Driving kills my feet! Numbness and cramping

Hi. The most confusing and frustrating part of SFN, for me, has been and continues to be the layers of the disease. Keeping in mind, each persons case may be different.

My neuropathy came in slow (almost 4 years ago) then fast and furious (over a year ago). It has brought pain, aching, stabbing, burning (internal and external), throbbing, tingling, pins, needles, zaps, sun burning, numbness, cramping, muscle weakness, muscle twitching, vibrations, spasms,..I could go on and don't mean to alarm anyone but it's the only way I can explain layers. Some layers I no longer have thanks to Lyrica, some have never left, some have gotten worse.

To answer your specific question...I can no longer drive but when I was trying to, I found ways such as only short distance, putting car in park while at red lights, using cruise control to free me legs/feet and driving with my left foot (little dangerous) as my right foot was worse. Proceed with caution!

This may not happen to you and I truly hope it does not. Remember we're all different.

Some basic steps to try for relief may be topicals, ice, heat, stretching, massage and rest. Although, I have found it's helpful to have the right balance of rest verses activity

Best of luck to you. Be well.
Rachel

@adrianna143

I've had SFPN for more than ten years, first with tingling in my feet, then numbness and around 5 years ago the burning pain kicked in. I have some good doctors, but no medication has helped significantly with the pain. I shouldn't say none of them helped. Lyrica was starting to give me some pain relief, but before I made it up to the full dosage my body reacted dramatically - incoherent, memory loss, couldn't complete a sentence - went to the ER and was admitted for a few days. Bummer. A spinal cord stimulator implant in June of 2017 relieved 75% of the pain. It was wonderful to experience the near absence of pain. Along with morphine sulfate contin, it made life easier for a year. The effectiveness of the stimulator decreased after the first year, and meant that I have to have the settings adjusted every 3 months. I still have a lot of pain, but I believe it would be much worse without medication and the stimulator.

Driving is painful. Thank God for cruise control! It allows me to move my feet around, searching for a position of comfort, which only lasts for a few minutes. Standing still seems to hurt a little more than walking, but lying in bed or the recliner with my feet up is the worst. A day in town for a doctor appointment (4 days this week) and some shopping becomes painful before very long. I browse through stores much more quickly these days.

And now I'm starting to feel the signs of autonomic neuropathy. I didn't need that added to my list of ailments. I often read references here to the interweaving of physical problems and mental health. I found a therapist, and had my first session with him today, after 6+ months of not being able to see one. I've been treated for major depression since 2002, but I didn't start seeing a therapist until I was in deep trouble, down farther and farther into a black hole, and attempting suicide. I can vouch for the fact that pain and depression often feed off each other and the effect is cumulative.

I'm certainly helped by all of the good people here in Connect. I've learned a lot about a wide variety of subjects, from aftercare for a toenail removal to surviving major organ transplants. I'm thankful for the encouragement and support that's been offered to me. It's made my life more bearable.

Jim