I have had peripheral neurapathy for about 16 years and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003. I can't tolerate Neurontin (Gabapentin). It causes diarrhea even if I just take one 600mg capsule at bedtime. I am presently getting steroid injections every 4 months in both feet.
just how bad does this condition get? It's got to the point where my Neurologist made me get hand controls to drive since she didn't want me driving with numb feet any longer. Does this condition ever get to the point where I won't be able to walk? I use forearm crutches and have an electric scooter, but still try walking.
I would like to know how old your are. I have had pn for 25 years but the
last time I had bad feet about 23 years ago. What I did was "exercise"
Currently I run two times a day, hour each time, seven days a week for
many, many years on the treadmill. I am now 70. And my feet are no longer
numb. Woodog
I have exercised 2 times a day since April, but I can't use a treadmill. I'm on crutches and use the sit down exercise bikes and sit down stair climber. I do walk in big stores instead of using the electric shopping carts. My doctors keep yelling at me to use my electric scooter and jazzy chair, but I don't want to stop walking. I'm ready to spit bullets from the pain. I'm 61.
I wear prosthetic shoes that weigh 6 lbs and after walking very far with crutches, my legs feel like they weigh 150 lbs each.
wHAT YOU FEEL IS WHAT I FELT 25 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS 45. I HAD
VERY LITTLE SENSATION IN MY FEET, PN PAID WHICH WOULD CAUSE ME
TO SCREAM....LIGHTENING JOLTS EVERY 21 SECONDS FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS,
NO OR LITTLE SLEEP. wHATEVER SLEEP I COULD GET WOULD BE IN AN
UPRIGHT POSITION BECAUSE THAT LESSENED THE PAIN.
YOU ARE 61 AND WAY TOO YOUNG TO LOSE YOUR LEGS. I APPLAUD YOUR
SPUNKINESS. IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE LIKE TO HAVE DONE
ABOUT 20 MARATHONS AFTER DIAGNOSIS. TODAY, I RUN ON A TREADMILL
FOR TWO HOURS PER DAY...IN THE AM AND IN THE EVENING. I HAVE
ALMOST FULL FEELING IN MY LEGS AND WITH THE HELP OF EXERCISE,
DILAUDID AND NORTRYPTILINE, I RARELY HAVE PN PAIN. OF COURSE, IF
I GET OUT OF HAND EATING TOO MANY CARBS, I COURT THE PAIN.
I GIVE YOU THIS INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS, LITERALLY, AND DEAL WITH YOUR PN. THERE'S AN OLD
CHINESE PROVERB...."THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT TREK BEGINS WITH THE
FIRST STEP". WHEN I FIRST STARTED WALKING, THE PAIN WAS
VERY SEVERE WITH EVERY STEP. AS I WENT FARTHER AND FASTER,
HAVING BEGUN BY WALKING AROUND THE BLOCK, THE PN PAIN INDUCED
BY THE WALKING WENT AWAY. IN TIME, I LEARNED THAT IF PN PAIN
HIT ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THAT I COULD CONTROL IT BY
WALKING SOME DISTANCE. DON'T BE TOO EAGER TO JUMP INTO THE
WHEELCHAIR THEY PROVIDED YOU. FIGHT, FIGHT AND FIGHT! ADD, GRADUALLY TO YOUR WALK AND I WOULD RECOMMEND GOING TO A YMCA
AND WALK ON THE TREAD MILL BECAUSE IT IS VERY EASY TO HOLD ONTO
THE SIDES OF THE TREADMILL FOR YOUR SECURITY, AND YOU CAN START
AT A MANAGEABLE PACE. I DON'T KNOW THE ORIGIN OF YOUR PN.
IF IT IS FROM DIABETES, BY ALL MEANS KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGAR
CONTROLLED BECAUSE IF IT IS NOT, YOU HAVE MORE OF A CHANCE OF
GETTING PAIN. FURTHER, CHECK WITH THE NEUROPATHY SOCIETY OF
AMERICA TO FIND OUT WHERE SUPPORT GROUPS WITH PN SUFFERERS
MEET IN YOU LOCALE. AT SUCH MEETINGS, YOU CAN LEARN A LOT
FROM FELLOW SUFFERERS. DON'T GIVE UP. PN HITS YOU LIKE A MUGGER IN THE NIGHT AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT BACK AND THEN SOME. ALSO, IF YOU
HAVE DIABETIC NEUROPATHY, LAY OFF ALL CHEESE, CANNED SODAS
WITH ASPARTAME (DIET COKE HAS IT) AND USE ONLY SACCHERINE FOR YOUR
SWEETING IN COFFEE ETC., ALSO, WHEN SACCHERINE IS NOT AVAILABLE
yOU USUALLY HAVE TO CARRY IT WITH YOU, USE ONLY SPLENDA.
ANYWAY, THIS MIGHT BE OF HELP TO YOU. I AM NOT A DOCTOR, OBVIOUSLY,
SO ANYTHING I SUGGEST TO YOU SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH YOUR
DOCTOR RE: EFFICACY OF SAME. THE WOONDOG.
