Quote:
Originally Posted by mskari85
Thank you MrsD for all of your input. I do have one last question for you that I am hoping you can answer for me.
the PN in my hands is really weird, it isn't a numbness or loss of sensation so much, it happens randomly. Well, I used to think it was random but I have noticed lately that it happens after my hands get cold. My fingers turn almost white and then once they warm up, my fingers turn bright red and they hurt like hell. It's like a stinging, tingling, hyper sensitivity in my fingertips and my fingers burn. The uncomfortable sensations don't last too long, but it can linger a bit and have mini flare ups after.
It just happened after holding a glass of ice water and it happened yesterday after I went from my AC apartment into the humidity outside and it happened when I was out of town last week after I went swimming in a freezing cold lake.
Do you know much about this? Is this part of the PN too?  |
My skin is deathly white now but goes bright burning red when I warm up or go in a bath. Sfn damage can cause issues relating to erythromelalgia or that can cause Sfn. That mightn't be the case for you but the redness and burning pain with it could be something related to that. Sfn damage in itself will cause issues with blood flow in the skin so I think all sorts of issues can arise with it.
I spent months going down the restrictive diet route but for me it didn't halt anything. Alcohol and alot of sugar does however intensify the nerve pain. Cutting back on alcohol and sugar can only help.
Don't blame yourself. At the beginning of my problems I read every article going and still search many times a month now. The top listed articles on autoimmunity in all my searches were from persons flogging some book or diet. There was often the feeling that this was entirely in your control and if it doesn't work then it's because you just aren't trying hard enough. I now avoid those types of articles because I have no doubt there are often strong genetic tendencies towards these things. I know people who abuse themselves terribly and not a dicky wrong with them. Some of us are sadly more susceptible to whatever external factors may have triggered it. But like you I still often feel responsible, and wonder if crying too much brought it on!
I got through a few neuros, only the third for me knew what he was talking about. I pursued the skin biopsy myself after researching it.
I don't think the methotrexate would help the neuropathy but I asked my neurologist about having more than one drug and I understand methotrexate can be used with other disease modifying drugs like steroids. The key things to try for suspected autoimmune neuropathy would be intravenous steroids and ivig.
I'm only 36 so feel the same upset at what has unfolded at a relatively young age. Like you Im so grateful I had an eventful 20's! Still crap though.