Does this sound like Neuropathy? How does Neuropathy get diagnosed and treated?

[YYC_ Mommy]

I can almost deal with my dry eyes and mouth. My painful joints and muscles and fatigue are hard to deal with but I must admit that the strange  "electrical senstations" throughout my body are the scariest for me.

I have "electrical/vibrating" shock type feelings that go throughout my body. Sometimes they are localized, like just in one part of my foot or part of my foot or my finger etc. Sometimes they "run", so they might start at the back of my neck and move up and over the top of my head. Sometimes they are sharp and sudden but in the same place, like in my leg and my finger tip at the same time.

Does this sound like neuropathy? How is is usually diagnosed and treated?

My very wonderful GP said that she believes that Sjogren's has begun to affect my nerves. I see the Rheumy on February 26th but I would like to try and understand as many of my symptoms going in.

Any insight is greatly appreciated

[inga]

One does not need to guess if it is neuropathy.  There are tests.  Worst comes to worst, you can have a skin biopsy that counts nerve fiber density.  If that shows you have a low density of nerve fibers, you have small fiber neuropathy.  If you have SFN then they can do an autonomic battery to see if you have autonomic involvement. 

I have SFN, and it is hard to distinguish from MS at times.  I have both the autonomic and sensory kind.  I can not feel my one leg below the knee.  I won't get into all the autonomic effects.

There is more and more being published on this.

You may want to search, autoimmune epithelitis, this will discuss the more systemic possibilities of what is termed SjS.

Not every one with sicca has SjS.  Sicca comes with many diseases.  Primary SjS seems to have some specific issues.  PN is one of them.  I would cite you some abstracts but, we can't do that on here, so, as I said, you can search the above term as well as SjS neuropathy.

SjS neuropathy can be due to  a vasculitis as well.

[louisa]

Hi
This sounds like me.When it first started i thought that my cats had fleas and that i had caught them! The crawling sensations on my head are most bizzare and i have had nerve involvement below my knee for some years. I keep forgetting to mention it to the Dr, i think because my eyes are so blasted uncombtable that they are holding my full attention at the mo. The sharp pains are weird, arent they? You never know where they are going to be next.
There are quite a few neuro issues with this condition, i think it should be blinkin well reclassified.
Anyway hope things do start to settle soon
Louisa

[navydad]

My SFN crept in like a thief in the night,,first it was the creepy crawling feeeling up and down hte legs,, it got worse and was attributed to having a bad back,, LOL,, finnaly had a biopsy and it showed the reduced nerve fibers,, i am sure it has affected myI have burnt myself in the shower,, could not tell what the temp was, my family has no idea what I;m going through,, they say there cold,, and i laugh,, I tell them try feeling like that 24/7,, they think i;m nut with all the bizarre feelings,, and will not read up on it,, its something I would nt wish onmy worst enemy,,

[eyeamdry]

Lyrica helps me with neuropathy and the jabs and buzzing.  It may not everyone, but it was a help to me.

[YYC_ Mommy]

Thanks for all the information. I worry about this symptom/symptoms more than anything, hopefully once I see the Rheumy I wiil get some direction on this.

[inga]

Navydad,

I had the same experience with neuropathy.  It crept in. I ended up injuring myself, because I had no sensation below the knee.  I too, do not sense heat, and do not sweat, at all, to heat.

One can get more info by searching, 'small fiber neuropathy' and 'ganglionopathy' and 'ganglioneuronopathy'.

Sounds like we are similarly affected.  Small fiber neuropathy will cause a decrease in exocrine gland function due to lack of innervation. 

Do you have inflammatory markers in your blood,  high ANA, CrP, sed rate, thrombocytosis?  What is your C4?   I do have severely dry eyes, but that is the least of my issues right now, altho I use drops, several dozen times per day.  Restasis does not help. 

I wonder if what I have is an autoimmune attack on the peripheral nervous system and that has caused all the issues throughout the body?

[Babs659]

I have those electric shock feelings all over, as well as brief stabbing pain.  The symptom comes and goes.  I have not bothered mentioning it, because my GP would just send me to the neuro, who thinks I'm a head case because all the tests he did on me were "negative."