hi! just wondered if any of you can give me some advice about my sister. moved her out to ca from florida.her docs in florida diagnosed her with peripheral neuropathy among other things but she does not have diabetes. does this disease ever go away or is she stuck with it? we are trying to control her pain-some days it is worse than others. her doc here has her on anti-depressants 150 mg. every night along with pain meds(lortab). what else can she do and what else has anyone tried that seems to work?thanks for listening to me. good luck to all of you!

I have peripphiral neuropathy, though mine is supposedly from diabetes. I think it was triggered by a pinch nerve I had in my back. I have it in both legs and have nerve damage from the pinched nerve. Is your sister seeing a neurologist or just a family doctor. Regular pain relievers did nothing for the neuropathy. I am on 1200mg of neurontin a day and 25mg of amitriptyline-AkA Elavil-every night. These keep the pain and uncomfortable feelings at bay and I can function at this level. Right now they say neuropathy is damage to the nerves and there is no cure just treat the symptoms, but you know that medicine makes huge strides constantly, so who knows what the future holds.

I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in January of this year. All the tests my neurologist did to determine the cause of the neuropathy came out normal-no diabetes, no vitamin deficiency, no AIDS, etc. A prescription for Elavil was given for the PN. I had to stop using it, as it didn't help at all-especially when I was also taking Celexa. The medications, taken together, became ineffective, so stopped using both medications. For me, the worst symptoms are numb hands and feet. My hands get so numb at times that two of my
fingers will get so blue that they look like they're
dead. Eventually they will regain their color, but it can take a while. My feet get so cold and numb that it
can get hard to walk or even stand(I work at a retail
store so sometimes have to work at checkout). There are also times when I have problems with my bowels as well, so can really be difficult. (I haven't found any OTC that helps with the bowels). Since they haven't found out the reason for the PN, there's little the neurologist can do for me. In fact, I was told that I
don't need to go in, unless I'm having problems. (My
lasat appointment was in April).

I depend on Neurontin (900mg a day) and Celexa to keep me going. I have radiculopothy, a type of neuropothy caused from the nerve roots being compressed in my spine. I have had 3 spinal surgeries, the last one 20 mo. ago - a one level fusion due to spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis at L4-5, which is where the fusion is. Unfortunately the surgery did not help the neuropothy/radiculopothy. It is in only my left foot. My mother was diagnosed with diabetic PN, but like you, I think hers could have been spinal related, too. Sensory neuropothy has these symptoms: pain, tingling, numbness and/or sensory loss (dead feeling, which is what mine is), pins/needles, "bee stings", aching, coldness/warmth, cramping, sensitivity to touch. Motor type Neuropothy has weakness, tremor, loss of movement and stiffness. With autonomic neuropothy, there is loss of bladder/dysfunction of bladder emptying, delayed gastric emptying or increased emptying which
can cause nausea, vomiting, fullness, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. All of this depends on what part of the nerve is damaged. It is so strange, and no one I have spoken with (except my mother) has neuropothy. They have no understanding of it. God bless us all! ~Jan~

Originally posted by sharylm:
I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in January of this year. All the tests my neurologist did to determine the cause of the neuropathy came out normal-no diabetes, no vitamin deficiency, no AIDS, etc. A prescription for Elavil was given for the PN. I had to stop using it, as it didn't help at all-especially when I was also taking Celexa. The medications, taken together, became ineffective, so stopped using both medications. For me, the worst symptoms are numb hands and feet. My hands get so numb at times that two of my
fingers will get so blue that they look like they're
dead. Eventually they will regain their color, but it can take a while. My feet get so cold and numb that it
can get hard to walk or even stand(I work at a retail
store so sometimes have to work at checkout). There are also times when I have problems with my bowels as well, so can really be difficult. (I haven't found any OTC that helps with the bowels). Since they haven't found out the reason for the PN, there's little the neurologist can do for me. In fact, I was told that I
don't need to go in, unless I'm having problems. (My
lasat appointment was in April).

hello really sory to here about your problems. I guess I,m similar in the way I don't have diabetes or any thing that show in my blood. I woke up one day and just found the nerve from my elbow down did'nt work. Wih a brace I can use my fingers (sort of) this is scary stuff. I think I found a good neuoligist he did a nerve conduction test and found which nerve it was and has had muscle and nerve biopsy done to hopefully show whats causung it. Has your doctor performed any of these tests? Anyway I will let you know if I come back with anything that might help you. This is really new to me to. You take care

------------------


[This message has been edited by megastressed (edited 09-28-2001).]

To shooshoo, sharylm, and negastressed.
Look for my reply under the topic "need some help and ideas" I sent to RAFsyth, and Fredo. As I told them there is no cure, just ways to help and cope with the pain. I have idiopathic neuropathy, It can be very frustrating. Maybe any one thing I told them may help you. v.dobbs

I think this is what my condition is. My feet get very cold and numb. My Dr. says it's from the Inderal I've been taking for the past 21 years for migraine "management". What a joke! Anyway, I've weaned off the Inderal and am now drug free (3 weeks now) but still having cold feet problem. Will this eventually stop or am I looking at cold feet for life? Anyone have any problems with long term use of a beta blocker medication?


JET