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Neuropathy pain in my left foot and lower left legs

Posted by robertlclark @robertlclark, May 24, 2016

Hello everyone. I have been suffering from pain in my left foot and lower left leg pain since 2008. I was diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis in 2010 and had a lumbar laminectomy with little relief. The pain persisted and in 2015 I had a second lumbar laminectomy. Is anyone suffering with this type of moderate pain?

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twinky | @twinky | Sep 23, 2016
In reply to @margarettassmer "Anybody use a TENS unit? Outstanding for eliminating pain short term." + (show)
@margarettassmer

Anybody use a TENS unit? Outstanding for eliminating pain short term.

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Thank you so much grammydove. I didn’t know for sure how to use it. I have Neuropthy in my legs and feet. Thought maybe it would stop the spreading of the neuropathy if I used it. I can still walk and drive the car but don’t know for sure how long it will last. I will try it on my legs to see if it will help. <br>I have the Tens unit because of tension in my neck after a couple of car accidents where someone hit me from behind. I works really well for this.<br>Twinky

REPLY
grammydove | @grammydove | Sep 23, 2016
In reply to @margarettassmer "Anybody use a TENS unit? Outstanding for eliminating pain short term." + (show)
@margarettassmer

Anybody use a TENS unit? Outstanding for eliminating pain short term.

Jump to this post

@twinky i hope it helps...just spread the tabs apart and play around with placing them...you'll get the hang of it...

REPLY
twinky | @twinky | Sep 24, 2016
In reply to @margarettassmer "Anybody use a TENS unit? Outstanding for eliminating pain short term." + (show)
@margarettassmer

Anybody use a TENS unit? Outstanding for eliminating pain short term.

Jump to this post

Thank you very much.<br>Twinky<br>

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Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Oct 3, 2016
In reply to @grammydove "i have been on lyrica, gabapentin, for 4-5 yrs now...it was given to help with stress..." + (show)
@grammydove

i have been on lyrica, gabapentin, for 4-5 yrs now...it was given to help with stress episodes, panic attacks...the panic attacks have all but stopped, stress episodes have lessened that i can think more clearly now...they told me it would also help with the neuropathy and fibromyalgia...i am on 200mgs, three daily...i have been able to cut one of the midday pills every other day...there are times i need more and times that this dosage is comfortable...i use the pain patches and the tens unit sparingly since i'm allergic to the sticky stuff...i make a choice when to use either of them--break outs that last seemingly forever or a lessening of the pain...i fell from the drom deck of the semi truck, about 4 feet, onto my tailbone and fell on back and hit my upper spine and fell on back flipping my head onto the pavement...i crushed a peripheral nerve that comes off my L-4 or L-5...then on my cervical spine which has not been addressed...i haven't had anything to go with my medicare, so i have been unable to seek further help on my spine...i have ankylosing spondilitis and arthritis in my spine, so they say...my mom and dad both had RA, so i try to keep a watch on all of it...i feel that meds should be given to one, if they need it, stay on it if it helps, go off if it doesn't help...each needs his/her meds to take care of their problems, not to try it out on us if we don't need it...i know medicine is an inexact science and testing is why thy call it 'practicing medicine', but overloading meds on us has negative effects that sometimes can't be fixed...o, my i have probably told you more than you wanted to know...but i cannot live without my lyrica...they tried it once in hospital and i had several nerves go ape____t on me...all the nurses would say was, '...i've heard those were extremely painful...' duh, they hurt like the devil...

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Thanks, Scott. After reading through the various posts, I might talk with the pain specialist about combining another neuropathy medication, such as Gabapentin, with the Cymbalta 90mg and the morphine sulfate contin that I no2now take. Just the Cymbalta and Morphine sulfate keep the pain down to 4 on a scale of 1-10 half the time, but it breaks through many days, up to 6 or 7. I'm hoping that it won't come down to getting used to the pain. I've not noticed that Cymbalta has any effect on my depression. We pray every evening that God will through some medium heal the nerves.

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cowboy1997 | @cowboy1997 | Oct 3, 2016
In reply to @grammydove "i have been on lyrica, gabapentin, for 4-5 yrs now...it was given to help with stress..." + (show)
@grammydove

i have been on lyrica, gabapentin, for 4-5 yrs now...it was given to help with stress episodes, panic attacks...the panic attacks have all but stopped, stress episodes have lessened that i can think more clearly now...they told me it would also help with the neuropathy and fibromyalgia...i am on 200mgs, three daily...i have been able to cut one of the midday pills every other day...there are times i need more and times that this dosage is comfortable...i use the pain patches and the tens unit sparingly since i'm allergic to the sticky stuff...i make a choice when to use either of them--break outs that last seemingly forever or a lessening of the pain...i fell from the drom deck of the semi truck, about 4 feet, onto my tailbone and fell on back and hit my upper spine and fell on back flipping my head onto the pavement...i crushed a peripheral nerve that comes off my L-4 or L-5...then on my cervical spine which has not been addressed...i haven't had anything to go with my medicare, so i have been unable to seek further help on my spine...i have ankylosing spondilitis and arthritis in my spine, so they say...my mom and dad both had RA, so i try to keep a watch on all of it...i feel that meds should be given to one, if they need it, stay on it if it helps, go off if it doesn't help...each needs his/her meds to take care of their problems, not to try it out on us if we don't need it...i know medicine is an inexact science and testing is why thy call it 'practicing medicine', but overloading meds on us has negative effects that sometimes can't be fixed...o, my i have probably told you more than you wanted to know...but i cannot live without my lyrica...they tried it once in hospital and i had several nerves go ape____t on me...all the nurses would say was, '...i've heard those were extremely painful...' duh, they hurt like the devil...

Jump to this post

Cymbalta should help with your depression . I'm taking Cymbalta and 20 mg of Prozac so I'm doing good. Lyrica could take place of Gabentin but it's very expensive!

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edieguinn | @edieguinn | Oct 4, 2016

Yes. I'm trying walking in a pool and also a stretching class. Water therapy helps to a point. Tried meds and they didn't work. Numbness makes me feel like I'm going to fall. Shop in stores that have carts only

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3 replies
Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Oct 5, 2016
In reply to @grammydove "i have been on lyrica, gabapentin, for 4-5 yrs now...it was given to help with stress..." + (show)
@grammydove

i have been on lyrica, gabapentin, for 4-5 yrs now...it was given to help with stress episodes, panic attacks...the panic attacks have all but stopped, stress episodes have lessened that i can think more clearly now...they told me it would also help with the neuropathy and fibromyalgia...i am on 200mgs, three daily...i have been able to cut one of the midday pills every other day...there are times i need more and times that this dosage is comfortable...i use the pain patches and the tens unit sparingly since i'm allergic to the sticky stuff...i make a choice when to use either of them--break outs that last seemingly forever or a lessening of the pain...i fell from the drom deck of the semi truck, about 4 feet, onto my tailbone and fell on back and hit my upper spine and fell on back flipping my head onto the pavement...i crushed a peripheral nerve that comes off my L-4 or L-5...then on my cervical spine which has not been addressed...i haven't had anything to go with my medicare, so i have been unable to seek further help on my spine...i have ankylosing spondilitis and arthritis in my spine, so they say...my mom and dad both had RA, so i try to keep a watch on all of it...i feel that meds should be given to one, if they need it, stay on it if it helps, go off if it doesn't help...each needs his/her meds to take care of their problems, not to try it out on us if we don't need it...i know medicine is an inexact science and testing is why thy call it 'practicing medicine', but overloading meds on us has negative effects that sometimes can't be fixed...o, my i have probably told you more than you wanted to know...but i cannot live without my lyrica...they tried it once in hospital and i had several nerves go ape____t on me...all the nurses would say was, '...i've heard those were extremely painful...' duh, they hurt like the devil...

Jump to this post

I took Lyrica for a couple of weeks, and the side effects put me in the hospital for three days. With Medicare, it's no more expensive than any other med, which surprised me.

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berit | @berit | Oct 12, 2016

Hello, Folks.
I've read through the discussion and frankly i don't know whether I'm happy to have found some fellow sufferers or not. I have neuropathy on both feet - the burning, tingling kind - if I stand or walk for longer than 15 minutes. It was dxed as "slight" but if what I feel is "slight' I wouldn't want to know what moderate or severe feel like. I have had meds and shots and nothing has worked particularly well. Not being able to walk without pain has put a TREMENDOUS cramp in my lifestyle, which I am sure you folks would know all about. It sounds like nothing has worked particularly well for anyone, which is disheartening. I also have flat feet and arthritis in both feet and ankles which just compounds the problem. I saw a podiatrist last week who was very enthusiastic about braces. I'll be evaluated for those next week. I'm beyond caring if I look like a little old crippled lady . . . i just want to be able to walk around the block again - without pain, or at least pain at a level I can tolerate.

Wish me luck. I'm certainly hoping that at least some of you are feeling better than you were when you last posted.

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2 replies
grandmacheryl | @grandmacheryl | Oct 12, 2016

I hear you--I would just like to be able to walk around the block as well. Good luck, and be sure to let us know if the braces are of any help.

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1 reply
robertlclark | @robertlclark | Oct 12, 2016

My left foot burning pain has increased recently and not sure if it is another flare up or if my 1600 mg/day dosage of Gabapentin is not controlling the pain as well as it use to. Has anyone had experience with their medication not being as effective as time goes on? I pray everyone is having less pain.

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