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04-13-2015, 04:07 AM
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Junior Member
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04-27-2015, 05:29 AM
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Junior Member
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Some days I am symptom-free. Other days, left sole paresthesia (especially after sitting with some compression of sciatic nerve in the site of hamstring), right ulnar nerve paresthesia (numbness and tingling of right two smallest fingers) last for hours. Hanging right arm by my side relieves the odd sensation. Sitting on a chair other than the one I am in now relieves left sole tingling to some degree.
Chronic myopathy was also present (prior to paresthesia onset of April 3). Glad to say that this situation is now resolving with muscle mass returning to left biceps and muscles of the forearm. (Noticeable bilateral loss of muscle from quadriceps, gluteus; gastrocnemius and anterior tibialis - with right side more affected). Pectoralis major: noticed bilateral loss of muscle in the course of a week, which is now resolving. Persisting with thiamine (and all other vitamins as listed earlier in this post). I'm glad to say that, generally, there is nothing new to report, in terms of symptom progression. Very mild compared to the first two weeks, if present at all. Noted in journal (sorry, exact publication forgotten) that very marked muscle loss and paresthesias including sensory loss and depressed deep tendon reflexes slowly resolved (after 15 months, with 6-week inpatient hospitalization of pt. Hx of alcohol abuse). The pt was in a far worse state than I am in. Considering my condition to really be dry beri beri with chronic myopathy already present. Romberg's sign not present. Tinel's sign present three days ago. Cannot seem to make it occur again. No liver signs at present - with no palmar erythema, ascites or abdominal swelling; no obvious jaundice of skin. No kidney signs. No signs of hypogonadism or hyperestrogenism. Apparent fat deposition in places where muscle atrophied seems consistent with myopathy. Only concern: thiamine malabsorption is present in cases of liver disease. So it is important to regularly check thiamine to ensure correct storage and phosphatization. Sudden reduction of paresthesias and consistent levels of paresthesias with regular absence of symptoms seems to very very generally indicate that liver function is within normal limits. Biggest concern right now - when will these tingling sensations get lost? Time, time, time. Time is so narcissistic. This is now 3 weeks and 4 days after initial and rampant onset. Can jog upstairs, can exercise (on good days) for 3 hours, can carry load in storming conditions for two hours. (Walking, jogging elicits tingling in both soles, not very different from just normal sensations of having "used" my feet). Pushups are easier. A pump (physiological engorgement of muscles with blood through exercise) is easier to elicit now. Was almost absent before, which was curiously odd. Sleep is easier to come by these days. But for the last three nights I have been giving a "running commentary" in my dreams, which is very exhausting. A lady in one dream was gathering flowers, or something, from a garden bed. And there was I hovering in the dreamscape ether above her, and narrating the scene. Very odd. But these things have happened to me before and always abate. I work with a lot of people for long hours in a day and I often go to bed exhausted without having first properly unwound. So not unusual I suppose if I continue to analyze and provide narratives on the other side of life. Um. That's all, I guess. Rough notes only. I am tired today. (Which is a good sign in this case). |
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| "Thanks for this!" says: | mrsD (05-07-2015) |
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05-07-2015, 04:14 PM
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Junior Member
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Up and down. Up and down. All I see is the see-saw sea.
For the past four days, paresthesias were set back to a dull fuzziness, and were absent after rest/sleep in prone position. I thought I was going to go nose-up and leave these war-grey clouds of obtuse fuzziness! Wrong! Nerve conditions are apt to play Loki. Left sole, right toes, very tips of left middle fingers and very tippy tips of right smallest fingers, right toes every so slightly fizzy, not even fuzzy. And, Today, awoke without a symptom. But my old ghosts returned, elicited on standing and walking. Only today did I have a minor crisis with left sole paresthesia becoming more intense (approx 40% as intense as on April 3). Left outside shin was numb for around an hour (had been sitting for 2 hours to write with inner knee unconsciously pressed against one aspect of the weird desk at which I sit to write). Standing and walking and sitting upon the glossy porcelain throne elicited immediately left sole paresthesia (which was relieved when raised buttock. O the games Dubinin plays in the can room, cannery(?)). Oh, wait - Wednesday: Could not properly bench press - weakness on right side with noticeable loss of right upper pec muscle (a one-and-a-half inch long and inch wide area near sternum served by lateral pectoral nerve). Even pushups (without feet elevated on chair) were difficult. After changing to higher dosage of vitamin B1, mystery of the prodigal pec was resolved in 2 days.  Pec now feels about normal again. As weird as that sounds. Still upper body weakness, with 5 elevated-feet pushups feeling like I had already done 80 before their number. Troubling. But, I'm not truly worried. It will come back. Won't it? If it does, I will bench press again. If it doesn't, I will sit and eat vitamin filled cheese cake and look fat for a while. Quads are still smaller than they ought to be. Calves are slightly diminished. Have commenced regular lunges and squats to activate hypertrophic pathways to counteract the atrophic process. May or may not work. Let's hope it does, lest I forever more be called Needle Legs. Will add upper body rehabilitative program to that bunch of odds and bods. Will perform whatever pushups I can, halve the number, and do that number in three sets each day and add to that number daily. And look up cheese cake recipes. What a chirpy Dubinin, even while feeling a million buzzing demyelinated axons screaming for death or mercy- and hoping that either comes first. One must keep their wits in place, though; as long as wits are able to tenant this skull. |
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09-21-2015, 10:27 PM
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Grand Magnate
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09-23-2015, 10:57 PM
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Junior Member
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Random is the way of nerves, especially when they have been impacted by any kind of trauma. I can see it is a real nuisance, not being able to predict accurately how your nerves will go from day to day. The temptation is to drop exercise. But, the general strategy should be to keep exercising, as far as energy levels and other factors will permit. The maxim that people have adopted with success is to keep working out as much as they can. Now, the problem is that if a peripheral nerve has been affected to the point strength is subsequently affected, then one needs to augment their work out for safety to avoid complicating things further through injury. So it comes back to tediously applying oneself to adjusting loads and limits, and trying to start with a base minimum and trying to stimulate the muscle groups as best we can (and as far as restricted insights and random nerves permit). At my worst, I was down to 7 pushups (or less) a day, with a few squats. But it was something. I decided that if that was my new starting point, so be it, and that I would build from there. Don't be afraid to "tear it down" to a new minimum. You will always be better able to gauge results from setting the bar too low than too high. I worked my 7 pushups into something a 3 year old could have pulled off - 7 push ups became three sets: 4-5-3 pushups, with an extra 1 or 2 every time I worked out again. But, I kept going, doing anything I could. Low impact exercises minimize *injury* and will help cardio- pool, elliptical (exercise bike), walking over a known course (a safe course - one with no trip hazards or weird obstacles like stair wells and golf course bunkers - important if one is having foot drop or leg issues) and trying to better times - all of this will help minimize injury, if you can do it. When large muscle groups are malfunctioning, then going back to "core" and physiotherapeutic exercises is still something. It is the worst feeling when you know what you can do, and you just can't do it. But it can and does come back. A lot of literature uses the shallow doom of "PN can be permanent" without explaining exactly WHEN it will be permanent. It is useless, and should not be used as a formula for quitting exercise. Peripheral nerves are very capable of healing themselves, given the right nutrition and rest support (in cases of insomnia - this often comes back to high dose vitamin therapy as it did in my case and the cases of many many others). It is also a horrible feeling when people don't just get it. We know what we are capable of, when nerves permit (and they will again). They say such things as "Well, you just have to accept this as the new you," as a nursing amour said to me during this time. Really? I resisted swallowing her glib and diffuse commentary and went at it against her fatefulness. People just don't get it. We give up expecting them to. But we focus on the important issues of never giving up - and always looking for the solutions that fit our issue. I hope anything I said was useful. You will be better than you might feel you are today. It can be a demoralizing experience like no other when nerves go awry. But there is, generally, a solution for everything. So, hang in there! Quote:
Good news - B12 seems to be working wonders for me. Longer sleeps, clear dreams, daily reduction in paresthesias, better concentration, no anxiety now, body seems to be slowly "filling up" again from being slammed. And this was my big news that I was coming here to report. But B12 seems to have caused a breakthrough for me. So, this would be my recommendation for you, fellow shipmate - I have a hunch, a theory, that some people are not great absorbers of B12 anyway, and as long as they live like the Amish they tend not to encounter the plethora of problems that come when B12 goes low. However, drinking like crazy, as I did, highlights this and continued heavy drinking will bring on a bunch of problems that can be misdiagnosed; mismanaged; and if we are reaching for supplements, those can mask even a B12 deficiency. So advice hot off the press is to check B12, (and B1, and don't overdo B6); and if in any doubt at all, consider starting the B12 therapy mentioned above in my last huge post! I'm so convinced B12 is the answer for me that was lacking, and wish it was as straightforward for everyone! Quote:
Last edited by Dubinin; 09-24-2015 at 05:22 AM. Reason: typo |
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09-23-2015, 11:29 PM
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Junior Member
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Notes from the past 7 days on high B12 protocol to treat B12 deficiency.
(B vitamins are pivotal in maintaining nerve and muscle health. B12, B1, B2, B3, B6 all have their role to play. It is easy enough to accidentally mask a B deficiency. B12 deficiency, in my case, was masked and overlooked. Symptoms persist needlessly in such cases. So, check your Bs! And make sure that more intense testing is done than just to check serum levels of B. In the case of B12 "a more sensitive method of screening for vitamin B12 deficiency is measurement of serum methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels" (Dr. ROBERT C. OH and Dr DAVID L. BROWN: Am Fam Physician. 2003 Mar 1;67(5):979-986)). My Study on Myself: High B12 protocol and results - WEEK ONE SEP 18 ====== SLEEP: Slept 5 hours, with vivid dreams (it's been a while). PARESTHESIAS: right toes, left instep, heel, left hand on waking from sleep. right middle fingers. COGNITIVE: Some "forgetfulness" CARDIO: tachy on waking from naps. (3 naps from 12:30- 3:55pm) 78bpm at rest. WEIGH IN: (2 pair socks, track pants, t): 209LBS (95 kg). --------------------------------------- SEP 19 SLEEP: Slept 6 hours with wakefulness in middle, after going to bed late PARESTHESIAS: less than yesterday. Right hand TINGLING on waking. Elevated to pillow and alleviated. CARDIO: Did not notice as forceful tachy on waking. But still present, only to lesser degree. 76 bpm at rest ------------------------------------ SEP 20 SLEEP: Slept 5 hours solidly. Reclined for a further two. Dreams are very vivid. Sleep is very deep. Wish it was longer. PARESTHESIAS: Finger tips both hands paresthetic. Some minor shake. Greatly reduced tingling in feet. Very very faint tingle in left foot. Fingers on both sides feel tight. Thumb on left feels tight. COGNITIVE: Concetration is better. Able to more quickly retrieve lost thoughts/names. CARDIO: Valsalvas and stretching with tensing of body on waking lead to pronounced tachycardia. (120 BPM, bounding). 68 bpm at rest ------------------------------- SEP 21 SLEEP: Slept 5 hours then a further 3 or more - one break, clear dreams and deep sleep. PARESTHESIAS / NEURO: Legs feel a little weak, trembly, but not visible. Can carry groceries up three flights of stairs without much problem. Still wish I hadn't. See a little more meatiness to my slightly trembling hands. This afternoon, a strange thrumming sensation at coccyx. How to tell anyone about that one? RH less tight feeling. LH a little tight esp around thumb. L sole tingly (3/10 rating) R sole - not tingly. Some numb patches on outer sole RF. COGNITIVE: Concentration is better, able to focus on jeopardy better. CARDIO: No notable tachy on waking and stretching. 74bpm resting ------------------------------- SEP 22 SLEEP: Slept 5 hours then a further 3 again. Clear dreams. (it has been so long!) PARESTHESIAS / NEURO: feeling generally tired. 3/10 left sole paresthesia. L quad seems to be coming back a little! Calves still have "missing pieces". Very slight tingle left fingers. RH no tingling. CARDIO: 70 bpm resting. Minimal tachy on waking. ------------------------------ Sep 23 SLEEP: slept almost 6 hours straight. PARESTHESIAS / NEURO: Awoke tingle free. Just starting to get tingly now 5 hours after waking. About level 3.3/10 Twitch in inner right thigh since midnight last night (17 hours worth of inner thigh getting its groove on by 5:20pm today). CARDIO: No tachy of note to report. 64 bpm resting. ------------------------ SEP 24 SLEEP: Slept 7.5 hours with tiny wakefulness after the 5 hour mark, I think it may have been. Vivid dreams - Schwarzenegger was in a red long sleeve shirt, and I was assisting him in avoiding the Predator. Lawd... my dreams are undeniable jejune today. But very clear - and yes, we do dream in color. PARESTHESIAS / NEURO: Awoke with no symptoms in feet. Some tingling faintly in right middle fingers. Just starting to feel tingle in left sole now (on standing, 1.5 hours after waking). Oh! Twitch has gone, thank heavens. CARDIO: No tachy on waking. 68bpm rest MUSCULAR: Body is "filling up again." Face feels fuller; cleft in chin returning (didn't know that was a muscle thing) can sense how tight hands have been. I stretch them better now, and can feel the burning measure of their new freedom. Legs changing shape for the better. L quad/thigh really returning. Was scared, frankly, when thighs were "straight!" Now the quad is hooping our a little more, as it should in my case. Ab muscles are much more willing to tense (have been slack and "distant"). deltoids coming back. Junction of neck and traps- I again have such a junction. Not as pronounced as before, but it is there. WEIGH IN: 209 lbs steady. OTHER: Skin color and texture even looks much better. It must be said: I even feel more calm - tranquil - on the B12. Must look into that. How much anxiety is caused by B being low? Anyway, it feels like a drug and thank heavens it isn't one. I'm probably high on levels of this and that, as they return to normal. |
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10-01-2015, 07:41 AM
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Junior Member
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End of week two. General findings: improved state of muscular contraction and marked decrease in paresthesias. Better sleep. Etc. (Will post tomorrow on week two findings).
As a result, conducted further reading and decided that I will continue this course of treatment at 2000mcg daily for 90 days (based on 2011 evidence that supports this - see below). Then I will reassess. Then, if required, proceed to 120 days at same level. The following information is from Am Fam Physician. 2011 Jun 15;83(12):1425-1430. Link: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/0615/p1425.html Quote:
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10-01-2015, 07:48 AM
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Wisest Elder Ever
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This is a better link to AAFP:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0301/p979.html This is my B12 informational thread....it has more detail than the medical ones: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html Alcoholics can also benefit from thiamine or its newer cousin benfotiamine. Thiamine is a cofactor in removing aldehydes which are byproducts of metabolism of ethyl alcohol.
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All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.-- Galileo Galilei ************************************ . Weezie looking at petunias 8.25.2017 **************************** These forums are for mutual support and information sharing only. The forums are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. Always consult your doctor before trying anything you read here.
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