Pain returns after standing or walking

Posted by cecelia19 @cecelia19, Nov 8 1:52am

I’m currently taking Gabapentin and amitriptyline which has helped, just breaking through in the evenings. It feels like I’ve entered a new phase in this. Now, after I stand or walk, even a little, no matter the time of day, the pain returns in my feet and shins. Then after I sit down for a while, it recedes.
Everything I read on posts, as well as my doctors, say how it is good for neuropathy to walk and stay active. I used to be very active. And now, it seems like the least of activity causes me pain.
Do any of you have this? Am I condemned to live the rest of my life on the sofa or in bed? I don’t know how to live this way.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

I sympathize. A few years ago, I could not imagine an inactive lifestyle, yet here I am. Even the smallest effort, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, is a cause for increased pain. And it’s not only my feet and legs. My hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders …. the changes in my life have been gradual, but can’t be denied. I avoid kitchen activities that require stirring, chopping, pulling heavy pots out from lower cabinets.
My forms of exercise now are riding my new e-bike (I’ve always been a neighborhood bike rider). The e-bike has a throttle that allows me to stop pedaling and keep moving. I also swim laps and do exercises in the pool. It’s my least favorite activity - wet swimsuit, locker room shower - but I’ve forced myself to do it. Then they closed the small Wellness Center 5 minutes from my house! I have to drive further, and share the pool with children’s swim lessons, and too many other swimmers. Good grief.
I also garden, just in a different way.
I hate the changes in my weight, muscle tone, and cardiovascular health. I miss taking a brisk walk. Yet here I am, surviving!

REPLY

My neuropathy is caused from arthritis and stenosis around L4-L5. Mine started out just like yours
After I was up for a while, then as soon as I got up. In a short period of time it was going up my foot. I couldn’t figure out why some days were so much worse than others. This week I saw a pain doctor, She said twisting and bending over makes it worse. I don’t feel immediately worse it will be later in the day . I

Be getting a shot next week nd if it help radio frequency , it doesn’t always help but I am praying it will.
A lot of things people take don’t help me.
Heat, virgin castor oil and frankincense help a lot.
Good luck.

REPLY

I can empathize with all you fellow PN suferers. It's sort of a Catch-22 situation. If you suffer from severe pain, the docs recommend exercising. But, what if the exercising ramps up your pain. You have to stop most activity to get back to "normal". I was so active, even up to age 73(currently at 77). I was cycling 30 to 50 miles per week; hiking a lot; doing gentle skiing a few times a week...you get the picture. In 2021 most of my neuropathic pain returned. In the spring of this year, the pain intensified, moving down into my feet. The burning pain makes if virtually impossible to walk without the burning pain ramping up. I wish there was a way for some of these smug pain docs to be able to live in our painful shoes for a day. Then, perhaps, they might be able to understand what we are going through and begin to really dig deeper into our pain and seriously look for alternate options. I get so disgusted by docs dismissing my pain after just ten minuted in the exam room.

REPLY

I too suffer with neuropathic pain most nights. I have it in my feet, but it can also be in my legs, arms and hands. If I do too much in the day it is much worse at night. I have had three spinal fusions, which came from a crushed L1.

REPLY

Dear all @cecelia19 and all,
First, my wife, Karen, has arthritics from her hand thru her legs. Pain is pain sometimes during the day and, hopefully when she sleeps
.
My pain is gone now. Before this, pains started 5 minutes standing up from my 2 rear-ends to the bottom on my feet for the last 2 years. Forget not meds; nothing helped me. A doctor knew of what I needed: one the bottom of my back to the very top of one side of my rear-end was a nerve on the top of my bone/side. He saw that on a picture. Thankfully, a surgery could move it back from my bone. My pain was gone.

Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956

PS: 10 years before that, I had/have a bicycle accident that moved from normal-living to a TBI member.

REPLY
@gregd1956

Dear all @cecelia19 and all,
First, my wife, Karen, has arthritics from her hand thru her legs. Pain is pain sometimes during the day and, hopefully when she sleeps
.
My pain is gone now. Before this, pains started 5 minutes standing up from my 2 rear-ends to the bottom on my feet for the last 2 years. Forget not meds; nothing helped me. A doctor knew of what I needed: one the bottom of my back to the very top of one side of my rear-end was a nerve on the top of my bone/side. He saw that on a picture. Thankfully, a surgery could move it back from my bone. My pain was gone.

Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956

PS: 10 years before that, I had/have a bicycle accident that moved from normal-living to a TBI member.

Jump to this post

You must have had a wonderful doctor to take the time to look into your pain and do the necessary testing and imaging to diagnose and fix your problem. I have similar pain due to a ski fall eight years ago. Severe buttock pain going down both legs to the tip of my toes. Do you remember what type of imaging they used to diagnose the nerve problem? I have been trying to get one of my pain docs to do something like that. Makes sense. Meds barely work; pain pump has offered no pain relief. I am at the end of my proverbially rope.
Thanks and best wishes.

REPLY
@mistymom

My neuropathy is caused from arthritis and stenosis around L4-L5. Mine started out just like yours
After I was up for a while, then as soon as I got up. In a short period of time it was going up my foot. I couldn’t figure out why some days were so much worse than others. This week I saw a pain doctor, She said twisting and bending over makes it worse. I don’t feel immediately worse it will be later in the day . I

Be getting a shot next week nd if it help radio frequency , it doesn’t always help but I am praying it will.
A lot of things people take don’t help me.
Heat, virgin castor oil and frankincense help a lot.
Good luck.

Jump to this post

Thank you for sharing. What kind of shot will you be getting?

REPLY

I am not sure. I try to find out more after I have it Wednesday.

REPLY
@heisenberg34

You must have had a wonderful doctor to take the time to look into your pain and do the necessary testing and imaging to diagnose and fix your problem. I have similar pain due to a ski fall eight years ago. Severe buttock pain going down both legs to the tip of my toes. Do you remember what type of imaging they used to diagnose the nerve problem? I have been trying to get one of my pain docs to do something like that. Makes sense. Meds barely work; pain pump has offered no pain relief. I am at the end of my proverbially rope.
Thanks and best wishes.

Jump to this post

Dear @heisenberg34
My Dr. A helped me but he was one of the Drs. 12 years ago for my accident. It took me with him again in 2024 he worked on a big nerve atop my bone (small 9ne) he moved my nerve back that git me when I fell down on my rear-ends.

The pain is gone, but that little falling on my rear-ends has hit my balance oon my right-foot. Little if any. Thankfully, 50% stoped pain.

Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956

REPLY
@gregd1956

Dear @heisenberg34
My Dr. A helped me but he was one of the Drs. 12 years ago for my accident. It took me with him again in 2024 he worked on a big nerve atop my bone (small 9ne) he moved my nerve back that git me when I fell down on my rear-ends.

The pain is gone, but that little falling on my rear-ends has hit my balance oon my right-foot. Little if any. Thankfully, 50% stoped pain.

Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956

Jump to this post

How did he find out that it was the nerve that was the issue?
How did he move the nerve?
Thanks!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.