I am glad you had a good follow up. Could you ask that doctor who spent so long with you of a recomendation for a rheumatologist? Maybe he could suggest a good one at CC and often CC docs can get you in to other ones there quickly. When I was at CC I got squeezed into the pain doctor from another doctor. I hope you feel better.

Actually on the day I was at CC, I think the neuro would have gotten me into the rheumatologist but I had such a long drive ahead of me (3.5hrs) that I just wanted to get out of there. I wasn't feeling horrible, I had some pain in the joints but not like what I am experiencing now. He thought maybe gout, but I was quick to rule that out. The joints are not red / hot. Just hurt with movement, especially the wrong kind. OUCH....... If I really have to wait 6 months to see a rheumatologist, I will call in some favors and ask the docs I work with to pull some strings. Unfair, but you do what you have to do!!

Is 600 mg of ALA ok to take? I have only been taking 100mg....maybe not enough?

100mg of ALA (alpha lipoic acid) is not enough. All the studies used 600mg or MORE to show effect on PN pain.

100mg of r-lipoic however, the newer one, may be enough because it is far more potent.

Are there any US oral studies on ALA?
The UK dosage was 600, but it was administered IV.
No oral studies I've heard of.
My neuro said 'it couldn't hurt' when I asked him about ALA
and then he gave out a print sheet to patients at a later time, that suggested
OTC ALA was OK, but didn't mention dosage.
I've been taking a 'maintenance dose' of 200/day for the past few years

Examples:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20519180
(oral or IV mentioned)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19125705
(found improvements with both oral and IV)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18598095
(this one doesn't say but I am assuming oral )

There is a definite lack of US studies.... no one to fund them I guess. (Big Pharma is certainly not going to fund them )

It has always been Europe doing the most work on various supplements for PN and pain in general.

One thing most commonly reported about ALA is that results are slow in coming. At least 60 days, in some of the studies.

I just was bragging on how good I was getting along and now I have fallen on my face (thank heavens, not literally.) A couple of nights ago I had a severe attack of diarrhea and the very next day my symptoms have returned. Not so much worse on the pain and burning, but the numbness and awkwardness in my hands is back up to at least 60-70%. Now, I was also being weaned off the neurontin which was at 900 mg per day. I am now down to 300 mg at bedtime. So my question is......... did the episode of diarrhea deplete the levels of Alphalipoic Acid, or should I consider that I need to go back up on the neurontin? I was doing so well and this is like getting kicked in the stomach......makes me want to vomit!! Or cry or both. Was also thinking about doubling the dose of the ALA to 1200mg for a couple of days to see if that changes anything. Just want to hear what you all think..........