Some of you talk about death and PN as causing death.
What I know is that road accidents also cause death... and some news - life is not forever. It is final.
We have to live the day, each day everytime and be happy.
Getting PN is a shoke - we learn to know that life is breakable. But we can die from so many other things.
I recomanded about some meditation, relax, CBT, mindfulness therapy ect.

I have small fiber neuropathy for 5 years now. Some here have it even longer.
I know that with new symptoms I also have new fear, but try to work on it.

Think positively and stuck only to the good information.

New to post. I've had viral small fiber neuropathy for almost 3 yrs. To "nervous" I have to say 1)Exercise(i do water aerobics daily). It gives you natural endorphines to fight the pain. 2) try to keep stress and negative thoughts in check. Learn to meditate. 3)learn a craft with your hands.( i make cards for the military. )when the pains the worst i get crafting with my soft music on,it all helps.4)I keep sugar out of my diet also limit potatoes and tomatoes.
Last week i went to pain specialist at mayo. She was great and said this will not kill me, at present it is SLOWLY progressing. She gave me prednisone pack for 6 days in hopes of "setting it on it heals". IT WORKED!!!! i've been pain free for the first time in years. i'll enjoy it for however long it lasts and keep positive because that was my Docs. parting words. Keep the faith and sorry for the length.

nervous anyone who tells you that your PN will definitely progress until you are in a wheelchair or will get entirely better if only you do their decompression surgeries or take their miracle cure is at best misleading you and at worst trying to swindle you. Mrs. D cannot answer your question because there is no answer. No one knows if your PN will progress, progress for a while and then slow down, stay the same or get better. None absolutely noone knows this. Its all a crapshoot. I have progressed slowly over the last 9 years, but others with similiar symptoms have stayed the same, some have gotten worse and yes others have gotten better. Wings, Brian, Lizajane and Glenn just off the top of my head have improved or almost gotten totally better. Glenn's progressed from head to foot in a matter of days, talk about scary but he is doing much better now.

Others like Dan and Bob just keep slugging it out and not giving in an inch. They have both had it for many years now and Bob still runs his own business and Dan is as active as ever. Not bad for middle aged guys.

Do what you have to do to live life as fully as possible, create the best conditions in your body that you can to promote nerve health and possible regrowth and dont give in or give up.


Amit i all too well knew that life was breakable long before i got PN. I agree with your post.

For echoes long ago: Thanks for referring to me as being "middle age"....oh, if only it were true. Does being 78 qualify??? LoL

78 is the new 40!

you are a slugger and have my respect.

Thanks echoes and everyone. I'm grateful to hear from you all.

Obviously, I'm saddened by the fate that's befallen me. (My rheumatologist, pen and notepad at the ready, wanted to know if I was "depressed." These guys are awfully simple, eh?) However, for the moment, I can still function and am not dependent on others, so that makes me more fortunate than some.

I realized recently that my foot cramping started a year before my shingles "diagnosis" and three years before my sm. fib. neuro. diagnosis. Also, for many years I've been wondering why my ability to walk has been impaired. I thought that I was getting flat feet or that I was developing something in my feet as a result of a poor post-knee surgery rehab. Now, it appears I was suffering from nerve disorder.

BTW, I was talking with someone today about Kaiser and their HMO. Right now, I'm with Anthem Blue Cross PPO. Anyone have any opinions or comments about health insurance? I'm trying to figure out how the make the money last and Kaiser is much cheaper. (Should I start a new thread?)

I agree with almost all said above, but you answered my question before I'd asked it. That was: had you had any recent viral or bacterial infections such as the flu in the last 9 months? That is what set me off. Do take a look at this web site that others have provided? IF you can read even 1/2 of the med-speak? You mite find what you are after!
http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/alfindex.htm Click on the blue? And read your way till your mind turns into either peanut butter or you have an AH-HA moment!
Mrs D and others are right that a calcium+magnesium+ViteD supplement helps? But don't expect it to work overnite? Give it a month at least... Once we get 'zapped'? We don't tend to asorb the goodies we NEED as easily as we used to. Supplements DO help? They take a while tho to 'feel' any changes... The FEAR of THE FEAR! tho is far far worse. Best you go and read the 'stickies' at the top of the forum, and then...read as much as you can asorb from all of us before now.... It can help give you a foundation on when to be afraid and when to just live! Both deserve respect? But I much prefer to try and to the latter. Tho I too go RED ALERT!! at times, no shame, no harm, no foul.
BTW? in discussing age--You are only as old as you THINK! To date? I'm NOT thinking OLD yet! !
Nervous, I hope this helps you to get thru the first obstacle in your diagnosis 'course'? Keep faith in YOURSELF to know that YOU need help, and docs aren't always perfect! 's - j

I don't know if this helps, but I've been dealing with PN for 3+ years, and when it first started, I couldn't even mention it to anyone without breaking down in tears. Even though the pain is much worse now and even though I haven't found anyhing that alleviates the pain (except for Ambien), I find that I'm dealing with it emotionally much better these days.

I'm not sure what part of this you wanted me to read . . . or did you want me to read all of it?

Thanks.

Yes, Mrs. D, I know about the link between statins and PN, but I looked up the info and from what I could find, it looked like it's more rare than usual. I've only been taking the statin for a couple of years and had the PN for 11 and haven't noticed any change in my neuropathy. I am very aware. At 1st I didn't want to take the statin, my Dr. didn't know about it causing PN. He talked to me about the possibilities of heart disease problems of a diabetic....and then I read of the rarity. And I eat a good diet, it's not a diet issue, it's genetic, we have been able to determine that, I don't want to post all about that, it's late.

Also yes, my Dr. practically required me to take a combo of Omego-3 fish oil and Co-Q10 arranged by his office. And I'm taking Acetyl-L Carnitine 500mg. I didn't know about the ALC, just was taking that anyway....