lgtaylor100 Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Does anyone know if small fiber neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy are the same thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E246 Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Sorry - can't answer your question but was about to post and ask what either actually means to a pots person. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arizona girl Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Hi autonomic neuropathy is a form of small fiber neuropathy as is perpherial neuropathy. There are several types of small fiber nerves that can be damaged. My doctore has both autonomic and small fiber stated sepearately in my medical record. I'm guessing to differentiate the type of symptoms I'm dealing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiysa Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Thanks Arizona Girl. I have autonomic neuropathy and didn't know this. haha. But have always wanted to know because people talk about small fiber neuropathy and wondered if it meant the same thing. Thanks for posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgtaylor100 Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Does anyone know if these neuropathies are progressive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janiedelite Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 It depends on what is underlying your neuropathy. I have the diagnosis of small fiber neuropathy from Mayo. They couldn't find any cause for it and said that it could have been when I had mono in 2006 that activated an autoimmune response that damaged my small nerve fibers. He said that hopefully my body will one day "reset itself" and the nerves will heal. So he didn't feel that my case was progressive because my symptoms haven't severely progressed and because he couldn't define an actual cause for the POTS. However, if your neuropathy is caused by diabetes, a documented autoimmune condition, amyloidosis, etc., then controlling your underlying condition will determine whether your neuropathy will be progressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiysa Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 My situation is similar to Janie's. I had an infection that triggered my autonomic neuropathy in 2006. But... I actually had a mis-diagnosed dysautonomia situation since about the age of 8-10, diagnosed as petite epilepsy, which was incorrect and was actually dysautonomia I have been told. I had severe black outs that started at age 21 that only happened every few years with extreme medical situations. But after 2006, it doesn't take much. I was told by Mayo that the damage is possibly irreversible. I was told only time would tell if it is progressing. But unlike Janie's, mine has idiopathic autonomic neuropathy with autoimmune aspect written as a diagnosis. But that the autoimmune is yet to be determined. None of the usual suspects are showing up. I think every case is possibly different, but a very good question. I actually have been told by a few docs that it is unlikely my nerves will heal.....BUT.....I have lots of hope...even after 5 years. Anything is possible!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopeSprings Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 This is a confusing topic and I'd love an answer too. My Dr. diagnosed SFN through skin biopsy and said this was the reason for the burning in my feet. I don't remember getting a clear answer about whether this was also causing the POTS symptoms. However, he said based on Valsalva test results I likey had autonomic neuropathy too. Everything I've read though seems to indicate that Small Fiber nerves are composed of both sensory and autonomic nerves... So can whatever is damaging these nerves differeniate and choose only to attack one group? I dunno - I'm confused. It would be helpful to know for sure because I've spent an awful lot of time trying to track down the cause of the SFN, which I am only assuming is causing the POTS. If it's an unrelated, seperate issue then I'm wasting time and getting lots of unnecessary tests! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 It is a confusing topic but when I Googled both SFN and AN it seemed that they were definitely different. I got the impression that the Small Fiber Neuropathy is what causes the sensory changes like the burning feeling in the feet etc. The autonomic neuropathy seemed to be the small fiber nerves that control the organs etc. At Mayo I had a skin biopsy for SFN which was negative. However, the QSART and all the other autonomic reflex screens they ran were abnormal so they gave me the autonomic neuropathy diagnosis but no SFN diagnosis. So it seems that they are separate entities although they can occur simultaneously. Like Janie said, Diabetes is a major cause of SFN but it is also a frequent cause of AN.Then to muddy the waters a bit more... you can have dysautonomia without having actual autonomic neuropathy. Quite a large proportion of folks with dysautonomia/POTS/NMH don't actually have AN.Naomi It is quite possible that AN may be causing the POTS in our cases, but then what is causing the AN???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopeSprings Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Chaos - Curious... Do you have any of the sensory symptoms seen in SFN - like burning, pain, loss of sensation etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potsgirl Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I was diagnosed with autonomic neuropathy way before I started to get symptoms of small fiber neuropathy. Both were diagnosed at Mayo Clinic, and I think that while autonomic neuropathy/POTS may cause SFN, usually it's not the other way around. I had a skin puncture test that came back positive for SFN about 8 months ago, while I was diagnosed with AN/OI about 4 1/2 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Naomi- I was having numbness and tingling when they did the skin biopsy for SFN and it came back negative. I don't have any burning sensations or pain in the skin really. Just the numbness and tingling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Every night I get this tingling and itching in one little area around my right hip. I only notice in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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