Neuropathy moving from feet to legs
I have neuropathy in my hands and feet from three sessions of chemo I had about three years ago now. I have a lot of pins and needles in both my hands and feet but no pain which is a blessing I guess. These pins and needles are none the less annoying. I drop a lot of things and am unable to open things without help. I live by myself and have had to formulate my own ways to do so many different things. I am now experiencing these pins and needles climbing up my legs and that worries me. Has anyone else experienced this? If so have they stopped there or is it possible for them to go else where in my body?
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Wish I could do acupuncture! I can't because I am on Coumadin!
Also, my Neurologist, recommended Lidocaine 4% cream for my number in my feet!
Works really well Numbness is a lot less, especially in my right foot. It almost feels normal! I use it 2×per day,morning and evening. It is OTC. It comes in a roll on form which is what I use! Make sure it is NOT MENTHOL.
Hope this helps, Pat
Yes I am! I guess it is a normal progression of the disorder.
I try to stay active. Walking, water aerobics, and strength 💪 training, one each day, make up my schedule/plan of self care.
My Neurologist especially wants me to do water aerobics.
I also ordered an adult tricycle. I can not use a regular bike. I am 65 years old, and fall off of a regular bike!
Hope this helps! Pat
Thank you for replying. Can you use this cream on your hands? My numbness is severe there and it’s hard to find something that is effective there. I’m not sure I can get this cream here as an OTC either. I will ask my doctor about it. I live in Canada so it may be unavailable. You sound like you are living well with this illness. I am 75 now so I’m not as active as you are.I need to use a walker and I’m unable to get along without it. All the best to you. Hugs.
I think you could use the Lidocaine 4% cream on your hands too! Good move in asking your doctor about the cream! I bet you could find it on e-bay,or Amazon.com. If you are a prime member on Amazon, they include free shipping!
My sister, 79, has PN really bad in her legs! She, also, has to use a walker to get around. She has started physical therapy, about 2 months ago and is working with 10 pound weights.
Hope this helps, thanks for your reply. Good Luck, Pat
P.S. make sure the cream has NO methanol in it!
MENTHOL! I MEANT! SORRY FOR SPELL CHECK! Pat.
Pactoledo;
I don’t know what I would do without the lidocaine patches and cream. I have 3 toes that started acting up after my spinal surgery and the pain is unbearable (mostly during the night) but then I rub on some lidocaine and within 15 minutes, it’s gone. If my lower back starts hurting, I put on a lidocaine patch instead of the cream but regardless of whether I use a patch or rub a ton of cream on my spine, it does not work as miraculously as does the cream on my three toes. I know of no reason the cream could not be used on your hands. I hope you will try it. I know (from my toe pain) that the pain from neuropathy disorders is unbearable. Let us know if it helps and I pray that God will send an Angel down to earth to be your strength when you feel that you cannot tolerate the pain any longer. Yvie
Thank you for replying to my email. I’m sorry you have to deal with so much pain. I am blessed in that I do not have the pain but I have a lot of numbness in my hands especially and that comes with its own share of difficulties for me. I’m not sure after dealing with this for a while now that there is anything that can help this. I am slowly going off the pain pills I am on because they don’t work. The ones I am on at night I will stay on because my feet are a different issue. I know if I went off them I would have the pain you do so they work for me at night. I wish you the best and I hope your pain is under control now.
Hugs
May I ask what type of pain pills you take for your feet at night? I have the same problem & it's intolerable. Thanks
See your Neurologist. The medications Gabapentin and Duloxetine help me.
When I first got neuropathy the pain was horrendous. It was in my legs and I cried so much with it. My poor daughter tried everything to help me. Once I met with my neurologist he gave me a pill that is called Nortriptyline and it worked wonderfully for me. He also recommended Lyrica with it. At first I was on five 10 mg pills at night and now I am on three. These pills are also prescribed for depression but they work great for neuropathy. I have the pins and needles now along with my dropped feet but I also have numbness which is why I can’t drive anymore. My hands are the worst. They feel like I have a coating of bumps all over them. It is difficult to describe and they look normal so people think I’m crazy. My dream is to have my normal hands back one day but so far there is nothing that helps the numbness. I know it’s better than the pain though. I hope this helps you. All the best with your journey to be pain free. Hugs