This is my first post to the group---
I am a 72 year old male who was diagnosed with PN 10 years ago. I experienced pain only the first 2-3 years. The pain subsided for the most part but numbness started progressing over the years. It started at the ball of my feet and has now progressed to my knees. Also, experience numbness in all my fingertips. I have had Electrodiagnostic testing twice over the years and have visited the Neuropathy Department at Kansas Univ. Medical Cntr. in KC several times. Since my symptoms do not involve pain, there is little that can be done, I was told.

Now a NEW problem that I question whether it is related to my PN, or not. For 10 weeks I have been continually dizzy and out of balance when I walk or move my head. It is not a "spinning", but more like I am walking on a waterbed, having to hold on to walls to travel across a room. This is not sporadic, but 100% of the time, unless my head is not moving. My ENT did VNG testing to rule out inner-ear problems. All the VNG tests were negative, but suggested the unbalance might be due to a brain stem lesion, or most certainly a Central Nervous System problem. So, a brain MRI was ordered, and it was negative with no tumor or other lesions seen. Now I have been referred to a Physical Therapist specializing with balance disorders. I have been twice, and she does not express a hopeful prognosis.

The predominant comment is that this is all related to my PN which I have had over the years. I hesitate to accept this, as I don't feel I can go throughout the rest of my life totally out of balance and dizzy. I am looking for a more specific analysis and diagnosis with possible treatments, but don't know what the next step should be for me.