Hello everyone
I'm new here. My name is Sarah Mae. I'm 24 years old and from South Dakota. I recently (in May) graduated from college with a degree in Elementary Education. However, last August I had gastric bypass surgery. In December, I started to have some pain in my feet. I didn't think anything of it, and started my student teaching semester in January. The pain started to get worse and worse--to the point where I would stand up and teach for 8 hours and then come home and cry for 8 hours. I couldn't stand the pain, but my doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong.
I went to doctor after doctor, and nobody knew what was going on. Finally my mom took me to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Four days of painful tests later, they told me that I had large fiber peripheral neuropathy. I was on gabapentin at that time, so the doctor had me increase my dose to 2700 mg (slowly, of course). I did, but it didn't help.
I have been working with my neurologist back home here (an hour away from my home), and he has switched my medicines a few times. The gabapentin didn't work. We tried topamax and amitriptilyne (sorry if I'm spelling these wrong) and now I'm on Lyrica... but that isn't working yet either. I'm so frustrated, because I am in incredible pain.
I have been reading posts from people, and it seems like the majority of you have small fiber PN. I can't seem to find any good information on large fiber PN on the internet--can anybody help me? I have all the symptoms of small fiber PN--I have the burning, the electrical shocks in my feet... but the tests show I have large fiber PN.
I am bedridden at this point because the minute I swing my legs over the side of my bed, my legs turn purple because the blood rushes down to my legs and feet... and doesn't pump back up.
My neurologist said that my neuropathy is a result of the gastric bypass surgery. It's because my body stopped absorbing vitamins. It's not that I wasn't eating well enough... it wasn't my fault at all, but it was just my body. He said that this is one of the most severe cases of neuropathy--and the worst that he has ever seen. I am in bed 24/7 except when I walk less then 10 feet to the bathroom.
Nobody around here understands this. I don't know anyone with neuropathy or anyone who even knows what it is. So I'm hoping to meet some people and really... to make some friends here that I can relate to.
Depression goes hand in hand with chronic pain. I have had chronic pain since I was a child, because I have degenerative disc disease and other things (arthritis and things) in my back... and I am very thankful that I do not deal with depression. I have bad days, but I am generally in high spirits. But I would just really like to find some people that can relate to my situation.
Now that I've written a book... I'm not sure anyone will read and respond... haha... but I really would like to know if anyone has any websites that explain the difference between small and large fiber neuropathy... because I don't know what the difference is... thanks for reading!