Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group

Have neuropathy for couple of years but diagnosed with diabetic poly neuropathy this year. Recently I had aching pain in my right leg from ankle to top of thigh. Lasted two days, kept me up all night and was gone on third day. My neurologist was a bit confused by this and didn’t think it was neuropathy related. Her first reaction was perhaps inflammation (no swelling or redness) or if I thought if it was skin or nerve related. I responded how can I tell? Two weeks previously I had pain all day and night on bottom of left foot. She thought it may have migrated to right leg but caused by what? I’m waiting for her second response.

Has any one experienced something like this. If so, neuropathy or something else? I had a covid shot right before the left foot pain. Has anyone had a reaction from a covid shot? Thanks.

Thank you for adding me to this group. I have been reading the different topics and found some interesting info and topics. My neuropathy started quite suddenly 4 years ago just prior to a tumor was removed from my left knee (benign) that was attached to a nerve. I connected the PN to an MRI with Gadolinium contrast which affected my entire body including the beginning of neuropathy in both feet. I immediately did a detox regimen with a naturopath and some acupuncture (not sure if that helped me or not). I have also tried many many supplements, laser therapy (10 sessions), red light therapy and hyperbaric oxygen, and massage heat boots. Now after having joined this group I read that statins can cause DM and PN so I have gone off of my statins for 2 weeks, still no relief yet. My left foot is worse due to the surgery and symptoms exacerbate at night. I continue to search for healing. As a physical therapist I do water aerobics or water work outs 2-3 days a week as this tamps down the nerve pain and there is no pounding on my feet. I use CBD topical on my feet nightly and sometimes Voltaren. Full disclosure my son makes the CBD so I get if from him.
I am unable to comfortably wear sneakers or any closed shoe so I limit that. I do walk, play pickleball and ride my bike, elliptical and weight lifting upper body. My other acitivites from my former life long distance hikes and long bike rides are over. I cannot say that any of the above treatments truly caused any healing. I am interested in the Winsantor PN topical if it comes to market I will try that. Thank you for your comments and support

Hi @cherbear2cubs, Another site that has a lot of good information on available treatments and neuropathy is the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy - https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/

Please post your progress if you don’t mind sharing.

Hello @mrsirishod, Welcome to Connect, I am not sure if your post was for me or for everyone since it wasn't done using the Reply button under a specific post. I posted my neuropathy journey in another discussion here - Member Neuropathy Journey Stories: What's Yours?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/310341/.

Have you been diagnosed with neuropathy? Do you mind sharing any treatments you have found helpful?

So after my spinal cord surgery to remove a cyst off my nerve endings in my lower back I had a great reduction of back pain but it seems that the neuropathy in my hands fingers and wrist has taken off like a rocket. The pain in the feet is still constantly running between a 6 and a 8 daily a new twist has been in my calves where it feels like someone left a tinsel machine on high and it's nothing but electrical current. My legs will twitch at times and even just shoot up very quickly like a major muscle spasm. The neurologist is wanting to use a spinal cord stimulator as a added tool for me. I am concerned that the stimulator would mask the pain and I would not know if it is my back issues or the neuropathy issues. Have or do any of you currently have a spinal stimulator and if so what are your thoughts and opinions on this? I am growing more agitated daily as my physical abilities seem to disappear right before my eye's. As I said I am 58 and a retired military vet with 23 years of service. I'm in pretty good shape still coming in at 6 foot tall averaging between 180 and 192 in weight. So I am not overweight nor do I have diabetes. The pain is semi controlled by Morphine and Gabapentin. I have used acupuncture I have had shots to my back and have tried a trove of things between the VA and civilian Drs affiliated with the Carillon network. I have found a little relief in a change of shoes. I have gone with the sketchers extra wide slip on shoes. They are the only shoes I can keep on for more then 2 hours. Also has anyone heard of the neuropathy in the hands being just like carpal tunnel symptoms? The pain in my wrist this past week was overwhelming. One thing my wife did find that gives a quick temporary relief is Aleve Cream. I have used it on both feet and hands with limited success. I seem to always have more questions then I do answers so thank you for any and all input.
Sincerely Daryle

Questions are good Daryl, don't give up asking when you have one. I think that is the best way to learn and there are a lot of folks going through similar symptoms with neuropathy. While we wait for other members to share their thoughts with you, here are a couple of discussions that you might want to view.

--- Should I have the Spinal Cord Stimulator? Looking for reviews on this: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/should-i-have-the-spinal-cord-stimulator-looking-for-reviews-on-this/
--- Anyone tried Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/spinal-cord-stimulation-2/

I also have carpal tunnel in my hands from a career of using, working with and fixing computers. I'm fortunate in that it's mostly wrist and some finger soreness and not the sharp pain although I am battling a thumb joint that is causing some pain. I'm not an expert and have no medical training or background but my thoughts are that carpal tunnel compresses the nerves and can cause neuropathy like symptoms. I think you can also have carpal tunnel without a neuropathy diagnosis.

Hoping you find some answers. Keep asking the questions!

Thank you for your service

Unfortunately I being a Veteran get most of my care from the VA. Their treatment consist of taking my blood doing a urine test and keeping me on gabapentin and morphine as well as various muscle relaxers. I have tons of questions and get no answers from the VA yet I know that I can't be the only Veteran that suffers from this. Suffering is what we do because I have not yet found anything more painful then nerves dying in my body. I have never had something that affected my whole body the way this does. I ask has anyone else here had it affect their bowels? Mine was until the back surgery to get the pressure off the nerve. There has got to be something better then a spinal cord stimulator as yes it may help with the pain but does nothing to work on the disease so the day your nerves completely die the stimulator is nothing but a paper weight. I guess that's it for today. Depression from this sucks though

I have a similar question. After I had Covid, I developed Sibo. I am wondering if this small intestinal bacterial overgrowth infection possibly could have caused my small fiber polyneuropathy? It’s hard to know the relationships - Did the Covid cause the SIBO, did the COVID cause the Peripheral Neuropathy, did the SIBO cause the or a Peripheral Neuropathy or is it all idiopathic and these are unrelated complaints? Or do I simply stop wondering and just except things as they are, and treat the symptoms? Anybody else have any thoughts?