Vent about Permanent Neuropathy

hello everyone - hope this message finds everyone well and enjoying summer...I just wanted to give an update about my icing....it's going great! thus far, fingers and feet are fine after chemo #5, doing chemo #6 tomorrow.

if anyone has bought the wooden massager at the amazon link april25 has listed above, and started using it, would you please share how it is for you? Thank you.

I've been exercising everyday - mostly walking along the river doing arm swinging exercises and talking to strangers fishing there about their catch... Twice a week, I go to zumba classes by the Stadium where free classes are offered....I am totally bald headed now...it's as I imagined it to be so I didn't mind it for now...thinking of the light at the end of the tunnel every day

Once more thing:

A relative of mine told me that her hands get numbed every morning. Though it goes away by noon, she started using the electronic wave pulse foot massager on her hands She said that she does this every morning by placing her hands over the nodes for 20-30 minutes. Now, her hands  do not experience the loss of sensation every morning. Then it occurs to me that for anyone here who does not want to use the wooden massage mentioned above in my earlier thread, you could use this machine instead. Plus, logically if it works on her, it may very well work for those who have neuropathy as it works on the same principle of meridian stimulation.

Here's a link to give you an idea on what it is.

http://www.crazysales.com.au/online-electromagnetic-wave-foot-massager-with-waist-belt-73361.html

Have a great summer everybody...

 Cloes, your description sounds like mine.  Times it feels like Arnold is crunching my toes with his big hands!  Right now, they just feel numb, not hurting but it is just morning and I have not done much walking yet.  Trying to find something to provide relief.  Dang but I went on a day trip last week and walked around Cape May, lordie but that night my feet were dreadful.  I am trying some suppliments to see if they help at all

eli, do you see any doc about your feet?  I am holding out till my next apt with my PCD to talk to her about any suggestions.  Dang but I never had chemo and only the AL 

actually relieved a bit to hear that you have the crushed toe feeling~~least I am not nuts

well guess I will basically talk to my PCD in Aug when I see her next.  the crushing feeling in my toes is usually after I have been walking a lot so I am not big on hiking around.  I have a pal who has hip issues so we poop out around the same time.  I took the Gaba thing years ago for a pain in my thigh, thought it just made me dumb feeling so while I likely still have the pills upstairs, not looking to do that

thanks for your feedback, least I am not the onlyone

Bosum- I feel for you but do you think maybe just getting to know some new people, does it have to be a man? sorry but when I joined my gym, I got a double hit.....exercise helps all the aches and my gym has helped me find a lot of new pals.  I just came back from the gym and it helps me with all sorts of things.

Good luck on the job thing

I felt the same was about the neurologist guys, they just looked at me and asked if I had had any more cases of vertigo...the foot numbness is more recent but not planning on seeing one of those guys.  My feet feel numb today, even felt that way in the pool when I was swimming this morning

oh yes, it was right after I finished a Dale Carnegie class on how to sell.  I did Dale Carnegie on all the guys! It works well, just remember, everyone's favorite thing to talk about, it themselves!

Eil - yes, that's it exactly - my improvement is numb feet instead of blocks of wood or ice. But my feet are still cold all the time. The numbness still runs up above my ankle. Strangely enough it seems to be worse when I first wake up in the morning. I have started trying to go barefoot around the house. I understand that's a no-no since you could hurt parts you can't feel, but I'm trying to pick up different sensations on the bottom of my feet (it's an experiment anyway). My fingers have improved significantly. I started out not being able to do up the zippers on my pants. Now I can pick up dominoes - not quite coins yet, but now that I have fingernails again I can fake it. There's still some numbness but I'm not likely to slice off my fingertips while I'm chopping onions.

Proud - I'm in a water aerobics class and you're right - numb feet are really weird in the water. I am wearing water shoes to protect them from injury. Never thought of Dale Carnegie for meeting guys. Great idea.

Bosum - I agree with Eli - nix on the biopsies - even if they're free. OK girl, I'm getting tough - no it doesn't have to be a man. I'm going to send you a PM. In the meantime, there's no snow anymore so you should at least walk. That's free. Hugs.

My chemo was in 2008 and the pain and frustration is still there. My hands and feet hurt constantly. I am on all the vitamins and herbs mentioned and then some due to my husband's persistence. I am on Gabopentin (insurance won't cover Lyrica). Hydrocodone/ acetaminophen. I am also on Femara which only adds to the joint pain and throws hot flashes on there as a bonus.

BBlues & Proud, I can just hear the frustration screaming out of your posts and, believe me, I do understand it. So sorry that BC is continuing to take a toll on so many of us. We can start each day thankful that the cancer has been dealt with, but by the end of each day lived with pain, numbness and collateral damage, the thankfulness wears thin. Now we are living with something else that brings us to this thread, ranting at times...how's that for a lifestyle?

Proud, Your back seems like a separate issue and maybe surgery does merit consideration BUT (throwin' my big But in) keep in mind that a surgeon is going to be happy to cut on you (in the same way that a medical doctor is always happy to give you a new drug.) I have had a couple times in my life where I was offered a surgical "cure" for something, but shied away from doing it. After a few years, both conditions resolved without me ever having the surgeries I was told I needed. It never does hurt to explore your options, tho'.

Just saw something on the news today about a study regarding back problems, surgery and Pt and it said that PT can really help vs surgery (also helpful, but PT could be as good), but the price seems to keep people from getting it!

Keep venting here all you wish! You all have tough situations to deal with and plenty of frustration which should be vented somewhere! I wish the best to all of you. At the very least, keep hanging in there. There might be some treatment available down the line!

well working with a new spine doc who does not do surgery. I keep doing the PT at home and with a therapist and it definitely is better but last night I had back spasms again

so this doc thinks I need an anti inflammatory but since I am allergic to NSAIDS, have not been taking anything, we are going to do some testing as I have god awful feet and can not walk far with out pain

so still working on the dang neuropathy

minus, I am lying on the sofa and felt like a creppy feeling up my ankles so hoping for help from new doc. Found this guy as he is a pain specialist so well let you know how it works out

have not been taking Vit Bs but have been adding turmeric and ginger to my suppliments, not sure it helps

Minus- I am not seeing anything from the turmeric and ginger yet but sort of figure I will finish the bottles. It is to cut back on inflammation and arthritis. I have a doc apt today and plan on asking him his thoughts

Bosum - does that mean you have feeling coming back? So is what we wish for is a toss? No feeling, or feeling & pain. Ugh.