Correlation between peripheral neuropathy and low RBC?

Posted by Ray Kemble @ray666, Jul 1, 2023

I have idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. I've no pain but terrible balance. I also have two swollen feet. Doctors noticed my swollen feet long before I received my PN diagnosis, but they've never figured out why. I also have a low RBC (red blood count), for which I have seen a hematologist; he didn't appear to be terribly alarmed. I'm wondering: Do any of you with PN also have swollen feet? And has anyone (doctor-type) linked it to your PN? Same thing for a low RBC: Have any of you had a low RBC connected in some credible way to your PN? I'd sure love to know.

Ray (@ray666)

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

fredpassin6 | @fredpassin6 | Jul 1, 2023

No, haven't had that happen. But who knows. So far no. If he is not concerned then I think u r OK. My opinion of course.

mitfit | @mitfit | Jul 2, 2023

Oh yes, I have PN and bottoms of the feet swell every night when I go to bed.

dsf52 | @dsf52 | Jul 2, 2023

I have polyneuropathy and my feet swell terribly each evening but I suspect it comes primarily from the Gabapentin.
Do you take something for the PN?

marylin14 | @marylin14 | Jul 2, 2023

I only have swollen feet if I fly or don’t move them. I have terrible cramps in my legs tho

Ray Kemble | @ray666 | Jul 2, 2023

In reply to @mitfit "Oh yes, I have PN and bottoms of the feet swell every night when I go..." + (show)

My feet remain swollen to varying degrees pretty much all day, and it seems to matter very little whether or not I wear compression stockings. I was with a friend last evening who has been dealing with diabetes for 30 years. The instant he heard I have PN, he asked, "Are your feet swollen?"

Ray Kemble | @ray666 | Jul 2, 2023

In reply to @dsf52 "I have polyneuropathy and my feet swell terribly each evening but I suspect it comes primarily..." + (show)

The only thing I've been taking for the past 3-4 months specifically for my PN (suggested by my neurologist) is alpha-lipoic acid, 600 mg, twice daily. I' already been taking things like a multi-vitamin, B-3, B-12, magnesium, etc. When it arrives (tomorrow?) I'll begin taking EB-N5, which contains alpha-lipoic acid, plus various mega vitamins, like B-12.

mitfit | @mitfit | Jul 2, 2023

In reply to @ray666 "My feet remain swollen to varying degrees pretty much all day, and it seems to matter..." + (show)

Ray - That is very interesting. Perhaps it is the PN that is the cause of the foot swelling. I will try compression stockings at night. It is so helpful to talk about these things with others who experience them.

Ray Kemble | @ray666 | Jul 3, 2023

Good morning, mitfit (@mitfit)

"It is so helpful to talk about these things with others who experience them. "

That's the magic of Connect. When you've got a chronic anything, yes, you can talk about it with your doctor (I hope!) and your family and certain of your friends, but still you can feel terribly alone in your struggle. Conversations with others dealing with the same chronic condition––or even just listening from the bench––can do a lot to lessen that feeling of being alone.

Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

mitfit | @mitfit | Jul 3, 2023

Absolutely! It is a comfort.

jclare5269 | @jclare5269 | Jul 3, 2023

I have severe PN. It’s in both feet up to the bottom of my knees. I also have Charcot feet. My feet swell up all the time and under different circumstances. If I walk too much (anything over 40 feet), and when I sleep with no pressure on my feet. I wear compression socks 24/7 except when my feet swell too much at night and the pressure causes pain. I do have a lot of pain from the nerves and I can get an ulcer in my feet that typically gets infected causing a hole in my foot.