1. < Neuropathy

Increasingly Difficult to Accept Peripheral Neuropathy

Posted by fisbo @fisbo, Oct 10, 2022

I am finding it increasingly difficult to accept peripheral neuropathy it's all very well people coming up with suggestions but carrying them out is quite another. I am no longer who I was and think I am boring and miserable because I am now. Pain takes over and I have become fearful nervous prone to panic attacks which are awful because I start to shake with worrying about the future. I have other worries anyway but if this damned PN would go away it would help.

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carolynhughes75 | @carolynhughes75 | 1 day ago
In reply to @michhino "______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I'm 58. I am a diabetic since 2017 and peripheral neuropathy started with my feet..." + (show)
@michhino

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm 58. I am a diabetic since 2017 and peripheral neuropathy started with my feet (tingling, numb, painful nerve discomfort, etc..). Until this day(2025), I have been dealing with incurable, unmanageable, uncontrollable diabetes II and painful body peripheral neuropathy from feet, legs, waist and hands starting to become more and more numb especially feet as I have to wear two soft socks. And fell 5 times as legs went dead as no longer functioned properly. This was the most terrifying and scary feeling as I thought became suddenly paralyzed.

After 8 years with such painful conditions, you DO NOT want the neuropathy (PN-nerve damage) to grow, spread and affect your entire feet, calves, thighs, waist and hands as it is an extremely terrible feeling along with an uneasy painful and frustrating state of mind, major anxiety, stress, sleepless nights, nervousness with daily activities, etc.. And not to mention, impotent for the last 7 years and specialized doctor(s) want 20K to make you believe that they can help with it. I declined!

Sadly, advise for these serious mental and health complications and conditions were experienced as "NO CURE" ! The final solution mentioned by Neurologist was to amputate feet, and legs, and maybe hands. I could not live with myself with such a decision. I will continue to endure and suffer which I have accepted to convince my mind this nasty discomfort is strictly a part of my remaining style way of my life and golden years.

As I feel discomfort and pain, I purchased a 3 year dog (German Shepherd) to help encourage, smile, and walk at least 4 times a week which helps body, muscles, and seldomly nerves but still painful. He is amazing! I seriously regret not adopting a dog many years ago...

Sadly, I found NO devices, creams, massagers, meds, specialist, doctors, etc. to ultimately eliminate nor majorly reduce the discomfort and sleepless nights of Peripheral Neuropathy not to mention diabetes II(except for short/long term insulin to lower blood sugars on a daily basis). Again, I molded and learned to ignore both awful symptoms as it has been a part of my remaining life. An extremely sad way to live into your golden years.....

My advice is to eat healthy, "exercise', possibly adopt a pet for serious encouragement, and most definitely "Save your Money"…! As far as diabetes, I take insulin each day and eat healthy to help maintain blood sugars and when very low or high, PN brings out more of the dreadful and nasty pain in feet, legs and waist plus hands. And ultimately alters and brings extremely sad moments in my mind in which I try to fall asleep with sleepy pills and when at work must excuse myself some way to regain some control.........

My very temporary relief is 'icy hot' cream rubbed around feet, legs, hips, and hands which becomes expensive $12 week or two. With lengthy research, studies, doctors, specialist, I am still with the discomfort and pain as I found 'no cure.' We can place a person on the moon but can not find a cure for PN which I sometimes feel my life is pretty much over.

i do not mean to scare anyone but this is simply my long dreadful experience with PN.

My prayers are with all of you …

Jump to this post

SKY, try Willow Balm cream. I like it better than IcyHot.

REPLY
arcuri24 | @arcuri24 | 1 day ago
In reply to @michhino "______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I'm 58. I am a diabetic since 2017 and peripheral neuropathy started with my feet..." + (show)
@michhino

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm 58. I am a diabetic since 2017 and peripheral neuropathy started with my feet (tingling, numb, painful nerve discomfort, etc..). Until this day(2025), I have been dealing with incurable, unmanageable, uncontrollable diabetes II and painful body peripheral neuropathy from feet, legs, waist and hands starting to become more and more numb especially feet as I have to wear two soft socks. And fell 5 times as legs went dead as no longer functioned properly. This was the most terrifying and scary feeling as I thought became suddenly paralyzed.

After 8 years with such painful conditions, you DO NOT want the neuropathy (PN-nerve damage) to grow, spread and affect your entire feet, calves, thighs, waist and hands as it is an extremely terrible feeling along with an uneasy painful and frustrating state of mind, major anxiety, stress, sleepless nights, nervousness with daily activities, etc.. And not to mention, impotent for the last 7 years and specialized doctor(s) want 20K to make you believe that they can help with it. I declined!

Sadly, advise for these serious mental and health complications and conditions were experienced as "NO CURE" ! The final solution mentioned by Neurologist was to amputate feet, and legs, and maybe hands. I could not live with myself with such a decision. I will continue to endure and suffer which I have accepted to convince my mind this nasty discomfort is strictly a part of my remaining style way of my life and golden years.

As I feel discomfort and pain, I purchased a 3 year dog (German Shepherd) to help encourage, smile, and walk at least 4 times a week which helps body, muscles, and seldomly nerves but still painful. He is amazing! I seriously regret not adopting a dog many years ago...

Sadly, I found NO devices, creams, massagers, meds, specialist, doctors, etc. to ultimately eliminate nor majorly reduce the discomfort and sleepless nights of Peripheral Neuropathy not to mention diabetes II(except for short/long term insulin to lower blood sugars on a daily basis). Again, I molded and learned to ignore both awful symptoms as it has been a part of my remaining life. An extremely sad way to live into your golden years.....

My advice is to eat healthy, "exercise', possibly adopt a pet for serious encouragement, and most definitely "Save your Money"…! As far as diabetes, I take insulin each day and eat healthy to help maintain blood sugars and when very low or high, PN brings out more of the dreadful and nasty pain in feet, legs and waist plus hands. And ultimately alters and brings extremely sad moments in my mind in which I try to fall asleep with sleepy pills and when at work must excuse myself some way to regain some control.........

My very temporary relief is 'icy hot' cream rubbed around feet, legs, hips, and hands which becomes expensive $12 week or two. With lengthy research, studies, doctors, specialist, I am still with the discomfort and pain as I found 'no cure.' We can place a person on the moon but can not find a cure for PN which I sometimes feel my life is pretty much over.

i do not mean to scare anyone but this is simply my long dreadful experience with PN.

My prayers are with all of you …

Jump to this post

Thank you for sharing with us. It sounds like you are mixed--I hear despair but also that you are far from willing to give up. Getting a dog will bring you comfort and exercise. I have an 8 lb poodle and we go out for walks 4X per day. As for putting a man on the moon, scientists now seem to know a great deal of how aging affects us on a cellular level and how anti-aging might become a reality in the foreseeable future--so why can't they address PN more successfully. I am very fortunate to find the cause of my PN-celiac disease--it took several months to get there--my neurologist did a blood test so now I have dropped everything gluten and feel better. Do not give up! And, I use a generic version of Icy Hot for lower back pain--better than Lidocaine and costs only $1.79. You can find it in your local 99cent stores. I wish you the best.

REPLY
margitdill | @margitdill | 17 hours ago
In reply to @julbpat "I recently realized one of the big changes this illness has caused - my self-confidence is..." + (show)
@julbpat

I recently realized one of the big changes this illness has caused - my self-confidence is badly damaged. I’ve always been a leader, doer, expert in my professional field. All that is gone.
I told one of my long time friends recently “ the old Julie is gone. This is the new Julie”. Because I don’t complain, they don’t understand. And maybe they don’t want to see what could happen to any of them. Maybe they think I’m exaggerating.
But … not to further depress you, fisbo. In spite of this, life is pretty good. And I can always find someone with worse problems, right?
But it sounds like you are not at the acceptance stage, and that’s okay. Don’t give up - you don’t have to live in terrible pain. You just haven’t been given the right treatment yet.

Jump to this post

Wow … I know this feeling. I have said: “the old Maggie is gone and I don’t know where she is.” (I have stage 4 cervical cancer and I’m dealing with neuropathy from chemo, among other issues.) I am dealing with defining my new identity and limitations within that identity. Thank you.

REPLY
Ray Kemble | @ray666 | 16 hours ago

Good morning, margitdill (@margitdill)

Yours is a tough one, no question about that, but the essentials are ones to which most of us can relate: That puzzling morning when we look in the mirror and ask ourselves, "Who is this person?" Most of my life, my identity has been in flux; never, however, as confounding as it was in the first five or six months following my PN diagnosis.

You say, "neuropathy from chemo." It may be of little consolation, but I've a good friend who's been doing chemo since the fall of last year, She, too, developed PN symptoms. (My PN is idiopathic.) Knowing I, too, had PN, we would meet to exchange "tips." Recently, she has told me that––although she continues with her chemo––her PN symptoms have vanished.

Your post will remain with me throughout today, margitdill, and most likely for many days to come.

Cheers! … and I mean that most earnestly.
Ray (@ray666)

REPLY
margitdill | @margitdill | 15 hours ago

Wow … that is great news from your friend. Very encouraging…thank you!

REPLY
txgbear2 | @txgbear2 | 14 hours ago

I wish I had some good things to say and recommend. I'm just angry most of the time honestly. Type 3c diabetes caused peripheral neuropathy from knees down, bilaterally. No balance, having trouble walking more and more everyday. Falling a lot. My ray of sunshine is that I know many of you are dealing with severe pain with your neuropathy. I have no pain, completely numb, no feeling at all, so I feel lucky. Not sure if the pain many of you are feeling is in my rear view mirror, or still in front of me. The sage old advice "one foot in front of the other" is so true at this point. I'm working out as much as possible, and getting assisted strteching in an attempt to maintain mobility as long as I can. Thanks for welcoming me here. It's great to have a resource like this

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