Quote:
Originally Posted by cheryllawson
I have drank alcohol everyday for about 5 years. About a year ago I started getting numbness, tingling and pin prick sensation in both feet. It moved into my legs and I had a feeling of wearing stockings and my balance is affecting my ability to walk. My fingertips have slight numbness. I stopped drinking 11 days ago. On the 3rd or 4th day I noticed better sensation in my feet. My legs are better and my balance is slightly better. The problem is my feet and ankles are swelling extremly bad. I have tried elevating them but that doesn't help. I take Prilosec OTC, Vitamin C 500mg twice daily, Bupropien 100mg twice daily, Folic Acid 1mg, Gabapentin 300mg 3 times daily, B12 1mg weekly, Fish oil 1200 mg twice daily and a multivitamin for women once daily. Also, I am 40 years old and just started the above medicine again when I stopped drinking. Could any or all of the meds be causing the swelling?
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One of the side effects of Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) is swelling. I don't know of any sides related to the other meds you're taking. Wellbutrin (Bupropien) isn't known to cause problems with PN or RLS. In fact for PN it's used to treat symptoms and for RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) it's one of the few anti-depressants that don't worsen RLS symptoms as SSRI's often can and do. And please be aware that Prilosec and other drugs of that family can interfere with other meds. So you might want to take a look at drug interactions for what you're taking.
You've got a good start for supplements known to help PN. Here's what I take daily:
B-12 - 5mg (Methylcobalamine form rather than the more commonly found cyanocobalamine)
Super B complex
Both B's are taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for max absorption.
Fish oil caps, 3xdaily with food.
Vit E - 400 IU
Vit D - 400 IU
Vit C - 1000 mg twice a day.
SlowMag - 2 a day with food
Folic Acid - 400 mcq (A total of 800 a day, the Super B contains an additional 400)
Given by or told to take by Doctor:
Niacin - no flush - 1000mg's at bedtime for cholesterol.
81mg baby aspirin 30 minutes before the Niacin.
Mirapex 0.125 mgs - an hour to two hours before bed. (For Restless Leg Syndrome)
Zyrtec - 1 tab in the evening for idiopathic itching.
Tramadol - 25 mg's as needed for PN pain.
I'm going to be adding some more supplements that can be found in the second listing of stickies...at least I think that's where it's found. The stickies at the top of this forum are a great place to do some research. Also, Rose has a page that's listed in the stickies for B-12. Very good information there and reading Rose's site is what got me on the road to healing.
I couldn't take Gabapentin for three reasons, the biggest is it made me suicidal, I bloated and swelled and felt like crap and it also depletes B-12 causing my pain to get worse which in turn led to an increase of Gabapentin which made things worse...started a vicious circle.
For many people Gabapentin controls the PN pain very well. I was just one of the weirdo's that had problems with it. Tramadol works very well and has a very low risk of dependence.
Congrats on giving up the drinking!
