I really feel for you. You shouldn't let your age or the stigma of the types of drugs you need stop you from getting the help and relief you need. You have PN and you need treatment! Don't be afraid to be frank with your doctor, let him know your suffering and need releif. Tell him what you have taken in the past and what has worked and what hasn't worked. I take vicodin 7.5/750 four times a day and I also have the fentayl patch at 75 mg. I take doxopin at night to stop the itching and tingling. I also take Neurontin at 2400 mg a day. Its taken a long time, and a good doctor, to get the right mixture of drugs to get the pain, stabbing and tingling under control. The drugs did cause me nightmares in the begining, but they went away. I've taked to others with PN and almost all of them are on vicodin or another similar drug to kill the pain, and alot of them are on higher doses then I am! You need to find a doctor that is understanding of PN and is willing to work with you to get you relief. Your not alone, just look at this board-there's a lot of us out here.