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Ideas for pain relief from Small Fiber Neuropathy (SFN)
Neuropathy | Last Active: Apr 26, 2024 | Replies (449)Comment receiving replies
Great news @burningfeet! I never had the biopsy done, my neuro didn’t think it would change her treatment which was gabapentin for the pain. She is willing to do the test if I request but I also do not see how the results will effect any change in treatment for me. FYI, Dr. Levine does have a financial interest in one of the few labs available for testing the biopsies; from everything I’ve read, my knowing the cause will not change the treatment of idiopathic neuropathy unless you are found not to have neuropathy at all such as in your case. Hope your feet continue to improve. Helen
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@helennicola - @burning feet here again. Yes I do know Dr. Levine has a financial interest in Corinthian Reference Lab. So what I would say about all this is either 1. The first biopsy was not done correctly or 2. The first biopsy was correct and the second showed the nerves grew back. There are other possibilities 3. 4. etc... too, but let's assume one of these two. The Dr. said and I quote "The burning feet was due to SFN (he also said the first biopsy was done incorrectly so how would one know?) due to a virus or something that went away". The second biopsy showed this was true (3. or this second biopsy could have been done incorrectly also). It is my understanding that small fiber nerves can grow back but take a long time to do this and usually because whatever was causing the SFN was removed from the equation...certainly not in one month however. I am attaching the report from Corinthian. My original biopsy showed 1.3/mm in the foot and 0.3/mm in the lower leg. The one result was slightly lower than normal but not low. Those "normal" ranges are age adjusted as these nerves do diminish with age. The significantly versus mild for the lower thigh comments in the report is confusing and I will discuss this discrepancy with the Dr. at my next appointment. I did get color photos of the epidermis and dermis with this report but they are difficult to see...So, my experience with the biopsy technique has not been conclusive so perhaps it is not worth having as you suggest...Pam