Neuropathy

[Wildman]

Thanks and I will mention that to my pain management doc when I see her next. I believe that I pissed her off because I knew a little more than she did about the interaction between ultram and the other drugs I am taking for other things. She mustn't have thought that I would go to 5 different medication signs to see that there was a bad interaction.

[shargar]

I too have had a back problem for fifteen years, when I started seeing my neurologist, she sent me for a battery of tests to determine if my PN was due to my back or my diabetes.....they tell me that while I have two herniated discs, the PN is absolutely due to my diabetes. The problem for me was that I was probably diabetic for at least two years without knowing it. They tell me that for my PN to be this advanced, I had to have been an untreated diabetic for at least two years!
I had high hopes for Lyrica, but it just caused my ankles to swell and did nothing for the pain. I even participated in a clinical trial but the medication just made me dizzy. I am currently taking Amitriptyline......not doing much for the pain, but helps me sleep at least. I just wish there was something available to help ease the pain, but didn't have a lot of side affects.

[Wildman]

I just talked to my pain management doc and she did get upset that I got some pain meds from another doctor when she couldn't be reach. Now she has upped the dosage of neurontin to 1800mg a day. I am wondering if this was too much or not. Since my previous doc only had me on 900meg a day.

[lj009]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Jack and I just found this site and have to chime in on two quick things tonight cause I don't have much time tonight first I developed my neuropathy from a back injury and working with heavy metals. My past two Neurologists blame it on diabetes's which I DON'T Have Sugar is always in the good range but they said I'm developing it . Wildman Hold off on any back surgery let me look something for you or check out acupuncture used for deading the neves I had a great article let me see if I can find it Surgery may only be benifical if pain is going down the legs. What works for me so far is hydro and low doses of lyrica ( which is on the Do Not Take List along with neurontin and ultram. I'll post a link and you make up your own mind .Google Neuropathy and follow the link for " The Rebuilder " it works for me. Be back soon with more info.
Jack

[Wildman]

I was thinking of surgery on the feet not the back. I screwed up my back due to the military around 19 years ago. So my back isn't the problem. Thanks for looking into some alternative therapy.

[coopertt]

There is no such thing as PRE-DIABETIC I have been told that over and over again by medical professionals and Diabetic educators. PLEASE go see a Endrocronolgist(Diabetic doctor), blood sugars of 180 is VERY high. But let me qualify that by ask was the test taken at least 2 hours after ingestion of ANY foods if yes "go see and Endrocronolgist ASAP". Diabetes is one of the biggest causes of neuorpathy.

[stormy]

just wanted to let you know i also undertand what your going through. i too have been suffering from pn for the past 7 years. with no relief other than my oxycontin. i feared i'd loose my mind before my doctor put me on it. the pain was and still is constant. but now its not as bad as it is without the pain med. im beginning to think i'll have this pain the rest of my life. but the flip side to the oxycontin is now im addicted to it.. so........ i dont know what to do.. my feet burn like fire. and in the winter burn like ice....always a constant burn of some sort.. and tingling down my leggs and hips , numbing from my waist to feet. hands that go numb and tingle for no reason.... its been hell really, but it does help to see im not alone. not that i'd wish this on anyone.. but i always felt alone in this agony. hope to talk to others who know what im going through as well.........

margo

[shargar]

You're not alone Margo, there are so many of us out here all suffering the same thing. The burning has lessened for me the last few weeks since I went to 75mg per day of Amitriptyline, it's still there but not as severe and I sleep much better on this medication. Lyrica did nothing for me except cause my ankles to swell up like baloons! I'd love to find a support group, but there is nothing even close to me, which is why I joined this forum. Getting addicted to painkillers is something I don't want to even contemplate, I told my doctor up front that I wouldn't take anything too heavy for that reason alone. I think it's so easy to happen and causes a whole bunch of other problems, I wish you well with that issue.

[bigpain10]

Hey I know your pain, I have diabetic neuropathy in both feet. I just got done with the sypathetic blocks and the pain has gotten worse. I have been on every mind bender available, put on about 50 lbs and ready to get out of this body. My neuro says hang in there as does my wife but at times there is a need of life removal. My sugars stay about 120-210 and I try to stay on top of them but between not being able to walk or exercise you sit and eat.......I am 52 and have been very active my whole life and this has put a complete halt on life. Lyrica and the rest of the mind benders did me more harm than good. I hope someone figures out something for this pain. Get better.....

[Joyce54]

I have severe neuropathy in both my feet as the result of 8 months of extensive neuropathy and it is so bad that I asked my doctor if I could get them both amputated to rid myself of the chronic pain. I've been to 2 neurologists and have had 2 EEG's which showed severe damage to my central nervous system. I've been on at least 10 different medications, a prescription cream that had to be make at a special pharmacy, lidoderm pain patches and NOTHING has helped. I just joined this group today with the hope of finding out something that would help me. I'm 54 years old, 5'7 and weigh 141, and my blood sugar is around 90. I check it regularly because my husband is diabetic. I still go to work every day, as I have a sit down job, however the neuropathy pain is 24/7 and just like all of you in this group, it worsens in the evening and I NEVER sleep well. If the covers are on my feet, they hurt and it also hurts when my heels touch the bed. Sometimes, I let my feet dangle off the side of the bed, which makes my back hurt. I also had a disc fusion and scar tissue removed from my spine last year. The scar tissue was there because I had a disc removed in 1974 as the result of a car accident. I haven't had any back problems since 1974 until that happened last year in August. I'm at wits end dealing with this and would welcome any advice. I live in Marietta, GA.