In 2000 , I was moved 1500 miles to take charge of a struggling office. The job was stressful and I had no friends in the area. Soon I began drinking everyday. Eventually it became a problem. A few years later I was at a funeral when I noticed a tingling in my feet and shins , I had no idea what was going on but I ignored the problem. Within 5 years, I had a serious problem with movement, with numbness and with pain. It got to a point that the first thing I did when I came home from work was to slam a couple drinks to dull the pain/ tightness. I had no idea what was happening but I did suspect alcohol, however I was deep into addiction.
One day I found myself at St Mary’s, I had acities, liver and kidney failure . I quit drinking. By now the tingling was in my hands and basically I couldn’t feel anything from my knees down, I have had bad wounds on my feet , felt nothing.
I started exercising, walking on a treadmill holding the sides, biking, etc. Eventually I was taking 20k steps per day. I found myself able to move and get around normally, however the tightness and pain and evening issues still exist. I had mentioned this to my doctor but she sort of ignored it and I didn’t press it till about 6 months ago when the frustration was overwhelming me. They put me on gabbapentin, doesn’t do anything for me , in fact no supplements do anything. I have been to a neurologist, had MRI’s , doesn’t seem like there is much if anything they can do , now that their tuning forks show that I have no feeling below my knees. Not sure of anyone else but some days it really gets to me, the constant reminder that gets to me.
Recently I took some time off from exorcise ( just a couple days) and bam, like I went back in time to being uncoordinated and walking stiff legged. Like backwards 7 years. So now I wonder do I need to walk 8 miles a day to stave off these symptoms? Will I eventually not be able to walk should I stop exercise? I haven’t had any swelling in my legs or ankles since I started exercising, will that come back if I stop? Turning 60 shortly, doesn’t really seem like the health professionals in my life have no answers other than to tell me “it’s possible”. No matter what happens, I wouldn’t change the 5 year reprieve I have had from the most challenging aspects of it, which is movement.