New Member Introductions Welcome to our community! Come in and introduce yourself to other members!!


advertisement
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-23-2018, 12:09 AM #1
Tinkerersdaughter Tinkerersdaughter is offline
Newly Joined
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1
5 yr Member
Tinkerersdaughter Tinkerersdaughter is offline
Newly Joined
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1
5 yr Member
Default Introduction

Hi everyone.
I'm a 55 year old female with severe neuropathy in my left calf & foot following a lumbar fusion in May 2016. Prior to the surgery I had some neuropathy in my feet although I didn't know it was neuropathy. My feet would burn at night. I woke up from the fusion in 2016 asking everyone why my foot was numb. Numb as in it felt like it was half asleep but yet over sensitive at the same time.

After seeing a neurologist and having EMGs done it was determined that I have neuropathy in both legs & feet as well as both arms & hands and also on the left side of my face.

I had a revision done on my knee replacement in April 2017, hip replacement in June 2017 and an emergency lumbar fusion at L4-L5 in November 2017. I am waiting to have my other hip replaced.

Neurologist put me on 2000 mg vitamin D, 1000 mg vitamin B and 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid. I will admit I have a hard time remembering to take them every day. Up until a couple weeks ago I was taking 1800 mg of gabapentine daily. I tapered off & stopped it because my hair was falling out.

Because my insurance changed I've been switching over to new specialists. Next week I will get to see my new neurologist for the first time. The withdrawals from stopping the gabapentine have been terrible. Right now I take a long acting & a short acting pain medications, Cyclobenzaprine and ibuprofen.

Pain management doctor did a lumbar sympathetic block 6 days ago. She is trying to determine if a spinal cord stimulator would be effect for my pain. She believes I have complex regional pain syndrome.

Since going off the gabapentine my neuropathy is awful. I can't take Lyrica or antidepressants. I'm wondering if anyone has any other suggestions for dealing with my neuropathy. I would like to have information so I can bring it up when meeting with my new neurologist next week. I've tried different things and living in Colorado I have tried medical marijuana too and also CBDs.

After the lumbar fusions I still have considerable pain. I'm tough when it comes to pain. I drove myself to my 2 week post op appointments after my first fusion & after my hip replacement. I stopped taking all my pain meds 12 hours before my appointments in order to be able to drive myself. But this neuropathy is worse because nothing ever makes it stop. Things can make it more tolerable but it's always there.

I'm hoping to gain some ideas or tips or tricks to make living with this more tolerable.
Tinkerersdaughter is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote

advertisement
Old 05-23-2018, 06:30 AM #2
kiwi33's Avatar
kiwi33 kiwi33 is offline
Grand Magnate
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Posts: 3,093
8 yr Member
kiwi33 kiwi33 is offline
Grand Magnate
kiwi33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Posts: 3,093
8 yr Member
Default

Hi Tinkerersdaughter

Welcome to NwuroTalk .

I am sorry to read about all of your problems.

Two forums that it would be worth checking out are peripheral neuropathy (https://www.neurotalk.org/forum20/) and RSD/CRPS (https://www.neurotalk.org/forum21/).

If you describe your experiences in them I am sure that you will get support and helpful suggestions from other members.

All the best.
__________________
Knowledge is power.
kiwi33 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fusion, lumbar, neurologist, neuropathy, pain

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
My Introduction hoppipolla New Member Introductions 1 09-04-2013 12:42 AM
introduction Nane2011 New Member Introductions 3 08-31-2012 12:36 AM
Hello, Introduction tracidmartin New Member Introductions 4 07-07-2009 06:59 PM
Introduction jmac51 New Member Introductions 5 05-30-2009 02:45 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:07 AM.

Powered by vBulletin • Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

vBulletin Optimisation provided by vB Optimise v2.7.1 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
 

NeuroTalk Forums

Helping support those with neurological and related conditions.

 

The material on this site is for informational purposes only,
and is 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.