Searching for a diagnosis

Yep, I agree it could be almost anything. And, yes, standard CIDP is generally believed to be symmetrical. However, other variants of CIDP may not be symmetrical.

First of all, I wanted to understand that word you used, ‘formication.’ Interestingly, to me, it is a word not found on a search of this site except in your post. So, I looked it up as much for my sake as for the other readers here.

“Differential diagnosis

Causes of formication include normal states such as onset of menopause (i.e. hormone withdrawal). Other causes are medical conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, skin cancer, syphilis, or herpes zoster.

Formication can also sometimes be experienced during high fevers. Itching, tingling and formication often occur when surfacing from a dive or during ascent to altitude (decompression sickness or the bends).

It can be a side effect of Ritalin (methylphenidate), Adderall (dextro/levo-amphetamine) and Lunesta (eszopiclone) and other prescription drugs or of cocaine or amphetamines. (Accordingly, it goes by the slang term “coke bugs”.) Formication can also be a withdrawal symptom of weaning oneself off of cocaine or amphetamine. It can also accompany alcohol withdrawal in alcoholics, along with delirium tremens, and can often be accompanied by visual hallucinations of insects.”

Now, I’m not suggesting you have any of those things. Only that nobody here has used that term before.

Dr Lewis says, in an article linked to by Emily’s mom that “Papilledema with pseudotumor cerebri syndrome (eg, headaches, transient visual obscurations, pulsatile[COLOR=”Red”][B] tinnitus[/B][/COLOR], visual field defects) are observed rarely in patients with CIDP and are due to a very high CSF protein level (usually >1000 mg/mL).”

So, the spinal is a good test to rule things in or out. However, even a negative spinal tap does not rule out CIDP.

Time may or may not be of essence. My question would be- what tests can I get done, at home, in the next month? If you have to wait for 3 months to see a specialist why, heck, make the appointment and take your trip.

good luck