I MEAN DOROTHY! don't or won't prescribe PT, they just simply don't think of it!
Since I had been a somewhat active person, and, because a few years before I'd gotten whatever it is I have...I knew about sports-medicine [good and bad] and that I was losing lots, LOTS of muscle tone and agility and balance and all that.
I WAS THE ONE who asked my neuro for PT, and explained why [loss of muscle tone and all], He just went sort of HUH? Yes! and took out his pad...It's simply that the neuro is doing all those neuro-thingy replays in his brain in terms of diagnosis and med treatments, and not thinking about the whole body! Didn't take long for the neuro to change channels after the Huh? To OF COURSE! Makes sense, without much effort...Just tho, should your doc write a PT order....to INCLUDE what's called a HOME PROGRAM...that means: one that doesn't rely only on the equipment available at the PT place...That's why under another thread about exercises similar to those I've been given to do at home. You want to be able to do this all and keep it up after your PT sessions are done. Once learned, they are easy, require little expense or equipment AND MOST IMPORTANT: THEY WORK! My only advice, is to start right and learn how to do them the best way for YOU under a physical therapist's guidance, and then you have to be strong and keep doing them on your own [this part I know I fail at]. They seem silly, insignificant, but they work if you keep at it. Those little efforts add up! And most of them are safe for most of us.
Um, also, don't try to learn/do it all...all at once? You will HURT and be one unhappy camper- for DAYS!. Ask for a therapist [yes, you can do this!] who is familiar with stroke, chemo and/or diabetes patients...such PT's will be more likely to be familiar with Neuropathies and how much you can and can't do, and what can be done to help you do more. Give it a try, but be sort of a Savvy Shopper? I don't know how else to put it more succinct.
Get going and get moving! Hugs! - j