[januarybabe]

I have DX of peripheral neuropathy. Pain started in abdomen and has since moved to arms and legs.

Anyone feel better while lying down? My pain goes away almost completely at night. I get about one hour in the morning without pain.

I am on 1200 of gabepentin per day and this might not be true if I were not on this drug.

However, even from start of this ailment when I was in as much pain I did feel better in morning and while laying down.

Any thoughts on this? A lot of the PN pain websites seem to say that PN is worse at night.

[mrsD]

In the morning, especially after you have breakfast, your daily amount of cortisol secretion is highest. This is anti-inflammatory, and energizing.

The first dip occurs at about 4pm, and a second peak after supper around 7-8, for most people. The very lowest cortisol is at 4am, and that is when in hospitals, many people die when they are very sick.

My pain is always worst at night. That is the only time I really need help sometimes, so I have tramadol for that when those terrible times come.

Feeling better lying down, suggests something in the spine to me.

[januarybabe]

Originally Posted by mrsD

In the morning, especially after you have breakfast, your daily amount of cortisol secretion is highest. This is anti-inflammatory, and energizing.

The first dip occurs at about 4pm, and a second peak after supper around 7-8, for most people. The very lowest cortisol is at 4am, and that is when in hospitals, many people die when they are very sick.

My pain is always worst at night. That is the only time I really need help sometimes, so I have tramadol for that when those terrible times come.

Feeling better lying down, suggests something in the spine to me.

Thank you for reply. You did mention spine. One doctor mentioned that, too. At CT scan showed gall stones and I ended up go to gastro MD. He said it might be something in spine because I would feel better lying down and even standing up.

I ended up not getting gall bladder taken out as MD didn't think it was bothering me.

[invisable]

Originally Posted by januarybabe

Thank you for reply. You did mention spine. One doctor mentioned that, too. At CT scan showed gall stones and I ended up go to gastro MD. He said it might be something in spine because I would feel better lying down and even standing up.

I ended up not getting gall bladder taken out as MD didn't think it was bothering me.

I am also on 1200 mg. Gab., and I also have a "free" hour in morning when I feel like the old me, then as time goes on I get more and more painful times, until evening when I am starting to ache from head to toe, even fingers.

I have also read PN is usually worse at night.....makes me wonder what kind of varient of PN I really do have. My best guess is Fibromyalgia in the mix.

Oh, by the way, every once in a while I do get sharp pains in my legs while trying to sleep, relieved when I move them or get up, I believe this is a form of restless leg syndrome.

[januarybabe]

I do still have some pain at night. I remember having a dream at night that there were some blisters on my legs. My legs feel like there is sunburn on them.

The gabapentin does help me sleep better so perhaps the pain I do have at night is not enough to wake me up.

I remember having a dream I was driving and a motorcycle cut in front of me. My right leg reached out to put on the imaginery brake. So perhaps I was having some sort of restless leg and incorporated it in my dream. This was kind of a scary dream and did wake me up.

[drswami]

I find that very interesting also as i have had back issues for many years and even though my pn is in both feet and hands, the left foot and the right arm are by far the worst. unfortunately there isn't a neurologist in Hong Kong who knows anything about this so I have no-one to ask. Did your neurologist have any ideas. Mine also seems to be small fibre sensory.

[Dr. Smith]

I seem to be a little better in the morning, and I can get by on fewer/less meds at night, but there are multiple factors involved.

No question I have spinal issues, but when I asked about nerve compression being a/the cause of PN, it was shot down because mine is close to equal in both feet, and (neuro said) PN from compression tends to be more one-sided/unequal.

I have some pretty severe (at times) peripheral edema as well (also dismissed as a PN cause) which can be as/more painful than the PN, and it certainly aggravates the PN. It's the edema that gets (understandably) better in the mornings, which may also make the PN less severe.

I tend to be worse (all pain issues) whenever I'm most active.

At the moment, I'm not on gabapentin.

[Karenswails]

Originally Posted by Dr. Smith

No question I have spinal issues, but when I asked about nerve compression being a/the cause of PN, it was shot down because mine is close to equal in both feet, and (neuro said) PN from compression tends to be more one-sided/unequal.

This bit of info is helpful to me as my pn is not equal it is in my left foot and my right arm...something to talk to my neurologist about. Thanks