@jordchud62

Welcome!

I am @grandmar, also known as Ronnie.
I have been diagnosed with neuropathy (I don't know what kind) and I have been suffering from generalized anxiety since I was a VERY YOUNG child.

I was just diagnosed with neuropathy a couple of months ago. Since I had 2 spinal surgeries within 7 months of each other, I really didn't notice that thinks were happening. I fell a several times, but hit the ground only twice. I assumed it was related to the recovery of my surgeries and the pain and pain meds I was taking.

I noticed back in June that when I sat with my feet flat on the ground, my right foot would not sway left to right/right to left. I also noticed that I had difficulty lifting my toes from that position. Long story short, my right big toe does not move at all and my foot drags, especially at the end of the day. I am walking with a cane and I will be getting a brace for my right leg in a few weeks. I am fortunate that I have not developed any pain like many others have.

As for my left foot, I have some neuropathy there, too, but not to extent of the right foot. I've had an EMG and I have significant nerve damage at S1 and L4. This can be impacting the neuropathy. So, for now, I go on. I am going to see a vascular doctor to get some other ideas. In the meanwhile, I've bee to a theraputic masseuse twice, who has been working on me. I got my toes moving a little bit.

Now for the anxiety.......
I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety more than 10 years ago. But as I said before, I've had it since I was VERY YOUNG. I used to get up from a sound sleep, with my body quivering non-stop. I wasn't cold! I'd call for my mom who would come to me an 'talk me down.' Then, in my thirties, it got worse. I'd get dizzy, my chest would hurt and my body would quiver. I'd go next door to my colleage and good friend clutching my chest, insisting I was having a heart attack. She'd ask me how long I was having symptoms. When I told her several hours, she would tell me that I would be dead if I was having a heart attack. That was good enough to calm me down.

Another story short, I went on Effexor about 15 years ago. It worked great! My PCP told me it was time to come off about a year later. The weaning was far too quick and I had a horrible reaction. I had such an anxiety attack, I couldn't go to work or even go out of the house. Throughout the years, my Effexor has been upped to meet the needs at the time. As of November 2018, I was up to two-75mg in the morning and evening. In November I started to wean down from that high dosage. I am currently down to two-75 mg in the morning and one-75 mg in the evening. It took me since November to reduce 25%. I have no intention of coming off, just going down to what I consider a reasonable amount. I will remain where I am for a couple of months to make sure my body is OK with the reduction. Then, I will begin the same process with my morning dose. My ultimate goal is 75 mg in the morning in evening. My ultimate, ultimate goal will be 37.5mg in the morning and evening, but I don't see that happening for a long, long time.

Well, that's my story and I am sticking to it! lol

Have a good rest of the day!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)