One leg worse than other ...
 

One last question for those with AN :
Is it possible to have burning and tingling in one leg MUCH worse than the other ???
Sx

Hi Paininfoot - I'll just chime in here with my experiences. From what I've been reading here, I really do think we all have different symptoms at different times. I have had alcoholic PN in my feet (to the best of my recollection, it started around May 2013) - tingling first, then numbness progressing to the point of COMPLETE, constant numbness. I also get a burning feeling from time to time. My feet feel like two big worthless bricks. I do still get tingling/burning throughout the day, it comes and goes.

Two months ago I started feeling tingly and numb in my fingertips. I had already been taking all the vitamins that have been discussed here so I got really concerned - weren't they working at all? Well, I have become a little more optimistic just in this past week that the numbness feels like it is not "spreading" down my fingers, and might be "retreating" back up to the tips. The joints in my fingers still feel stiff, but I am having a lot easier time typing this message, for instance.

I have good days and bad days. Some days I swear I can start to feel some sensation in my feet and I walk a little better, etc. Other days I feel wobbly and unstable. I have been paying attention to what I eat, and I think sugar affects me quite a bit. When I don't eat sugar, the next day I usually have a "good day".

My symptoms are more pronounced in my left foot and left hand (which is a blessing, since I am right-handed; and the gas & brake pedal require use of my right foot). Speaking of, I still freak out about driving. I don't go long distances and I try to avoid long stoplights where my foot might slip off the brake like it did a few months ago.

And about pain: I don't usually have much pain except for the occasional quick "stab" that subsides after I move my feet around. However, pain from physical contact is a different story. If something touches my feet without warning, it HURTS. For instance, I have 3 hyper dogs who run around the house in unpredictable patterns. If they step on my feet, I shriek in pain. They have toys strewn throughout the house and I have made the painful mistake of stepping on them from time to time. I HAVE to have an even surface to walk on, that's all there is to it. I don't like to walk much in our backyard because the grass is uneven.

I can't wear the same shoes I used to wear - thongs, flip flops, heels - forget about it!!! I have to wear something secure like tennis shoes. I have a cruise coming up in a couple months and had to scour the stores for shoes that are appropriate for dinner. Luckily I found some sandals that are flat and are secured at the toes and heels (but still look dressy enough) - I had to find something that would stay on those stupid feet that I cannot feel. (When all this PN first started, I was walking along in sandals that didn't have back straps and I ended up walking right out of one of them without even knowing it. :eek:)

Anyway, hopefully all of us who are suffering through this, can one day look back on this thread and laugh because we have recovered. Like Icehouse! I am so glad, Icehouse, that you keep checking in and supporting us - I am very grateful.

Thank you Wanna ,
Have you had a doctor diagnose you with AN??
Did the tingling in your fingers start AFTER you stopped drinking ?
Hope you enjoy your cruise and that you feel better soon.
S



UOTE=WannaGetFeelingBack;1103396]Hi Paininfoot - I'll just chime in here with my experiences. From what I've been reading here, I really do think we all have different symptoms at different times. I have had alcoholic PN in my feet (to the best of my recollection, it started around May 2013) - tingling first, then numbness progressing to the point of COMPLETE, constant numbness. I also get a burning feeling from time to time. My feet feel like two big worthless bricks. I do still get tingling/burning throughout the day, it comes and goes.

Two months ago I started feeling tingly and numb in my fingertips. I had already been taking all the vitamins that have been discussed here so I got really concerned - weren't they working at all? Well, I have become a little more optimistic just in this past week that the numbness feels like it is not "spreading" down my fingers, and might be "retreating" back up to the tips. The joints in my fingers still feel stiff, but I am having a lot easier time typing this message, for instance.

I have good days and bad days. Some days I swear I can start to feel some sensation in my feet and I walk a little better, etc. Other days I feel wobbly and unstable. I have been paying attention to what I eat, and I think sugar affects me quite a bit. When I don't eat sugar, the next day I usually have a "good day".

My symptoms are more pronounced in my left foot and left hand (which is a blessing, since I am right-handed; and the gas & brake pedal require use of my right foot). Speaking of, I still freak out about driving. I don't go long distances and I try to avoid long stoplights where my foot might slip off the brake like it did a few months ago.

And about pain: I don't usually have much pain except for the occasional quick "stab" that subsides after I move my feet around. However, pain from physical contact is a different story. If something touches my feet without warning, it HURTS. For instance, I have 3 hyper dogs who run around the house in unpredictable patterns. If they step on my feet, I shriek in pain. They have toys strewn throughout the house and I have made the painful mistake of stepping on them from time to time. I HAVE to have an even surface to walk on, that's all there is to it. I don't like to walk much in our backyard because the grass is uneven.

I can't wear the same shoes I used to wear - thongs, flip flops, heels - forget about it!!! I have to wear something secure like tennis shoes. I have a cruise coming up in a couple months and had to scour the stores for shoes that are appropriate for dinner. Luckily I found some sandals that are flat and are secured at the toes and heels (but still look dressy enough) - I had to find something that would stay on those stupid feet that I cannot feel. (When all this PN first started, I was walking along in sandals that didn't have back straps and I ended up walking right out of one of them without even knowing it. :eek:)

Anyway, hopefully all of us who are suffering through this, can one day look back on this thread and laugh because we have recovered. Like Icehouse! I am so glad, Icehouse, that you keep checking in and supporting us - I am very grateful.[/QUOTE]

I haven't been to a doctor, which I probably should - but I am absolutely positive this is due to my years of drinking. I have read everything I can get my hands on about neuropathy and what causes it. Have you been diagnosed by a doctor?

Diagnosis
 

Hi Wanna, thanks for your detailed reply. I have had two neurologists say that it is NOT AN but my GP thinks it is as does a pain specialist I saw yesterday. The pain is absolutely excruciating in my right foot ... Shooting, stabbing , burning and no medication seems to fix it . My left foot is ok .. My left hand is tingly .
Have you stopped drinking completely ? Are you saying that the symptoms ( numb hands etc) appeared AFTER you stopped drinking ??
Hope you feel better.
S

I do still have a drink here and there. Right after the tingling started in my hands, I dialed back BIG-time, and that has seemed to help me. Your pain sounds downright awful! I should be thankful I don't have it that bad. From what I have gathered here, our symptoms aren't going to go away overnight - it will likely take many months for any noticeable improvement. I have really only been on the vitamins since July, so I am hopeful that in the coming months they will start to work better. My fingers feel pretty good today! (I avoided sugar yesterday...)

Thank you Wanna .. I hope you feel better soon.
S

Same to you! Keep us posted!

Vitamin D
 

On another note, although my B 12 etc was ok, it turns out my Vitamin D is a bit low ( it is 48 mmol/L .... Think we may have a different scale here in the uk than in the US) . The specialist said I should go back to the GP and get a Vitamin D shot and gave it monitored... Will this make a difference to the neuropathy do you think ? Mrs D ?? ! Are you there ? :-)
S

1187 days sober. 3.3 years. 1.7 million minutes. (I have an app for that :) )

I really do not have much to report, I am not getting any better, just hit a nice little plateau where I feel good and life is just peachy.

I am slacking on my vitamins, so I will ramp that back up to daily starting in the morning after a trip to CVS.

Anyway, keep up the good work everyone!