Lyrica is certainly the choice of my nuerologist. I am on 450 mg / day which is a lot. I went down to 300 to see what would happen and could hardly walk. However, I have complained that after 2 years sober I don't feel like it's any better so maybe it's time to have a talk with my doctor. Especially after what I see here.

I am also curious if anyone uses opioids like hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc given our history with alcohol abuse? I was told it could trigger something and make you more susceptible to a relapse. I don't know, all I know is I hurt, a lot. I also have back issues separate from PN that requires physical therapy weekly. I have associated pain with alcohol and that is a huge deterrent for me.

BTW, lyrics does make you hungry. You can eat and never feel full. It's been a struggle with lack of exercise and medication side effects to not gain weight. Weight gain is the last thing my feet need!

I take Tramadol, Okone1, not really a true opioid, some call it a synthetic narcotic. There is some disagreement about what it actually is and how addictive , but I wouldn't hesitate trying it. It makes me moody (as you might have read in another post) and I would prefer not to use it. Abusing it is the farthest thing from my mind. But it does provide relief. ...further, I am sick of this stuff as well, I am ready to try some meds, just don't know what. I wish abstinence worked better. Sometimes you will see posts to the effect "most people who suffer from alcohol related neuropathy recover", I would sure like to believe that, but I have my doubts. There is the 1984 study , a very small one, that shows 7 of 10 former drinkers recovered to normal or near normal nerve conduction scores etc when tested. I have never found that study replicated, but I have found studies that failed to find any improvement at all. Other times, of course, we see people post on here and elsewhere that they personally recovered from the symptoms. So, as some scientist put it, "results are highly variable and new treatments are sorely needed." ..Amen.

Marijuana
 

My own experiences of smoking weed have been nothing short of horrifying. I get MASSIVELY paranoid, I cannot sleep, and when, on the odd occasion I can, I have the strangest dreams. My own GP, (Doc), put me on Citalopram for a while, I felt like I was in a cartoon, I felt surreal, like I did'nt really exist. Weird. Is Amytrptiline also anti-depressant?

Yes iit is, one of the older ones

Inviting your advice, thoughts, recommendations, etc.
 

I have a doctors appointment next week and plan to get his advice on what I should do next in my struggle with PN. I don't know if it's the weather (seems unlikely) or what, but my symptoms are really interfering with my Quality of Life, to say the least. This is the worst it has been since I went to the doc in Jan. 2013. It has gradually become more bothersome the entire time with a rather rapid decline in the last 6 months. I plan to ask about Lyrica, Neurontin, Amitriptyline, Cymbalta, electric stimulation, and most of the stuff mentioned on here. In short, I am looking for any advice on treatments or protocols of any kind that some of you may have had some success with lately that I might not know about. Or, if you have just heard of something but have no experience with it, let me know that as well. Mrs. D? Wide O? IceHouse? Any and all, if you have any thoughts they will be greatly appreciated. I haven't had any alcohol save my flirtation with it in July and August of 2014, so that wouldn't be contributing to this bothersome decline, I wouldn't think.

Sorry to hear that newstown. As you know I have a very similar episode lately. I'm glad to say the amitryptiline seems to work as I am now on 1/3rd of the tramadol dose I was on, yet am feeling less pain. I hope to get off completely and only take ami for a while so that the tramadol will become effective again.

BTW I don't think your short flirtation with alcohol last year has any effect today. PN just seems to have a mind of its own. I'd suggest to keep on trying different things to see what gives you the best quality of life. I know that's not very useful, but it's the best I can do.

PS: I'm on 1234 - not the musical countdown, but number of days sober. ;) Despite the PN setback I'm still feeling very comfortable living without alcohol, and see no reason to change that anytime soon.

1234 Go! Good for you Wide O and thanks for the words of wisdom. Sounds like the ami is really doing the job, I am definitely going to check on that. Gosh that's good that you can cut back on the tramadol based on something as cheap (and reliable, apparently) as amitriptyline. Here's to hoping I have a similar experience! Thanks again for the ideas.

New Here
 

Hi Everyone, I spent last night reading all 55 pages of this thread and I have to admit I teared up after reading the inspirational stories on here. It was so awesome to see the improvement and those who are living awesome lives. I have quit drinking--10 days--but I have done it before --even 3 years, but always went back. After this I know that I know that I know that I never want to drink again.
I have pins and needles in my hands and feet. My doctor says it is from Potassium deficiency after doing bloodwork and gave me Potassium supplements. While the prickling has improved, I know that it is from alcoholic neuropathy.
I am really scared because I know that the symptoms can get much worse so I am going to get Mrs.D's nutrition program started today. We have a really good homeopath here who sells high quality vitamins that I used when I had gastritis.
I also have severe OCD (which is a lot of why I drank because it helped me feel normal) so my thinking is very catastrophic and I keep seeing myself bedridden and dying from liver disease (because in my mind if my nerves have deteriorated like this then my liver must be gone!--but thanks to you folks I have seen that this is not always the case). It is just hard being positive since I've always catastrophised things--like when I got gastritis I was convinced I had stomach cancer--you get the idea...SOOO coming on here and reading how it is not all gloom and doom and how much progress you all have made and that you don't let yourself spend all day in bed has been so inspirational. I have been staying in bed the past 4 days because when I get up and start moving around I feel the prickling and it makes me start having a panic attack. Thanks!

1553 days sober. But, that is not as numerically cool as Wide-O and his 1234!!

I am fine, so I will move on to bunnyluv and just say a BIG "Welcome" from this group of messed up, broken, beat down, picked up and dysfunctional anonymous folks here in this slot of internet stuff....

We bounce ideas off each other and then gripe when things are not perfect, but that makes us good at what we do. We get it. We understand. We keep moving on....

Come with us...

If you are OCD , Bunniluv, I must have it too, if I stub my toe, I assume amputation will be required, all aches and pains are a sure sign of incurable terminal illness in my head. I think you have found the right thread, welcome aboard.