Does anyone treat their neuropathy without big pharma drugs?

Posted by annashby @annashby, Feb 1 3:56pm

I’ve recently been diagnosed with neuropathy and given gabapentin for pain. I am concerned about the many side effects of this drug. I don’t know why I have this condition as I am not diabetic and have no pinched nerves in my spine. I’m 78 and pretty healthy except for this. I exercise at the gym 4-4 times a week and walk several miles when I don’t go to the Y.
Anyone have suggestions for me?

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

@kathyv66

Barefoot shoes tend not to have any pressure points. When my neuropathy was painful, I wore memory foam slippers everywhere (inside and outside). After months of accupuncture, the pain subsided but I still had sensitivity and numbness. Then I discovered Barefoot shoes and now that's all I wear. The numbness and sensitivity is still there but improved.

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Minimalist shoes are GREAT 👍

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@johnbishop

Hello @nfauser, Welcome to Connect. Thanks for sharing what helps you with your neuropathy symptoms. I shared my neuropathy journey along with other members in another discussion here - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/member-neuoropathy-journey-stories-whats-yours/.

How long have you been dealing with neuropathy?

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It started very slowly, I would guess about 10 years.

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@nfauser

I have MANY strategies for coping w Peripheral Neuropathy. I do take Alpha Lipoic Acid & Pregabulin (Gabapentin dod not help at all). I have had 12 acupuncture treatments and they helped. The weather is allowing me to ride my recumbent trike late afternoon and it helps. I also save my afternoon & evening dishes for late evening. I try to keep moving until 10 ish pm which helps w the pain. It was quite an adjustment for me to be active until almost bedtime. I am 79 yo As I am typing this I'm soaking my feet in Epson Salts. Wearing shoes and having my feet covered is painful so I keep my feet uncovered during the night. Sometimes I use Volutran. Soaking my feet in cool water helps too or rubbing my feet w a wet cold wash cloth w ice cubes is soothing for me. I am usually sitting on a hard chair. Soft chairs make the PN worse and even causes my fanny to go numb.

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👍Epsom salts are awesome!

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@wendyhobbie

👍Epsom salts are awesome!

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How much Epsom salts do you put in the water (per gallon)? How of ten do you soak your feet? Thanks.

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@wendyhobbie

👍Epsom salts are awesome!

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I'm 78 now. I will be 79 in April. I have had neuropathy problems for many years. My brother has it also and both of his legs and feet are numb. I came upon products from a company called Juice Plus about 5-6 years ago. Their products are organic fruits and vegetables in capsules. Each capsule has multiple servings in it. They have ones that have the berries in them. I started out taking 2 a day. That's the normal dose. After 6 weeks I noticed that I could feel my toes better. I'm up to 5-6 a day now. I ran out of them a little while ago and didn't order them for a while. I ended up regretting that because my legs also started having problems. It's taken about 3 weeks to get back to where I was before. I don't sell the Juice Plus products. They do cost a bit but they work! I work at being on a low carb diet because sugar and carbs cause inflammation.
A friend related that he read that it's that we get too much insulin and that's what causes the neuropathy. My pancreas does give off too much insulin but the low carb diet helps to decrease the output. I hope that this helps someone.

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For burning in hands and feet and for sensitive, tender areas of skin, I use NOW Solutions magnesium chloride flakes (vitacost.com/now-solutions-magnesium-flakes). Magnesium chloride is more readily absorbed than the magnesium sulfite of Epsom Salt.

I use these magnesium flakes in my bath instead of epsom salt. The amount to use is listed on the label.

A more handy way to use magnesium flakes is filling a spritzer bottle half full of magnesium flakes and then filling the bottle with room-temperature filtered or distilled water. Shake and let magnesium dissolve. Spray it on and rub it in. Let it absorb for 20 minutes, and then rinse it off. Leaving it on for more than 20 minutes has little benefit and is pretty sticky.

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I get the most relief from eliminating the foods known to irritate nerves (gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, brown rice) and taking supplements like (NAC, 5-HTP, Co-Q10, R-ALA, magnesium glycinate) and natural herbal tinctures that support and calm the central nervous system and help nerves recover (tinctures of milky oat, milk thistle, ashwagandha, ginkgo, gotu kola, hops, and California poppy).

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@inmagic

For burning in hands and feet and for sensitive, tender areas of skin, I use NOW Solutions magnesium chloride flakes (vitacost.com/now-solutions-magnesium-flakes). Magnesium chloride is more readily absorbed than the magnesium sulfite of Epsom Salt.

I use these magnesium flakes in my bath instead of epsom salt. The amount to use is listed on the label.

A more handy way to use magnesium flakes is filling a spritzer bottle half full of magnesium flakes and then filling the bottle with room-temperature filtered or distilled water. Shake and let magnesium dissolve. Spray it on and rub it in. Let it absorb for 20 minutes, and then rinse it off. Leaving it on for more than 20 minutes has little benefit and is pretty sticky.

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It was taking the drug Ciprofloxin for a water infection that created the neuropathy in my hands and feet. After being left with tinnitus through having another antibiotic I realised that being ultra sensitive and with so many side effects to drugs I had to look for an alternative solution.
I also use magnesium flakes when taking a bath or soaking my feet when sensitive and painful. I also take magnesium tablets daily.
I realise that if we put our attention on the pain it seems to magnify and starts becoming all consuming creating other parts of our body (where we have problems) to awaken and be painful also.
So, after I have soaked my feet in magnesium salts I gently massage my feet (imaging that I am gently comforting a child) then gently cream them. It may sound bizarre but it actually calms the nerves of the foot down; all you are doing is calming the self without taking drugs.
Practicing mindfulness, meditation and calming the body are all ways of calming the nervous system down.
I hope these few words help others.

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@dilekce

It was taking the drug Ciprofloxin for a water infection that created the neuropathy in my hands and feet. After being left with tinnitus through having another antibiotic I realised that being ultra sensitive and with so many side effects to drugs I had to look for an alternative solution.
I also use magnesium flakes when taking a bath or soaking my feet when sensitive and painful. I also take magnesium tablets daily.
I realise that if we put our attention on the pain it seems to magnify and starts becoming all consuming creating other parts of our body (where we have problems) to awaken and be painful also.
So, after I have soaked my feet in magnesium salts I gently massage my feet (imaging that I am gently comforting a child) then gently cream them. It may sound bizarre but it actually calms the nerves of the foot down; all you are doing is calming the self without taking drugs.
Practicing mindfulness, meditation and calming the body are all ways of calming the nervous system down.
I hope these few words help others.

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Yes, continually exploring the options. Number 1, I practice piano. It’s amazing how that takes the pain away!
Secondly, an “experimental” treatment I heard of that’s available in my area is a device used by some physical therapists (WYNBAC.) it’s a type of electro-thermal-magical Rx that appears to be very easy to use, “reported to be” effective. I haven’t tried it yet but probably will soon. Of course insurance won’t cover it as yet. Cost for 6 sessions, which they say will tell you a lot, is approx $600.
Lastly, to maintain a positive mental attitude I limit my attention to politics to approx half hour 1x every other day! It’s a constant research trial here for me. But this winter I’m managing about 5x better than last year.

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