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Thread: Peripheral Neuropathy: HOW TO DEAL..............

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    Question Peripheral Neuropathy: HOW TO DEAL..............

    Happy Gobble Tov to those around the world!!! I have a question for my Weggie BFFS! I had the lung removal/diagnosis 11 months ago. All seems to be calming down,I am final down to 10 mg f Predisone but will have another round of IV Rituxamad after the holidays. BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM I NEED TO VENT ABOUT!!! The Peripheral Neuropathy in one of my feet IS SO DAMN ANNOYING!!!. I just lost the big toenail due to this. The pain in my foot can be excruciating at times. And other times I have sensitivity pins and needles. And it feels like a damn heavy brick when I walk.... ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS ANNOYING SIDE EFFECT LATELY? ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO COPE WITH THIS???? It's really frustrating. I am so paranoid that their is something actually "wrong" with my lower leg / foot because I cant feel it properly!!!
    xoxo ~Crazy Weggie Teacher Megan
    official diagnosis: January 2013
    "What didn't kill me has only made me stronger."

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    Hey, CWTM, just a quick note until I get to my big keyboard (who knows when ...) Yes, our daughter does have neurapathy in one of her feet & it's pretty horrible. She was on a couple of pain relievers but eventually weaned off them. Massages have been consistently helpful. She currently works on it thru PT. I am sorry you are dealing with this! - WTW

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    I have to agree with you that the neuropathy is very painful and annoying. The best thing I've found for it is Lyrica. It helps with most of the pain and pins and needle feelings. I've also tried Gabapentin, but didn't have as good of luck. There is also a medical food in pill form called Metanx. I've just started this and it takes awhile to see results. It isn't covered by insurance and current costs is $58 for 30 days and it requires a prescription. There are other meds out there that treat the symptoms of neuropathy and sometimes it's a trial and error thing. My podiatrist also prescribed a compounded cream that works. It has lidocane, gabapentin, and an anti-inflammatory among other things in it. Not covered by insurance either, but they have "help" to pay for it and it only cost me $20.

    Mine has gotten progressively worse this last year and I've been searching for anything that works half way decently. Good luck and if you find anything that works please share.
    Cindy



    Earth is just a stopover and whatever you achieve there is only a small part of the deal. The Afterlife Of Billy Fingers


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    I have suffered with this almost since diagnosis (August 09). I was told there was some medication (pill) that could help but the side effect was weight gain and I needed no more of that. I know the numb feeling, pins and needles and I think now I am going to lose a toenail. However, four months ago when visiting the Podiatrist, she mentioned a cortisone shot in the heels of my feet. She said it was painful, however, has had good luck with it. The pain was minimal, the result elation. Am able to put heel to floor without pain to this day. Numbness and needles remain in the ball of my foot and base of toes but with this disease we take what we can get. Highly recommend this treatment. And no weight gain. No guarantee how long it will last but mine is going on four months. Good Luck, hope this helps.
    Dale

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    Quote Originally Posted by renidrag View Post
    I have suffered with this almost since diagnosis (August 09). I was told there was some medication (pill) that could help but the side effect was weight gain and I needed no more of that. I know the numb feeling, pins and needles and I think now I am going to lose a toenail. However, four months ago when visiting the Podiatrist, she mentioned a cortisone shot in the heels of my feet. She said it was painful, however, has had good luck with it. The pain was minimal, the result elation. Am able to put heel to floor without pain to this day. Numbness and needles remain in the ball of my foot and base of toes but with this disease we take what we can get. Highly recommend this treatment. And no weight gain. No guarantee how long it will last but mine is going on four months. Good Luck, hope this helps.
    Dale
    That shot is what my podiatrist was going to give me for plantar fasciitis, however I had no heel pain and he said it wouldn't work for the ball of the foot pain. I wasn't happy about the weight gain either, but couldn't stand the pain in my feet any more. The lesser of two evils I suppose. Glad the shots are working on part of your foot. When you massage the bottom of your feet are your muscles sore? Mine are and I'm working on a theory that it could possibly be some of muscle pain that Wegs is famous for. Just a thought.
    Cindy



    Earth is just a stopover and whatever you achieve there is only a small part of the deal. The Afterlife Of Billy Fingers


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    I can't address the massage therapy. I do not nor have I had a massage. At one point I was lucky to see my toes much less be able to touch them. Now I can see them but do not massage my feet for some reason. Perhaps because I thought I read on this site that a "deep tissue" massage was not necessarily the best thing for us lucky people. Plus the thought of massaging the ugly red, purple, almost black skin doesn't really do any thing for me, especially with the clots and blood filter.
    Dale

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    Thank you all!! I have been using Gabapentin since diagnosis for the pain. It helped in the beginning put not so sure now. I do get deep tissue massages and they do help. I get them especially in the leg to help with the blood flow to my foot. KEEP STRONG EVERYONE!!
    official diagnosis: January 2013
    "What didn't kill me has only made me stronger."

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    The only thing I found to help with my neuropathy in many years of dealing with it, is to walk a lot and massage the feet and legs. The nerves are killed off by lack of oxygen so anything that helps the blood flow to the extremities helps a bit, but for me the neuropathy has been steadily progressive. It does wax and wane a bit and gets worse quickly if I sit very very long without walking around. The various pain meds can help some when pain is a problem but my pain generally decreased as the numbness increased. Dead nerves don't seem to feel as much. It is important to check you feet everyday as you may not feel sores or injuries when your feet are numb. I have heard of some magic cures but so far none of my doctors have endorsed any of them as having any value. An unknown or undiscovered infection is often the cause of amputation in people with diabetes and serious circulation and neuropathy problems.
    Last edited by drz; 11-30-2013 at 04:11 PM.
    Knowledge is power! Wisdom is using it to make good decisions!

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    I have fairly mild neuropathy in my feet and toes. After a day of wearing shoes, I take them off and massaging my own feet feels really good. I think one of those plug-in foot baths that vibrate or have jets would be very nice, too. But I don't know how different any of this would be with more severe neuropathy than mine, with discolored skin and such... I can see why you would hesitate on that, Dale. But I do think what drz says sounds right, that we need to increase the blood flow and oxygen to the nerves and tissues somehow.
    Anne, dx'ed April 2011

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    My weggs is in my nerves and neuropathy is now part of the new me. I have learned to live thru dropped foot, nerve pain, no feeling, pins and needles, horrible burning sensation, feeling of elephant feet, losing toe nail 3 times (I am now a proud owner of two gel falsies), hot and cold, surgery, have I missed anything? I have not and so far don't think I will use anything for it, the relief is short lived and I would be more upset by its reappearance so I do hot baths, wear therapeutic tights when needed. But, to each his own, what works for me and drz will not do for others.
    find meds that work for you, if your doc is game and one med doesn't work, try another and so on.
    i do go for massage once in a while, I wouldn't recommend getting one while on heavy chemo meds. I am on 3mg pred and 7.5 mtx and never had a problem with massage. Deep tissue massage releases the toxins faster into your body so this is why it's not indicated during aggressive treatment phase.
    Jolanta

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