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Anyone here dealing with peripheral neuropathy?

Neuropathy | Last Active: Apr 25 1:31pm | Replies (2916)

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@pfbacon

I too wake up with muscle cramps in my legs. Magnesium supplements made it worse, as did calcium, muscle relaxers didn't work. I found that I need to stretch after any exercise and at night in the shower when the warm water is relaxing the muscles, and stretch gently in the jacuzzi as often as possible. Also drink water - it's true that dehydration, even mild dehydration causes muscle cramps. We are all the same but we're also all different. I have to change medications or doses often - they work for awhile, then something else works, then in awhile I can go back to an earlier medicine and it works …
I used to think that allergies were fascinatingly complex - now I think that Neuropathy is complex and interesting. It takes up a lot of time that I would rather spend playing sports and writing and hanging with friends but that's life sometimes. We can either do it and keep doing it, or lay down and go to hospice or look around for something sharp to cut our veins with.

I grew up in Los Angeles, where people believe that the Purpose of Life is Pleasure; we manufacture the entertainment that the whole world buys. My husband grew up in New England where people believe that the Purpose of Life is Duty; you will have some pleasure along the way but anyone who pursues pleasure is shallow. We've been married for 31 years, each of us modified and compromised where necessary and I still ponder this concept of Pleasure and Duty at times.

Peggy

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Replies to "I too wake up with muscle cramps in my legs. Magnesium supplements made it worse, as..."

@pfbacon - your discussion of regional thoughts on "what life is about" or "the purpose of life" is really interesting. I grew up in Marin County, CA, where though I loved the place and the people, I'd say the overriding concept there is "life is about stuff." This might be a really good solo discussion in the Mental Health group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/mental-health/, if you'd be interested in starting it.

@pfbacon I grew up in PA where we had a sense of duty also

My husband gets cramps all over his body. Sometimes it is in his hand, or his legs, his stomach or his back. It is hereditary because his father, and his cousins also have it. He jumps in a hot shower and uses a heat pad. He keeps hydrated, but it doesn’t seem to help him.

I also grew up in New England and have a strong sense of duty to care for my fellow man. I moved to Northern California when I was in my 30s and found the people there were also conservation minded and thought just like me. Then I moved to Southern California and people seemed to care about what kind of car they drive and what street you lived on. They wasted water by hosing down their driveway, etc. It was a culture shock. Movie people lived all around my neighborhood and I could not understand why they felt that they could cut in line ahead of my in restaurants, etc. and get special attention in the local events that we participated in.