I agree that all of probably do have SOMETHING in their lifestyle that we can change to better ourselves and conditions. I was by no means perfect, but I was in peak form when I got blindsided one day by my idiopathic PN, which put me in a wheelchair chair for 6 months before I was able to climb out of it. Lifestyle changes would have meant that I should have run/biked exercised less, eaten more fried foods, gained weight, or started smoking or doing illegal drugs. No doctor or other person would have advised me to do that. But when the disease hit me, and took away my ability to exercise as I once did, I made changes like eliminating my weekly glass of wine, praying more, and taking doctor’s advice on Gabapentin. Nothing else could reach that internal nerve pain.
So I was set back, and put on an entirely new journey, with brand new goals and objectives. Your advice is right on so many levels. Today I need to see what physical therapy and exercises help me balance and keep strength. There are new nutritional ideas to help what ails us. I agree that some doctors are easier to push pills, and none of my doctors EVER mentioned alternative therapies and support groups.
But I found this wonderful forum on my own, and have learned so many things from other folks here, from exercises, medicines, oils & lotions, socks & shoes, alternative therapies, and most importantly, what I needed the most and am still trying to learn: positive thinking!
I like your thinking and your message, we don’t have a condition that pills can cure, and we should expect to make lifestyle changes in order to make our lives simpler, so we need to help ourselves! However, many of us have tried to go without Gabapentin and even with positive lifestyle changes, Gabapentin provided the best nerve pain (or numbness, tingling, temperature) relief. Praying for all of us to find the right formula to live with our conditions and enjoy life to its fullest!