Is my neurologist telling the truth? - Neurology Message Board

Don12345 · 08-14-2007, 08:21 PM

I've had peripheral neuropathy for 3 years. My family physician has me on gabapentin 600 mg 3 times daily and that makes the pain tolerable. I have a lot of pins and needles in my feet and legs up to and including my thighs. My feet burn and it helps if I go bare foot (I wear slides mostly).

I finally made an appointment for an EMG test by a neurologist which I had last Tuesday. After the test, the neurologist told me that the kind of PN that I have is not serious and that it will eventually go away. He said sometimes it takes as long a 7 years. He said x-rays nor an MRI would not be necessary.

I've never heard of anybody's PN going away. But I was very happy when he told me this.

However, after thinking about it for a while, I am 65 and a Medicare patient and I think maybe he might have just been brushing me off. He wants to see me again in 6 months. Has anybody's PN ever gone away?

Don

woondog · 08-15-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don12345

I've had peripheral neuropathy for 3 years. My family physician has me on gabapentin 600 mg 3 times daily and that makes the pain tolerable. I have a lot of pins and needles in my feet and legs up to and including my thighs. My feet burn and it helps if I go bare foot (I wear slides mostly).

I finally made an appointment for an EMG test by a neurologist which I had last Tuesday. After the test, the neurologist told me that the kind of PN that I have is not serious and that it will eventually go away. He said sometimes it takes as long a 7 years. He said x-rays nor an MRI would not be necessary.

I've never heard of anybody's PN going away. But I was very happy when he told me this.

However, after thinking about it for a while, I am 65 and a Medicare patient and I think maybe he might have just been brushing me off. He wants to see me again in 6 months. Has anybody's PN ever gone away?

Don

woondog · 08-15-2007, 10:25 PM

hi there...this is the woondog. I have never hear of PN GOING AWAY.
bUT i WOULD NOT BET MY LIFE ON THAT TESTIMONY.
THERE IS DO DOUBT THAT YOU CAN ELIMINATE ALL PAIN IF YOU TAKE
ENOUGH MEDS. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM PN FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.
FOR MOST OF THAT TIME, EVERY FIVE OR SIX DAYS I WOULD SUFFER
INTENSE PAIN...LIKE LIGHTENING STRIKES LASTING ABOUT 4 SECONDS,
OCCURING ABOUT EVERY 20 SECONDS...AND LASTING FOR TWO OR THREE
DAYS. FOR AWHILE, NEURONTON WAS HELPFUL . I WAS ALSO ON
VICODIN, THAT, IF I TOOK A DOUBLE DOSE OF, THE PAIN WOULD GO AWAY
BUT IT KEPT ME UP ALL NIGHT. SO, MY CHOICE WAS : PAIN AND NO SLEEP
OR NO SLEEP.
NOW I TAKE NORTRYPTLINE AND DILAUDID AND HAVE THE PN ONLY ONCE
IN ABOUT 2 MONTHS. AND I CAN SLEEP WITH THAT.
I AM 69 AND IF LIFE BEGINS LATER IN LIFE, IT DID WITH ME WHEN MY
DOCTOR PRESCRIBED THAT MEDICINE.

sweetred · 08-22-2007, 01:19 PM

Woondog, What kind of medicines are the ones you take? Are they narcotics? I am in severe pain in my feet, but don't want to get addicted to something. Also, I have trouble taking most pain medications. They make me very sick. I am on Lyrica and Lidoderm pain patches. They help me some.