Has anyone had peripheral neuropathy that came on suddenly and progressed over time? A month ago I started getting tingling in the bottoms of my feet and now it's up to my knees and I have foot drop on my left foot. I had a acdf c4-6 in 2012 and had left arm issues which have flared up and I also have occipital neuralgia. I've had an X-ray of my neck and the is some progression of arthritis, Spurs, and a MRI of lumbar spine which found lots of problems. Just wondering why all this at once. I worry about MS, Guillain Barre or some other AIDP or worse, but docs think it's structural. Before this stuff I had gastritis and h pylori which was treated, but the symptoms never went away even though I tested negative after treatment with the blow bag. It was originally confirmed with biopsy during EGD. The nausea just compounds this. Anyway, I'm really concerned. I see a neurosurgeon today to evaluate me and the scans. You know, I've lost a crap ton of weight, down 160lbs now and should be doing great. It's depressing to reach a point where things are coming together in terms of authenticity and now this.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I got mine from Agent Orange. Mostly not too bad, but some nights I can't sleep.
I saw a t-shirt once with: "Agent Orange killed me, I just haven't died yet."
There is something to explore in how many of us MTF are vets. Must be some kind of backlash effect.
I am wondering if you are diabetic. Neuropathy and blurry/unstable vision are common symptoms.
A1C has been 5 for a year. Blood sugar 80ish
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Three months ago I woke up to extreme pain in my tendons (all over) and it took me five minutes to get out of bed. It seemed my tendons refused to stretch and the pain was unbelievable. This went on until recently. My doctor has made tests (blood, etc) and hope to have diagnosis soon. So far it seems to be a "stress causation" of some sort. Stress is part of life. Something to think about....
Most of the times, diabetic nephropathy comes on gradually, over years, not months like you did. Something else is going on. Seeing the neurologist is the proper thing to do.
I wish you the best and a speedy recovery.
I saw a neurosurgeon yesterday who reviewed my MRI. My lumbar back I'd F'D. Stenosis is real bad. Why it happened now, who knows, but I need surgery soon. My surgery consult is next Thursday. It's something that could put me in a wheelchair. My wife is being an ahole. Like why do I need surgery. She has a very bad attitude about health issues. Why can't I plow through it. I'm not the terminator. Its like she thinks I get kick out of getting another procedure.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I have a rare form of this disease. It is an autoimmune system disorder that eats of the nerve myelin sheath. I'm in a 30 month remission with some attacks of pain since my last treatment. I'm not a diabetic nor do I have MS or the other known major causes. Peripheral neuropathy has over 200 causes and the right diagnoses of the cause is key to the right treatment. Diabetes has 30-40% of the cases. I had to jump through the hoops on testing for the other causes before seeing the neurologist. The neurologist needed the test results plus an x-ray results of my feet before seeing him. He did then did a conduction study plus a spinal tap to look for an elevated protein level plus eliminate the other causes not detected before. I'm lucky that I'm not in a wheelchair like some of the Guillian-Barre and some of my fellow CIDP patients are in now.
Get well, Gertrude!
Joelene
Surgery is October 29. Laminectomy and fusion L4-L5.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Gertrude. I have neuropathy in my feet and I am near to no feeling. It makes it very hard to keep my balance. I have lost 100 lbs which is making it easier. I use mj to calm my nerves and allow me to sleep. I am not advocating just stating my experience. They say if you improve your exercise you can overcome it. I don't know about that. Is your blood sugar under control? Is the skin on your feet getting stiff. I find when I use the sander (I don't know what it is called) I get a little more feeling back. Surgery has never been mentioned to me except my heart surgeries, which has been a few. It has taken a while to develop. I got diagnosed in 2007.
A1C was 5 a couple months ago. I lost 160lbs in the last 15 months. Oh well. It would have happened anyway.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Wish you well on your surgery.
Quote from: DawnOday on October 15, 2018, 08:09:33 PM
Gertrude. I have neuropathy in my feet and I am near to no feeling. It makes it very hard to keep my balance. I have lost 100 lbs which is making it easier. I use mj to calm my nerves and allow me to sleep. I am not advocating just stating my experience. They say if you improve your exercise you can overcome it. I don't know about that. Is your blood sugar under control? Is the skin on your feet getting stiff. I find when I use the sander (I don't know what it is called) I get a little more feeling back. Surgery has never been mentioned to me except my heart surgeries, which has been a few. It has taken a while to develop. I got diagnosed in 2007.
My spinal chord is fully compressed at L4-5. The only other choice is wait for incontinence and then a wheelchair. Actually if I went in continent I'd have to get surgery. 4-6 weeks out of work.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Wow Trudy I am so sorry to hear this. Best wishes on your surgery and I'm glad you are tackling this head-on.
Quote from: Kendra on October 20, 2018, 11:11:49 AM
Wow Trudy I am so sorry to hear this. Best wishes on your surgery and I'm glad you are tackling this head-on.
Thanks Kendra
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Dear Trudy,
I'm so sorry to read this. I have neuropathy in my feet due to the side effect of chemotherapy.
Mine is transient, which means it doesn't really go away but returns when it feels like or is triggered. I'm told it will gradually get worse.
As I now live alone I have started to adapt a few things for the times when I cannot take any pressure on my feet and I have planned ways to get help - as I cannot always vocalise either - so calling an ambulance etc is not always possible for me. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know.
Cindy
Quote from: Cindy on October 21, 2018, 02:49:20 AM
Dear Trudy,
I'm so sorry to read this. I have neuropathy in my feet due to the side effect of chemotherapy.
Mine is transient, which means it doesn't really go away but returns when it feels like or is triggered. I'm told it will gradually get worse.
As I now live alone I have started to adapt a few things for the times when I cannot take any pressure on my feet and I have planned ways to get help - as I cannot always vocalise either - so calling an ambulance etc is not always possible for me. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know.
Cindy
Thank you Cindy. I think they call it a grade 3 stenosis at L4-5. They showed me the MRI and it was like now you see the spinal chord and now you don't at that level. It's progressively gotten worse. I have drop foot on my left foot and my feet are getting stiff. I'm walking goofy. Thing is, the insurance company has a approval waiting period and the soonest I can get into the surgeon is October 29. I don't know if I can make it until then going to work. I have 4.5 weeks time and my fmla isn't set to start on the 29th and the recovery averages 4-6 weeks. If I run out of time, i have short term disability, but then I have to pay my total premiums out of pocket while I'm on it. Welcome to America and I work for a state university. Our sick time accrual rates stink.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Recovering from surgery 1. This doc splits it into two surgeries. First is remove disc and put cage in with cadaver bone and some sort of modified something or other. They go through the side. Tomorrow is from the back removing bone/arthritis/spurs to relieve the stenosis and add more titanium. That hurts more. Wish me luck.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
@Gertrude
Good Luck Gertrude - Hope it all goes well!
Take care,
Sonja.
@Gertrude Thinking of you honey and all my best wishes.
Thanks Cindy. They did the retro peritoneal discectomy yesterday with the cage and allograft. Today is the harder one with laminectomy and other hardware, allograft and autograft. I'll check back in when I can. This is supposed to be the painful part.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Keep strong Trudy, keep fighting - it will be worth it.
Thinking of you - I'm awake in the middle of the night with my foot screaming at me.
Quote from: Cindy on October 30, 2018, 08:56:18 AM
Keep strong Trudy, keep fighting - it will be worth it.
Thinking of you - I'm awake in the middle of the night with my foot screaming at me.
What helps?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Out of second surgery 10 hours. Up once. This one hurt a lot more. Found a spinal chord fluid leak too. We'll see how this goes.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Wish I was there to give you a hug, carefully. All the best for recovery, and best wishes.
Here is hoping that the surgery has eased the problem. Rest and recover and look forward to the future!
[I'm on endone as required but I avoid using it, and anti-inflammatories that do work after a while. I meditate a lot and I do find that useful]
I hope your surgery goes OK. I noticed you talking about MRIs, and thought I should mention that there are dangers associated with MRI scans where a contrast agent is used (MRIs without a contrast agent are fine, it's where a contrast agent is injected that problems can occur).
The contrast agents all contain a toxic metal called gadolinium, which is supposed to be in a safe, chemically inert form that gets excreted by your kidneys before it can do any harm. However, the pharmaceutical companies must have faked the safety testing, because it turns out that the contrast agents all leak the toxic form of gadolinium, and for years people have been going in for MRI scans and coming out with gadolinium poisoning (with doctors blaming their symptoms on a worsening of the condition they were sent in for a scan for). The majority of people are OK, but a minority are getting sick, and the risk gets higher the more contrast MRIs you have. This is a description of the symptoms that people who have an adverse reaction to contrast agent typically experience:
https://gadoliniumtoxicity.com/help/symptoms/
Hopefully that isn't the cause of your peripheral neuropathy, but I saw you talking about MRIs and thought I'd better mention it!
It was without contrast. The surgeon said it was the second worst stenosis he's worked on. I had CSf leak too, which gave me a whopper of a headache after. It's taking me some time to come out of it. I think the a anaestatist used ketamine and propofol.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Wish you well with your recovery.
Quote from: Gertrude on October 15, 2018, 07:51:32 PM
Surgery is October 29. Laminectomy and fusion L4-L5.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I had the same surgery about 6 or 7 years ago. I was really bad off, I had the backs of 4 vertebra removed to give more room for the spinal cord. The recuperation process depends a lot on your prop condition and on your age. It took me about a year to be fully back to normal (but I have an 8" long scar n my back). I still have chronic nerve damage and need to take Gabapentin for the rest of my life. But I can walk and even jog a little. Beats sitting in a wheelchair with bags for stool and urine at your side!
Good luck, if you want to know more about the procedure, just ask! Oh by the way, you want to have a neuro surgeon as young as possible, and preferably a female one. It is all about the fine motor skills back there!
I'll pm you.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Quote from: Gertrude on November 03, 2018, 10:52:15 AM
I'll pm you.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Answered again!