Eliminating Foods for Neuropathy pain

@helennicola, @catro I also only eat a few carbs, no alcohol, and no caffeine. It seems to help each day for my neuropathy. Perhaps the carbs cause less blood circulation briefly because of the neuropathy although I am not a diabetic. Limiting my carb intake to 100 grams or less per day seems to be very helpful for me. My 90 yo mother does the same and it helps her have less pain with her neuropathy. About 3 years ago she was diagnosed with diabetes but the neuropathy she had many years before. Her diabetes is very well managed with food and diet. She takes no oral medications or subcutaneous injections of insulin. Every 3 months her PCP orders a hemoglobin A1C with positive results for her blood sugar. Keep trying to avoid or eliminate certain foods from your diet to see what works best for you. Hope this helps. Wish you well.

@helennicola
@catro
Good morning,
I’ve never had any problems with foods.
Can’t speak to what alcohol or caffeine would do because I’ve never had it other than the caffeine that comes in chocolate of course. I did used to drink Dr Pepper which I think has caffeine in it but I don’t drink it anymore because of my diet and I never noticed any difference while I did drink it. I also used to eat tons of carbs it and never noticed a difference there either but I guess everybody’s different.
Jake

@catro My small fiber peripheral neuropathy is sensitive to carbs like potatoes. Carbs can really make my feet burn. So, I limit carbs and I have learned that if I exercise really hard for 30 to 40 minutes every other day it reduces my pain and susceptibility to carbs. It is difficult to get an intense workout when it hurts my feet to stand very long but I do what I can. My feet are also sensitive to heat even though they are numb. So, no covers on my feet at night and rarely do I wear socks and shoes.

I've tried correlating flare-ups with anything that I've eaten, done, touched, thought, any place I've been, the season of the year ... zip, I can't find any cause. Lately, I've tried taking a naprosin tablet at night and I think it's helping with the morning pain (the naprosin lasts 12 hours). Once I'm up and moving around and I've taken the morning meds, I start to feel almost normal - evening is when I feel the best. But when flare-ups happen, I'm hurting all day every day, nothing helps. Peggy

I keep learning the hard way - what I call “black and blue learning” - the things that cause my PN to flair up. Recently I have started drinking different types of tea and when I tried one with rooibus, a shrub grown in South Africa that is supposed to be good for the immune system- but was bad for me. I’m still feeling the effects two days later.

Hi @catro what were the effects you were feeling? It would interesting to know since I often drank that tea before my neuropathy without any issues.

@catro & @avmcbellar - I've also drank the tea with rooibus but it was in an organic tea in a bottle. I didn't really know about the benefits until I did a little searching.

Medical News Today - 7 benefits of rooibos tea: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323637

@catro I too drank the tea Rooibus I do like the taste didn't notice any side effects I would like to know what you experienced and was it due to other things a interaction with meds or something?

Dear Jennifer Hunter.. Our lives of caregiving our demanding family members takes ours over completely when we let it.. I've been off Mayo Connect for a very long time.. I apologize for my inconsistency and not following up with you previously. Now my son has passed away.. Of course other loved ones have needed my attention since.. It's been rough.. My only granddaughter was diagnosed Bipolar2.. I won't even go into all the changes, etc. that has entailed. Suffice to say tho, she is with her mother now, has a job that she's loving, and is beginning to make a new life for herself in a new location.
My husband has had several life altering diagnoses and we've been coping with those.. At present he is doing well, thank goodness.. Naturally, we know that everything can change in an instant.. but I'm still strong!
Our remaining son and his wife are coping with overload now.. We can't help with that, except to provide a safe place to unload now and then.. They are overworked and overloaded with her mother's ill health and unfair demands.. sigh...
So hopefully you are healthier than you ever were... maybe you don't have to be a caregiver for anybody now? and you are able to enjoy your own life as much as possible from now on.. I pray that it's so! I'll watch for your messages as time permits... blessings on you....

@hotfooted Thank you for your kind message and there is nothing to apologise for. We all do what we need to do and taking a break when you need it is good. I wouldn't want you to feel a responsibility to post here on Connect if that was adding to your burden. Come here when you need to be heard and to know that others will listen. My mom has been able to live on her own with assistance for traveling to appointments and grocery and medication delivery. I still get the burden of that and siblings still back out of helping. Last year, I had to stop and take time for myself because I broke my ankle and could not walk or drive or push a wheelchair. As you might have guessed, there we complaints that I was taking too long. Even just today when I told my mom one of her appointments is the same day that I will be having my surgical ankle plates removed, she says we can reschedule her appointment instead of having my sister take her which is close by and would take under an hour total time coming and going. My sister is in and out of there and can schedule her time as she likes, but they would rather leave the chores for Cinderella.

Life is good though and yesterday I had a nice day on a trail ride with my horse. I have been doing pretty well, but there may be more changes to my spine, and I will follow up with my spine surgeon about that. Last year was challenging for us with my ankle fracture, my dental work and oral surgery, and my husband had surgery for melanoma on his hand which luckily we caught in time, but we have to be vigilant about his followups and he has frequent dermatology appointments with removal of abnormal moles. Still, I feel blessed to have a wonderful husband and we support each other. He is there to help me and stand by my side. I feel that I have a safe place and refuge where I can just be. Yes, I am healthier, thank you for asking. As much as I would like to stand my ground from too many family demands, I can't let my 91 year old mom flounder on her own, so I will take her to doctors when she needs them and get after her for not taking proper care of herself. She doesn't always think things through. When all is said and done, I need to know that I did everything as best I could. I want to live with no regrets.

It is good to hear from you. As demanding as it is, care giving can bring out the best in us even when we are looking at a difficult situation. Blessings for you as well.