you CAN takes some time. Finding a therapist who understands [even a bit] about neuropathies will help heaps. ASK! Don't be shy with your life and safety.

There used to be an old axiom regarding race horses [running athletes totally]: for every day off due to injury, it'll take 3 days to get back to that point safely. It's true for people as well. Rehab doesn't occur overnite.

First off - the Pain: Look up this site to get a handle on where you are to compare the 'before' PT and the 'after' PT issues. Really THINK about it hard. It's hard to be so objective about yourself when you plain-old HURT all the time, but give it a shot. Try to put it all in perspective, it's a which/what/where/what-kind of pain inventory...sorting it all out. Web up: 'Mankowski Pain Scale' and see how those #'s/ratings relate to where you are at any time... We all know about those times when we're a "15"!

Wittesea and MrsD have posted good sites to check out. I know well the breastcancer.org site well as a very useful site. There's lots of info there easily read....BC survivors often acquire PN as a result of chemo and rads... A good deal of neuropathy research is being done as a result of the vocal, active participation and clout of cancer survivors and their groups. We all should be VERY grateful. Don't discount it all, pain is pain.

Second - exercise...IF your PT sessions put you in a back 3 days steps worth of pain and ability to move compared to just before the sessions, talk to the head therapist or go and actually visit other outpatient PT sites to get a sense of the place in action and how therapists work with folks there. If you're having home sessions AND problems with a therapist...call and talk to the prescribing doc to see if there are alternatives. Therapists, like docs, can be insensitive to what/how we feel and have to do or CAN do in the 'getting better' processes.

IF nerves are re-generating, you really HAVE to use the muscles - those nerves, to program new nerves or re-program damaged nerves. You have to re-teach them all WHAT TO DO AND HOW! That can't be done if they're not in action. If, a Therapist wants me to work up to 5 reps of 10, say, on your own-do 10 reps of 5, then up that to 15 of 5 etc. The little 'bits' during different times of the day will cause less overall stress. And YES you have to stretch! IT IS A MUST! DON'T Try to achieve a view of 'perfection' right off the bat. Think of almost aged rubber bands, too much too fast and they break..You have to sort of soften them up before doing the stretches...tho probably rite now they feel as if they are curling up all the wrong way...go gentle and safe and YOU WILL get there!

Late today or early tomorrow I'll dig out some good stretching & building sites that are pretty much what most PT'ers do, so the pics and what each exercise does can help you experiment with what works well for you. IF it feels right in any way, try it and do it; If it doesn't DON't - trust your instincts about good and bad for you APART from the pain.

You will get there, I have and have to again after my recent knee injury!
Don't despair or give up...we all just have to learn what we have now in the best possible ways, in the safest ways possible!

Go for IT! - j