Vent about Permanent Neuropathy

I haven't been posting on BCO but I have been lurking though.  Just need to vent a little about my neuropathy.  It seems like since I had my pedicure my feet hurt more.  It seems like a million bees are sting the bottoms of my feet, especially my big toes.  At times I think it is getting better, I don't know for sure.  Maybe the pain is more intense because the nerves are  healing?  I have worn sandals a couple of times because my toes look so pretty .  I hope you all are doing well.

pedicure did not bother me & my feet prefer when i don't wear shoes at all

daughter's wedding Saturday - bought shoes with just the slightest wedge heel - hope i make it through pictures & the ceremony with them on! who's that one there with the crop top hair & the barefeet?? the MOB of course!!

Thanks kmmd....my MO nurse told me while I was having my Herceptin treatment that I should tell my MO that my feet still hurt from neuropathy from my chemo in December and ask him about pain medication.  I asked if it had a lot of side effects and she said no but I don't believe her.  I am very apprehensive about taking anymore medication because I am on so much now.  Way off the subject I am gaining so much weight from the Tamoxifen  that it is driving me crazy!  That can't be good for my poor feet either!  I also have a numbness on the surface of my face...I asked my nurse about that because I was worried about a brain tumor and she agreed with me that it is neuropathy and I am noticing it more now because I feel better.  I am doing pretty darn good but I tell ya Cancer...well I guess I don't have to cuz you all already know...can drive a person crazy!  Anyway thank for letting me vent....Hope you are all having a nice Holiday.

kmmd, i did have a great time & looked pretty damn good considering lol! my DH did spill his champagne down the front of my dress but i didn't let it stop me! when we were standing in line for the photo booth the groom's dad was in front of us - he said "do you want to go first, should you be standing this long?" what???? watch me on the dance floor, Grampa!! hahaha! was good times

sooo not my Onc but my surgeon recommended Gabapentin - what do we think of it??? "thoughts of suicide" sounds like scary stuff...anyone on it?

I did Neurontin or gaba whatever a while back for some leg pains that turned out to be caused by the dang statin I was taking.  Did nothing for the pain, made me way sleepy and stupid.  think I tossed a bunch of the pills,. I changed statins and pain disappeared over night!

it is a strange pill and some folks wind up taking huge quantities

Guess I'll pop back in for my monthly update.  I can't report any improvement.  In fact, my feet had felt worse lately, even achey.  Not sure if this is all CIPN, or if it is my FM on top of my CIPN???  Anyway, I had run out of my B-complex vitamins a while back and decided to get back on them.  After a couple days back on B Vits, I did seem to get back to the numbness without too much additional bad feeling.  For me, Vit. B maintenance seems necessary.

Still at about 25% numbness for lefty, 35% numbness for right.

That's plenty of feeling to really feel it when I stub a toe!

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I only tried gabapentin for my FM.  Not for me.  Since the lowest starter doses gave me insomnia, made me feel irritated (I mean irked!) all the time, and didn't change my pain in any way, I could never keep on to reach the therapeutic dosage.  Because it does work well for some, it is worth trying.                                          

I still think 'natural herbs' are kicking my neuropathy pain in the butt!   

It's amazing how so many different things work for some people .It just goes to show how different our bodies really are. 

I have some Lidocaine Ointment..more for the mouth I think but it helps...it comes in a jar and my PCP gave me an RX for it

Last night I got my 2nd pedicure.  It was still very uncomfortable...I think this person was rougher and she did not understand English very well when I asked her to be gentle.  Anyway...this time I got the mud mask and hot rock and parafin wax.  The mud felt so good but the wax had my feet screaming!  Later on and today my feet feel better.  I am hoping and visualizing that these pedicures heal my neuropathy.  I think my feet really do feel better today.

ooo, if you think the pedicures cure the neuropathy, let me know!  would be lovely if it did

NBI....They have all different kinds where I go.  They even have more stuff they do.  I did a little reading and massage can improve Neuropathy in some cases.  I had more done this time than last time and I think it stimulates the nerves.  My friend got into a bad motorcycle accident and she said part of her therapy was to desensitize the skin.  I feel like a have a tiny bit more feeling in my feet today.  I will keep track here if I make progress or not.  I am also visualizing my feet pain free.  It can't hurt right????  At least my feet will be pretty.

Any change to my numbness is happening at a snail's pace, but I do like walking barefoot on different surfaces (like sidewalk and grass and sand and carpet) because, although I can't feel them normally, they do seem to stimulate my feet in a good way.

I have enough feeling that I can walk safely without shoes.  

I agree with Eli's "snail's pace".  I have a little more feeling in toes 2 & 3, but the ball of my foot is still absolutely dead.  It feels dangerous to step into the shower.  I wear clunky sandals w/socks since those are more comfortable for my big toenails that are still coming off.  But I don't go barefoot outside my bedroom.  Sigh - this is the 'girl' who NEVER wore shoes for 65 years unless forced.  My fingers are still mostly numb & the tips often feel swollen, although I don't think they really are.   I hope someday I'll be able to thread a needle again, or pick up pennies.  I'm grateful not to have much pain.  In August it will be a year since Taxotere.