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Thank you Ray. I had read posts from you in the past regarding neuropathy
and sepsis. Quite the trial you are dealing with. 🫂
My biggest problem is balance or lack there of. It never is not a big
problem for me. I have used many tactics you mentioned and practice
prescribed excercises virtual every couple waking hours. My second biggest
problem is paresthesia in both my feet. Worse on L and up my entire left
leg to the middle of my body. Not pain exactly but burny and skin feels raw
- definitely worse in evening and very hard to ignore. Have tried
duclofenac tabs, ibuprofen and gable and Lyrica. Ibuprofen works as well
with less side effects. Cold packs to worst areas(at tge time) works pretty
good for me. My husband massages my feet and legs literally every night.
3rd biggest problem is worsening tremors of both hands. Betablocker seems
only thing that lessens the tremors, but it lowers my heart rate too much.
I usually only take it in a reduced dose (1/4) for when I'm going to be out
and about. These are not resting tremors, but rather action related. Very,
very annoying.
4th biggest problem is residual partial footdrop in my L foot. Combined
with my balance issue, it is completely nerve-wracking. LOL.
Other then those things, I'm great. I have good vision, hearing, I can
drive, I can walk steps again, and I have good strength in every other part
of my body. So I count my blessings but still totally miss things I can no
longer do. I try not to focus on those.Thanks for letting me process in
concrete language.
Warmest regards,
Ann
Replies to "Thank you Ray. I had read posts from you in the past regarding neuropathy and sepsis...."
Good morning, Ann (@amkie)
I can also say that balance is my biggest problem. I mention poor endurance—shortness of breath, finding myself surprised at the oddest times by the need to sit or lie down, my knees being terribly weak—but poor endurance runs a distant second to the problem I have with my balance.
For my weak and often achy knees, I do take a diclofenac tab (75 mgs, I believe) twice a day. That, plus an occasional gel shot deep in my left knee (my right knee is prosthetic), has made reliance on my knees survivable, if still problematic.
You mention residual foot drop … to which I could shout, ‘Me, too!’ Some 15-20 years ago, I had a case of foot drop. I wore a Velcro brace for a month or so; the drop lessened almost totally, but to this day, I have moments when I know I still have some residual foot drop.
There’s so much more I would like to say, but I see the morning is getting on, and I’d best get this day underway. I wish you a pleasant, pain-free, spirit-ascending day.
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)
Hi, @amkie ! Have you tried using a foot brace to help with your drop foot and balance. If you check on Amazon, you can find some for less than $35/each... made of polystyrene, so they are very light. And the nice thing about Amazon is that if they don't work for you, you can easily return them. AFO foot brace has helped me a great deal with balance. Might be worth a try if you have not already. The brand I tried from Amazon were "Swiss," though they were probably made in China. 🙂 Search for AFO foot brace for drop foot. It's amazing how much these help with balance. Best wishes! Mike
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You asked what worked for me. I take Tegretol for my burning pain. You can read my story about that on here. Basically my neuropathy pain started when I stopped taking Tegretol in 2014. I had been on it for many years (30?) for complex partial seizures. It took me years to connect these two things. I tried all the standard neuropathy drugs. A few years ago, I asked to try Tegretol again. My burning pain is 90% controlled.
As far as why I’m getting weaker, that’s harder to figure out. When I’m active, every tiny muscle is screaming. The neuropathy is progressing, as expected. My sister has the same symptoms.