Hello all, new here and wanted to share my story. I'm a 33 year old male and I've been lurking around here few days and have already amassed a wealth of information and inspiration. I don't post much on message boards, but I feel it's time to add to the collective information here. If I can help just one person by sharing what I've learned, then to me it's worth the time.

It all started in late November 2013 when I awoke to a sharp, electrical stabbing pain in my left foot which lasted about 15 seconds. After rubbing my foot to see what was going on I also noticed a pea sized bump close to the area of the pain. Curiosity got the best of me as usual and I began researching on the internet and found out it was a fibroma as confirmed by my Doctor and a Podiatrist.

Over the next month I noticed vague pain and discomfort over the sole of my left foot. It felt lumpy, swollen, sore, and sometimes numb from heel to ball of the foot, although besides the single fibroma I couldn't notice any visual difference. The sensations were always changing and moving around and it was driving me crazy. I was convinced the pain was from the fibroma growing. The podiatrist diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis, but my symptoms were so atypical I argued that I didn't believe that was what was the underlying cause of the pain.

I didn't know what else to do so I followed the plantar fasciitis regimen of icing, stretching, massage and rest. I had a difficult time finding shoes that were comfortable and went through 4 different shoe insoles 7 different slippers, shoes, and work boots just to get through the day. The pain eased up a little over the next month and I was able to tolerate it somewhat. Then it happened...

My right foot soon became bothersome. The first time I noticed it was at work. After a few hours of wearing some new boots. I began getting numbness, tingling, and burning in both feet. The right was actually more painful than the left. When standing I felt like I had no cushioning under the heel or like I was walking on bone. I wore those boots for another 2 weeks until I was able to go shopping for a new pair. They didn't feel tight when I put them on. but after wearing them for a few minutes my feet started killing me.

Over that time my right foot experienced all kinds of weird symptoms. Heel pain, burning/cramping/rawness in the arch, raw/burning/numbness in the big toe, burning over the top of the foot. Shoes became torture devices and it was actually better walking barefoot on my wood floors at home for whatever reason. Depression soon followed my two bad feet, a seriously declining quality of life, and fear of the future.

I originally convinced myself that I had two separate problems to tackle (ie the lump in my left foot and nerve damage caused by tight shoes) I did have one episode where I woke up to tingling in my left arm that last for 2 hours, but I chalked that up to anxiety. So I was off to see my doctor again. We talked about both my feet as well as getting treatment for depression. Since the burning and tingling in my right foot was more pronounced I didn't really mention the left foot or left arm sensations that I experienced it. He said it was an unknown nerve/nueropathy issue and started me on Nortriptyline at my request for pain relief.

Next I saw a new Podiatrist with whom I shared the same story. He said it's a common symptom from tight shoes and to give it a couple months to go away. I agreed at the time and didn't think too much of it.

Well the past week has been absolutely hell for me. Both my feet have been burning and tingling with occasional twitching and lighting type pains. The right leg goes half way up my shin. I have also had several nights in a row where I had pretty intense burning in both my hands and arms. I wish I was more aware of the symptoms last time I saw the doctors so I could press the issue a little more.

The increased symptoms brought me here after searching the internet and things are becoming more clear. The things I have been feeling have been echoed by so many people diagnosed with neuropathy. I'm attempting to get a referral from my doctor to see a neurologist but he wants to wait 2 more weeks and see how things play out. I can't really blame him. I have been very much a hypochondriac the past few months because I could never put my finger on what was wrong with me to get accurately diagnosed and treated. I really think I have found the answer and now would like to find the possible cause and treat it.

To Be Continued...