if exclusion,” meaning they’ve ruled out everything else. Then, you’d need to decide which paths you want to go down for treatment. That’s what happened to me, at least.

I know it can be frustrating and confusing to come up with no “positive” tests. For me, it was always the uncertainty that ate away at me—I kept wondering if there was a cause that if we could just figure it out, would it get better? It took some time for me to accept it, and it turned out I have other intertwined diagnoses. It did get better. Most of my other diagnoses are also “diagnoses of exclusion,” clinical diagnoses with no ironclad test to prove them.

I have had the two tests Emg and skin biopsy. Both were negative. All they offered was Gabapentin. As you know it is only for pain but does not help with the nerves. I need to work on trying to repair the nerves. (Exercise, laser etc) Anything that will help to get the blood to flow.

So, did the neurologist say it wasn’t neuropathy? That’s what mine said. So, despite my symptoms, I believed him. I went on with my life trying to be as healthy as possible….nutritious diet, daily exercise, managing blood sugar better, monitoring Vitamin levels, started talk therapy , etc. So far, the burning has almost completely gone, tingling gone and numbness substantially decreased. I was prescribed meds for symptoms too, but haven’t taken them yet. I don’t really need them now. I anticipate the numbness will eventually go away completely. I hope so. The podiatrist had no options. He said I had good circulation and sensation. He didn’t expect me to have any complications. Regardless of what I have, it’s improving.

Would you qualify for treatments, if you aren’t diagnosed with it. Did they check your Vitamin B12 and D?

It tests for small fiber neuropathy.