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Neuropathy
Hi I’m Judy Eccles,
I’m grateful to find this forum. I am 66 and 3 years ago moved from California as a healthy and active woman. We move to Murrells Inlet, SC and I was struck horribly with neuropathy, experiencing a stabbing pains in my feet, holding them and crying out to God to make it stop. I went to the ER at MUSC and I had a CAT SCAN and they found a fractured disc at my L2, then did a vascular work up on me and that was fine. They said just bed rest for the fractured L2. I have been pushed back and forth from neurologists to Rheumatologist with different diagnosis, poly neuropathy , PMR TO IDIOPATHIC NEUROPATHY. They did a biopsy on my nerves and it showed my short nerves were affected along with my long nerves that the EMG showed. They put me on gabapentin and now on 2700 mgs. I feel it doesn’t do much good. They tried me on Cymbalta and I couldn’t take it, I scratched myself severely, I still have the scars. Now they say it’s RA and wanted me to take shots in my stomach and I refused. I was also on Naltraxon that gave me severe headaches. I just need help. I was also on steroids and weaned off. I JUST NEED HELP!!! I can walk a bit, but mostly in a wheelchair if I need to walk a distance. I would appreciate any comments.
Thank you,
Judy Sweeney
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I can sym0athize with you because I have some of the same symptoms as you and it’s no fun.
I also was on Gabapentin and I don’t feel like it helped me either, as was other drugs like Cymbalta in the past.
I now take Tramadol and ibuprofen for my nerve pain.
My back is fine, no vertebral issues on mri scans.
Hello Judy @judyeccles, I would like to add my welcome along with @harley22 and others. So sorry to hear you haven't found much relief for treating the pain. You mentioned having a fractured disc at L2. You may find it helpful to scan through the other neuropathy discussions to learn what helps. Here's a search link with the list of discussions - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/?search=neuropathy%20what%20helps.
Do the doctors think a compressed nerve may be causing your pain symptoms?
Thank you for your response. I’m happy you have found a duo of drugs that can help you. Hopefully in the future they will know more about neuropathy to help with a more natural and healthy way. The scrambler is supposed to work but Insurance doesn’t cover and very expensive.
Keep on healing!
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1 ReactionHi John,
Thank you for your response!
I appreciate your feedback and the link. I will get on it.
The Dr.s never have mentioned that my L2 fracture may have anything to do with my neuropathy, although I have always suspected so with doing research on nerves and such. I have just heard several times from Dr.s that they really don’t know much about Neuropathy.
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1 ReactionHello Judy (@judyeccles)
Welcome to the Forum!
I was diagnosed in the summer of 2022. For quite some time I thought as you say ("I have just heard several times from Dr.s that they really don’t know much about Neuropathy") and felt resentment. After a while, however, I came apprecaite it when a doctor would say, "Ray, I just don't know." Those are the doctors, for their honesty, I've kept as keepers.
However, I had other doctors who could never seem to summon up the wherewithal to be that honest. Those are the doctors, for their evasiveness, with whom I've long since cut ties.
Again, welcome to the Forum! I knew nothing about my condition when I first arrived. Since then, I've learned a lot. And that has given me considerable peace of mind. Pull up a comfy chair and make yourself at home.
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)
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2 ReactionsThank you so much Ray for your welcome and wisdom.
I really appreciate it.
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1 ReactionHi Judy
Welcome from this Judy:) (how DO they put the smiley faces on here?)
Your doctor is correct that they don't know much about this damn "thing" that so many of us have. I don't know if it's because all the research has been focused on cancer and no research money for anything else? But, that's another discussion.
I'm in my mid 80's and knew something very unpleasant was taking over my body when I was around 75. I never, to this day, have been given any tests to diagnose what I have. But, reading everything I could find told me that I had the big N! It looks like there are some ways to actually make a determination now....about time!
All I can tell you for almost 15 years of trying one thing after another for relief is that I still get really tough days. REALLY tough days! I decided long ago that this was something that I had and I had to figure out how to live with it and make the best of it." Judys" are strong, tough ladies! Somehow that goes with the name, my mother used to say.
Read everything you can find about Neuropathy. This Forum is the best place to start. See what makes sense in your case for what YOU are going through and remember to spend some time each day in stress management.