Is loss of balance your primary complaint with neuropathy ?

rollo8, thanks for all the shoe information. I think stimulation for the fee can increase circulation.
Ankle rolls when lying down toe rises when sitting and and standing. It occurs to me that your b12 supplement may be a little high. Excess B12 can cause peripheral numbness. We absorb about half of a 500mcg dose. The rda for women is 2.4mcg to 2.8mcg. There is no upper limit, but you might have a serum level tested in case you have intrinsic factor deficiency.
I might try compression leggings to increase circulation.
Then there are the circulation foods: beets, ginger, garlic.
Let us know about the zero sunrise shoes, when you get around to opening them.
It might be good to have a biopsy to determine if it is small vessel disease.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9998520/

Thank you for your response. Neuro told me I don’t fit the profile for a biopsy, because I really have no complaint of pain. I’ve also read that I don’t fit the profile of SFN.
Yes, my B12 is high, but told by both primary and neuro that it is water soluble and the body will use what it needs. Lordy! I have read that it can cause neuropathy too.
No one with can definitively state what my problem is. Is it even neuropathy?
What you seek to know, can be found on the internet, depending on how you ask the question. By that, I mean, there is ‘evidence’ for everything that ‘may help’.
I am doing my toe exercises. I watched videos for stretching and flexing the toes, and feel they have helped with the curled toe feeling. I wore the Zero slippers all day, no socks. Didn’t have any weird sensations with them on. Used a small step stool, standing on the bottom rung, and put a new smoke alarm near the ceiling in the kitchen. Hard to tell if my feet were on that lower step or on the floor. I had to look.
Slow and easy. Will continue with what seems to help. And, read here, what others have found helpful.

@rollo8
I just bought a pair of Hoka shoes and insoles and my balance is worse than in my New Balance, SAS & Mephistos.
I read a review that it took a guy 3 months to break them in. Did your Hokas help right away or did you have to break them in. So which style Hokas did you get?
Thank you,
Jake

I was wearing Altra and Sketchers for the wider toe box, for comfort. When I first felt like I was losing some balance, I started reading. The Hoka Clifton 9 and the Bondi 9 were the ones that were recommended most often for a woman my age for stability and balance while walking. Also the Hoka Arahi 7. Dick’s Sporting Goods only had the Clifton and the Arahi in stock. I walked around their store in both shoes, switching back and forth and liked the Clifton 9. I actually have two pairs, because I wanted an all black shoe too. I did not need to break them in. Now, my balance has gotten worse in just the last 4 months or so, and I cannot walk at all in the Altras or the Sketchers. I still like the Hoka Clifton. I walk very slowly until I can get a shopping cart in my hands. A cane would probably help, but I am not ready yet.
Today I wore the Zero brand natural shoe, Sunrise style, in the house, instead of socks with nonslip treads. Experimenting with training my feet to ‘feel’ the surface I am walking on. I did not have any weird sensations in my feet today, but will have to evaluate further to determine if they improve my balance.
I have tried insoles for a high arch but I don’t even notice my arches now that I have this balance problem. Every day I scroll and look for answers, and I want to hear what has worked for others in this group. I need to research stimulating insoles for use in my Hokas. It is a journey. If you bought your shoes in a store, you could go back and possibly compare with other models. Up until I bought the Hokas, I bought shoes online and returned them if they didn’t work out. But, getting in the store is a better way to compare. Dick’s was close to me and had the two models. But, I don’t believe they had anyone who could answer questions.
I hope you find some relief.

Yes, balance is difficult. Ask PT what exercises you can do to help.

I have had neuropothy for about 8 yrs. Numbness in feet and calves but only to a lesser degree. I have not been able to walk in barefeet for about the same amount of time, feel like I am walking on sharp stones. My balance issue started 3 yrs ago. I was at a party, had 1/2 glass of wine when I felt I needed to put my finger on counter to steady myself, no I was not dizzy. As soon as I put my fingers on counter I was fine. My balance has worsened since then, no cane yet. Well I do use a cane if going to an event with lots of people. I find exercise and shoes Hoka Bondis with Powerstep insoles have been a tremendous help for me. In my opinion,Neurologists just dont know much about neuropathy, they just wing it. Ive been through 4 with absolutely no answers. The last one just last week, prescribed Lanocaine 4% for pain that I get about once every month in my thighs. CVS called and said that the same script is available over the counter and alot cheaper. He never told me to make another appt. I think that he just could not answer my simple questions and did not want me back. Who knows. I find more info on Mayo Connect!!! Thank You All!!

Yes. I agree. Neurologists really are clueless on the subject. And, neurologists are in such demand, they don’t have the time to see people they know they cannot help. The concept of numbness and imbalance, as your main complaint, just doesn’t register. Gabapentin was prescribed by both my primary and neuro. I didn’t fill the prescriptions.
Oddly, I had the ‘walking on stones pain’ when walking in the house in slipper socks, about 6 months before noticing some numbness, then balance problems. Don’t have that pain at all now. And, balance is improved if I can hold onto something, like a shopping cart. Someone else, on this site, said that about a shopping cart. Second day with the Zero shoes, no socks. Only in the house. A support group is the way to go.

I can walk much better when pushing a shopping cart.

Balance issues are one of the biggest concerns as my neuropathy continues to progress. I've been retired on permanent disability for almost 10 years now, primarily due to the osteoarthritis in my knees and hips, but also because of the early signs of neuropathy in my feet.
Now, the idiopathic poly neuropathy(my diagnosis) is getting more severe, and walking is becoming harder and harder to do for any length of time. If I choose to try walking for any length of time outdoors, I've been using a walking stick, to maintain my balance, and to give me something to lean on for a few years now.
I occasionally catch myself falling backwards because I can't feel the soles of my feet anymore.

I've had good results with VoxxLife patches. They are expensive but they work to help with my balance. I can make one last for 48 hours. I got peripheral neuropathy from chemo. I'm 83.