Hi, Susan (@scain),
I appreciate your trust in the length of time I've had PN, but that really has nothing to do with what will or won't work for you. Bummer, I know. Yes, the Tramadol is for pain, along with Pregabalin ~ but I'm not sure I can compartmentalize which does exactly what.
Actually, I was not medically diagnosed until an EMG in 2021. And I wouldn't have known to have that test had it not been ordered by the orthopedic surgeon who operated on my back a month later. Knowing what I do now, I am sure that the surgery was responsible for worsening the neuropathy that I'd had all those years but which had gone undiagnosed (and therefore untreated except for an over-the-counter eucaliptus/menthol spray for the burning), and that my surgeon was smart enough to have a record of the diagnosis before performing the procedure.
From what I have been able to discern from the comments here on Connect, the EMG would tell you, among other things, whether yours is Short Fiber or Long Fiber. It seems to make a difference as to which treatments prove more effective.
I have noticed that over the years, the symptoms that present themselves seem to cycle, or come and go. Many years ago one thing that drove me crazy was an itching so deep inside my heels that nothing could relieve it. Then for many years that seemed to go away and be replaced by terrible pain that kept me up almost all night. Now, with pain almost completely under control, the itching has reappeared occasionally, and mobility and balance are daily challenges. Go figure!
I wish you all good things as you seek information and answers! It's not always easy or straight-forward.
Barb