Reply To: questionable diagnosis

bcproblems, CIDP can usually be distinguished from GBS/RGBS through the following key tests, but GBS usually doesn’t last longer than a couple months:
• Diminished or absent deep tendon reflexes.
• A spinal tap, to analyze cerebrospinal fluid for elevated protein levels.
• A Nerve Conduction Velocity Study that measures how well individual nerves can send an electrical signal from the spinal cord to the muscles.
• Complete Blood and urine tests.

You appear to have had some but not all the tests. Sometimes it takes them all to confirm or deny the presence of the condition. A nerve biopsy may also be needed in tough cases.

CIDP rarely remits without treatment and nerve damage usually worsens and becomes more permanent if not treated. More info about CIDP can be found here:
http://www.gbs-cidp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/CIDP.pdf

CIDP can be a difficult affliction to diagnose exactly. Even assessing the results of an NCV is a bit of an art. Usually, all the tests must be made to confirm the presence of CIDP. Neurologists that have specialized in treating CIDP know this and the signs to look for. Other tests can be found in the following publication and may help you and your doctor better understand the disease, its variants, and how to treat it:
http://www.gbs-cidp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/AcuteCareICU13.pdf