Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group

@SusanEllen66
My brother has done some research into family background. All of the "elders" are gone from this earth. I guess your brother in law wanted to escape Tito. My grandmother came here as a young woman before any communism took root there. I remember one of my male relatives was turned away at Ellis Island due to possible TB.

I am now sitting here with some kind of rash on my face and I think it was due to wearing a lidocaine patch on my shin which was also causing my heart to race. I feel better now that I removed it. I guess I am in a very hypersensitive group and it seems that my tolerance for medicines is nil. Luckily, my shin seems to be healing. In the future, I will be very careful in selecting doctors and procedures. My trust in them has waned and their networks are an annoyance.

It is almost puzzle time as a heat dome is coming to my part of the country. With my condition the high humidity presents challenges so better to stay indoors with AC. Do I dare attempt a 1000 piece puzzle?

@arcuri24
A thousand piece puzzle would drive me stark raving mad. If I did any type of puzzle, I would have to enlist the help of a good stout hammer.
Jake

I am scared to do the 1000 piece puzzles. I have done 350 and 500 with success. The 1000s were given to me by a friend who was ever so kind to me. She passed away in May and I will miss her. I donated money to a dog rescue group where she had volunteered but perhaps doing the puzzle would be a way of paying tribute. Additionally, summer is here and a heat wave is coming so this will be a way of passing time indoors. It was just as confining in the winter months when the temps dropped into single digits. With autoimmune disease extreme weather is challenging so I will try to go with the flow--a challenging puzzle. It helps keep the mind young and humming, Jake. Try it!

@bigslicksco
I also have diabetic neuropathy and have had some relief by taking Alpha-lipoic acid 600 mg and WesTab One which is a prescribed B vitamin and use Mama Bear Oasis cream on my feet in the evening which all have helped quite a bit. I am much more able to cope with my situation since using these supplements now for about four months. That with prayer daily helps me get by. Almost 80.

@arcuri24 I was able to do 1000 until the arthritis in my fingers caused me to drop the pieces. I just finished a 500, but I’m going to need to go down again.

I have a puzzle board that you can elevate in the back. The pieces stick to the material. I don’t have to bend y neck over the puzzle.

Weather, we all have it whether we want to or not 😀
I live in the very hot desert southwest. It’s been rather cool for June. I think the bad stuff is coming soon. We should be around 112° or so now.

Off to sleep, this old body needs more than I’m giving it.

I am well aware of the problems with neck and back pains when doing a puzzle. Plus, it takes up a good deal of space on my table. The puzzle board sounds like a plan. The gurus do say that the southwest is one of the best regions to live in for people with aches and pains. Here in NYC we had a cool and somewhat wet June. There is a water deficit here so rain helps with plants. The heat will arrive here mid-week and I am ready to pay a higher electric bill to keep the dog comfortable. I doubt we will see 112 but 101 around here can be difficult. I am also getting bitten up by mosquitos. I had to stop using the lidocaine patch as an area of my face developed a hive-like condition but fortunately, my leg feels better. I am going to try to keep using the sneakers even though it gets hot as they support my spine. The sandals I wore earlier today must go.

I think I will try for a 350 piece of a chromatic chameleon. They know how to keep cool.

Hello I am trying to understand Neuropathy - not been confirmed I am type 2 Diabetic and think it is connected to that - started having pricking pains in big toes years a go and thought nothing of it - then finding I was loosing some balance and carried an umbrella at first to occasional steady my self - it has got worse feel like am walking though a sandy beach my feet just don't feel right - I get very Itchy Toes in a morning on the top of them and twinges - cannot understand why there is not more said about it and why there seems to be nothing to help or stop it in these times - any information on what I can do to help this will be most welcome

Hello @catwoman50, Welcome to Connect. I'm not diabetic but have been in the pre-diabetes category for most of my adult life and have suspected it may be partially the reason why I have neuropathy although I have been diagnosed (sort of) with idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy. I don't have any pain but do have the numbness and some tingling which does cause me to have balance problems. The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy has a YouTube channel with a few webinars on diabetic neuropathy and foot and balance problems. They are great for learning more about the condition. Here's a link to the videos - https://www.youtube.com/@foundationforperipheralneu4122/search,

There are also quite a few discussions on diabetic neuropathy what helps where you can learn what others have shared - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/

Have you tried any exercise or therapy to help with the balance related issues?

LDN. Has anyone had success in using for Neuropathy? Larry.

Hello @larry0621, Welcome to Connect. I haven't used Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) but I only have numbness with my neuropathy. There is a discussion on LDN that might be helpful to learn what others have shared:
-- Low Dose Naltrexone: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/low-dose-naltrexone-2/

Do you have pain with your neuropathy?