topic Re: Neuropathy in Wellness

Neuropathy

Tissyanne — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 03:01:46 GMT

My DH has neuropathy, and is not diabetic. It is in his feet, and bothers him mainly at night. He is under the care of a neurologist, and they have not pinpointed a cause yet. Anyone have any ideas/suggestions concerning this?

Re: Neuropathy

1208 — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 03:12:14 GMT

Hi Tessieanne, My husband also has this condition in his foot, he had it in both feet but had to have his foot removed because of the neoropothy. He doctored at Mayo Clinic and the doctors told us that it is hereditary (sp). They told us that all his children and grandchildren and so on down the line will get at some point in their lives. It can go to any part of their body, not only their feet. They told him he just has to live with it because there is no cure or medication for it. My mother also had it in her feet. I never heard of it before my mother got it but now I am hearing about it all the time. Good Luck to your hubby, hope he is not in too much pain.

Re: Neuropathy

SUSIE IN ANAHEIM — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 03:20:44 GMT

I HAD CANCER AND WENT THROUGH CHEMO. FROM HAVING CHEMO MY FEET INSIDE WERE FREEZING EACH NIGHT. I COULD NOT SLEEP AND TRIED DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS. MY DOCTOR PRESCRIBED ME 'GABAPENTIN' 300MG. I TAKE TWO CAPSULES AT BED TIME. I CAN SLEEP NOW. REALLY, I COULD NOT DO WITHOUT THEM. MY FEET INSIDE WERE SO COLD. THIS IS A SIDE EFFECT FROM HAVING CHEMO. EVEN A YEAR LATER I TAKE THESE EACH NIGHT. THEY ARE FOR NEUROPATHY, AND DO WORK FOR ME. PLEASE HAVE YOUR HUSBAND TRY THIS RX, AS I DO FEEL SORRY FOR HIM. AND I BELIEVE THIS WILL SOLVE HIS PROBLEM.

Re: Neuropathy

esmeraldagooch — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:18:15 GMT

Is he on cholesterol medication? I started having this problem after the first month. It took months after stopping for it to go away.

Re: Neuropathy

duclane — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:29:03 GMT

I developed perefrial neuropathy after knee replacement 7 months ago. Doctor and everyone says it will get better and may take a long time. There are sites online that deal with this issue, and I've read people blogs from all over the world who have this due to a surgery. One site says to take Vit B12 shots or mega doses of Vit B12, to help the nerves reconnect in the foot. I am doing this and its getting a bit better, but the nights are still bad, and the foot feels like a brick. Why this happens in some and not others is a mystery. Myalin is a covering on the nerves and Vit B12 is supposed to help that come back. Read up on the virtues of Vit B 12. Good luck.

Re: Neuropathy

sundrops — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 23:25:03 GMT

My husband was also diagnosed with this. Perefial neuropathy. He has suffered with burning feet for months and months and recently went to his doctor. He saw a specialist too. My husband was found to be deficient in Vitamin B 12 and now has to supplement. He bought every cream at the drugstore for burning feet. Most labels on the jars will read that it's for diabetics. He also was prescribed Gabapentin 300mg but felt it doesn't do anything. He stopped taking it. As of now, he purchased some socks that diabetics wear and puts an ice bag on his feet as needed. He also has hemochromatosis and his oncologist said it could be related.

Re: Neuropathy

Tissyanne — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 01:31:02 GMT

Thank all of you for taking the time to reply. He does not take any prescription medications, and has had knee surgery (one knee), but suffers from this in both feet. He has been taking Vitamin B12 for a while. He took Gabapentin with no results. He returns to the neurologist in early May.

Re: Neuropathy

MiraclesHappen — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 04:25:25 GMT

Work with his doctor to keep increasing the dosage of gabapentin if the lowest dosage isn't working. Stick with it, and spread out the doses to multiple times per day. 300mg is a low dose and he may find that once he gets to the correct dose and takes that for awhile he may be able to vary doses and even cut back.

Re: Neuropathy

betteb — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 04:41:56 GMT

On 4/26/2014 Tissyanne said: Thank all of you for taking the time to reply. He does not take any prescription medications, and has had knee surgery (one knee), but suffers from this in both feet. He has been taking Vitamin B12 for a while. He took Gabapentin with no results. He returns to the neurologist in early May.

Is he taking B12 is the liquid sublingual form? B12 does not survive the intestinal tract very well.

Re: Neuropathy

RedTop — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 15:47:15 GMT

Neuropathy can develop from several different issues, but essentially neuropathy progresses until there is permanent nerve damage. My husbands neuropathy is from diabetes. He complained to his provider at the VA for nearly 1 1/2 years before ever being prescribed Gabapentin, and he was given such a low dosage, it barely had any effect at all on the pain and discomfort. When we switched providers, the new one immediately raised the dosage to the highest allowed, but the nerve damage has already been done and is considered permanent. My husband lives with severe leg and foot pain, but somehow manages to work through it every day. When it reaches the point of being unbearable, his only option will be actual pain medication. In the 16 months since I retired, I have noticed more and more that my husband scuffs his feet when he walks. In the beginning I was always fussing at him to "pick up your feet", and his answer was always "I am picking up my feet!" I finally realized the problem lies in the neuropathy, and the fact he "thinks" he is picking up his feet, when in reality, he cannot "feel" his feet in order to know he is not picking them up as far as he thinks he is when he walks. That realization made me feel very bad for fussing at him, so now I listen to the sound and just give thanks that he is still able to walk.

Re: Neuropathy

antiquelover — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 16:02:47 GMT

Is your husband a veteran of VietNam? My brother suffers from neuropathy as a result of serving in Nam. This has become a common issue for many of these vets.

Re: Neuropathy

emmysmom — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 16:13:17 GMT

On 4/27/2014 antiquelover said:
Is your husband a veteran of VietNam? My brother suffers from neuropathy as a result of serving in Nam. This has become a common issue for many of these vets.

Its a terrible side effect of diabetes 2, which I have..I am so sorry about your brother. I bet it was from Agent Orange. I didn't know the VN vets had this problem.

Look what I found~http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/watch-agent-orange-exposure-symptoms

Re: Neuropathy

CaliKat — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 17:17:08 GMT

Tissyanne,

I'm so sorry your husband has this awful condition. I have had peripheral neuropathy for many years. The doctors never did determine why I got it. I do not have diabetes, and I have not had any replacement type surgeries. I am on the highest dose of gabapentin. Without the gabapentin my feet would have burning pain all the time. And the numbness would probably prevent me from walking.

Below is a link to an article about the different treatments for peripheral neuropathy. It might give you some information you could discuss with your husbands doctor.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/may_jun_06/painful_neuropathy.html

Re: Neuropathy

Mama Mia — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 19:51:17 GMT

On 4/26/2014 betteb said:
On 4/26/2014 Tissyanne said: Thank all of you for taking the time to reply. He does not take any prescription medications, and has had knee surgery (one knee), but suffers from this in both feet. He has been taking Vitamin B12 for a while. He took Gabapentin with no results. He returns to the neurologist in early May.

Is he taking B12 is the liquid sublingual form? B12 does not survive the intestinal tract very well.

Better yet, take B12 sublingual in what is called methylcobalimin 5000mcg. It absorbs better and faster for neuopathy. Sorry, I cannot cut and paste, so if interested, please look it up. I also take Gabaptnein, 2400 mg a day. Got my neuropathy from chemo, but at least I'm still here. Have the lovely chemo brain too.

Re: Neuropathy

Mama Mia — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 20:00:47 GMT

On 4/25/2014 1208 said:
Hi Tessieanne, My husband also has this condition in his foot, he had it in both feet but had to have his foot removed because of the neoropothy. He doctored at Mayo Clinic and the doctors told us that it is hereditary (sp). They told us that all his children and grandchildren and so on down the line will get at some point in their lives. It can go to any part of their body, not only their feet. They told him he just has to live with it because there is no cure or medication for it. My mother also had it in her feet. I never heard of it before my mother got it but now I am hearing about it all the time. Good Luck to your hubby, hope he is not in too much pain.

OMG! His foot removed, I am so sorry to hear this. How is he doing, and what led to it all. ?If you don't mind saying. I respect the Mayo clinic.

My son has it terribly bad and has operated big, heavy equipment for 28 years. His feet are mostly numb and he is a big man. He has talked about it sometimes, the amputation, and God forbid, I hope he never has to do that.

It was nice of you to share his story with us.

Re: Neuropathy

polar — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 20:05:08 GMT

Yes. There was an article this morning in the Sunday Times in People's Pharmacy section that said statins can cause this. It states it will start to go away after going off the medication for a couple of weeks and then will gradually get better the longer you are off of them.

Re: Neuropathy

willdob3 — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 20:10:45 GMT

B12 and magnesium deficiencies can cause neuropathy. Also, some medications can cause it.

Re: Neuropathy

zgirl — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 20:16:33 GMT

My dad suffers from this too. He is not a diabetic either. He sees a pain management specialist and has tried many different meds. Nothing has really helped. The pain meds take the edge off some of the time, but he is never completely pain free. I hope your husband finds some relief.

Re: Neuropathy

151949 — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:28:20 GMT

OP - it is not uncommon for a patient to get neuropathy symptoms before any other symptom of diabetes shows up, including elevated blood sugars. This should be discussed with the doctor and FBS monitored closely.

Re: Neuropathy

sfnative — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 23:38:27 GMT

My neuropathy arrived the day I returned home from a fusion at L5-S1. It was intense pain between my knees and ankles ONLY if I stood still, but was just horrible. Called my surgeon who indicated it was indeed neuropathy and he prescribed gabapentin. This worked like a charm. I decreased the dosage after perhaps 3-4 months and was blessed that it had departed.

I'm having a total knee next month on the left side, so am curious as to whether this will return. I certainly hope not!

Best healing wishes to your DH, as well as God's Blessings - Rebecca