I have had idiopathic PN for 20-30 years, I am 62, however it was not formally identified until 11/05 during a work up by a phsyiatrist (spelling may be off a bit), an MD specializing in physical medicine. This work up was pre-surgical in nature for severe stenosis. He was trying to sort out exactly where the spinal cord was most restricted as the stenosis is effecting far more vertabrae than can be safely operated on. At the time my left foot was not sensing pressure and the right foot was not far behind, as expected my balance and walking ability was severely impaired. I also, leg pain and leg sensory problems. The laminectomies releaved many of the symptoms of neurological impengement and I rapidly regained much of my balance and feeling in both feet except the toes. Since then the idiopathic NP as has gradually accelerated. By 3/2008 it had progressed up both knees and feeling on the skin is gone on large areas around the knees, by 6/2009 I noticed that I was dropping things, particularly really smooth things like plates, the communion wafer at church, glass wear etc, it had jump to my arms and by 9/2009 it had enveloped all my epiderm up to my jaws. Since then there is no place left that does not have the NP, my entire periphery is effected now. I have seen two neurologists and another French physiatrist. All four MD have independently examined me, each in considerable detail and came up with same diaqnosis, plus the neuropathy has extended into nerves that control my leg muscles, it is no longer strictly peripheral. To avoid using a walker I went to White's in Spokcane, WA and got knee high boots fitted. Snugg leather boots, tighly sinched plus four years of PT have kept me going with no little difficulty. For me NP is very fast moving now, my neurologists point out that I am a long way down the road (perhaps 30 years) most folks have onset in their late 50s and don't get to where I am until they are 80 or 90. I don't rightly know if that is true or not as my daughters' soccer coach is much younger than I but is in much worse condition. This NP frequently remits so people improve, next year you might accomodate and feel significantly better. Through PT I aggressively try to accomodate the advances, it is not easy.

Here are my questions, to any of you that are a long way down this road, are you having trouble sleeping, or needing excessive sleep. I tend to require 12 or more hours per day and I still feel I am in stuper. I am on a host of antioxidants and vitamins and neurological meds. As this progresses I seem to require enormous amounts of sleep. Also, low pressure systems really excite the problems. Only thing I get from my MDs is that most people are not doing as well as I am at this stage. Has anyone found these sleep problems and how are they accomodating them, besides sleeping all day