Yes, the lipoic is very useful. Try it...

The fungus remains in the deeper tissues, when the skin heals up.

Biofreeze is not "cold"...it is at room temperature. What it does is the menthol in it stimulates the cold receptors in the skin, which then block the heat sensing ones, so the burning stops.In fact if your feet are red, the redness will remain. (redness implies increase blood flow there)

It does not make anything cold to the touch. It just "feels" cold.
Biofreeze has a non greasy gel base which is very nice. It sinks in quickly and does not stain or get messy.

Biofreeze also has a potent antioxidant in it, called Ilex. This is the same antioxidant in Yerba Mate tea, which is very popular in S. America. (more drunk there than coffee in fact).

The antioxidant is very useful IMO... as it takes down free radical damage from inflammation.

I will give both the biofreeze and the lipoic a try. I'm always cold, so don't even like a cold feeling, but less pain is better then cold...LOL What should be the starting dose of lipoic? Is it something that must be taken on an empty stomach for best absorption? Is it something I'll notice right away or does it take time to build up in the system?

Thanks

As I've mentioned in other posts, I use this and it works for the burning. It is very expensive & it isn't covered by my drug plan so I use it only when I am in serious pain. It also works for 3 to 4 hours...longer than Biofreeze.

I also use Biofreeze which works well and has a very soothing/cooling effect. It is also more cost effective than prudoxin. I buy it @ Amazon where it's less expensive than @ my local drugstore.

Some people find lipoic acid stimulating. So start at 50mg a day.
There are types that are tablets on iherb.com

That is what I did. If you get 100mg tablets you can break them in half. But this also comes in capsules which are less flexible in changing dosing.

If you don't find any stimulating effects that you don't like, you can slowly raise to 100mg twice a day. It may lower blood sugars for you, so if you are on diabetes drugs, you need to be testing your blood sugars.

You will want to get the r-lipoic form...as it is more potent and works in lower dosing than the older "alpha" type.

I would apply the Biofreeze to the Achillies tendon area and ankle too. That is where the nerves are, and where they may be compressed. Putting on thick skin of the bottom of the foot may not work. I really find Biofreeze helpful, I use it on my feet, knees and hands, for my arthritis too.

Dr. Smith had a very rapid response to lipoic acid...a couple of days or so. But I think 2 weeks is a modest expectation, or a month. He jumped in with high dose of 100mg twice a day to start, I believe.

When I complained to my neurologist, he prescribed a cream which has to be compounded by a lab. I don't know what the actual name is, but on the tube it says, "keto/gaba/amit/lido 5/2/2 15%. All I know is the stuff works. Whenever I do too much walking, or even standing for long periods, I too have that burning, or the feeling of being spanked with a board too. Using this cream does relieve the pain. Applied an hour before going to bed, and there is no pain by bedtime. I do, however, sometimes have pain when waking. Putting me feet on the floor, there is a soreness that shows up that feels like overworked muscles. It goes away after a few minutes of walking around. Course, I have two layers of Dr. Scholls padding in my slippers. Can't walk in just normal cushioning.
Hope you find something that works for you. Good luck.

There are many recipes out there ..

yours: "keto/gaba/amit/lido 5/2/2 15%.

Ketoprofen (or ketorolac) 5%, gabapentin 2%, amitriptyline 2% and lidocaine 15%

Ketoprofen is the most lipophilic of the NSAIDs so is used often in pain creams/gels because it crosses the skin barrier well.

Also used are ketamine and clonidine, and dicofenac. It depends on the doctor and his opinions.

They aren't cheap, but they can be cut up to size and will deaden most feet, if used on a regular basis.
Two drawbacks...1- outrageously expensive -3"x6" can be cut to fit; and 2- make sure where you stick it on? that the skin is clean and dry before the 'sticking'. Otherwise they come off soo easily that it's wasted effort and treatment. They don't eliminate the pain per-se, just numb it to the point of being dumb-numb.
Good Luck! 's!!!!!! - j

Thanks for the tip on the lidoderm patch. I will inquire about a script for this when I see my GP in a few weeks...just in case the R lipoic doesn't work.

I have ordered the R lipoic and it's on the way via priority mail...LOL Kind of sad when someone gets really excited something like this...but I can't wait to try it. Keeping my fingers crossed that one of these works.

That IS a bear? or a very furry scotty? Tell me it's a bear...I think?
May I say? THAT is close to nature? For me, maybe too close, but Let them be and maybe they'll let you be?
While where I live we mite see deer and dog-creatues? Not to mention raccoons and foxes? Few bears at all... Tho? I'd not be surprised to see one not to far from me. Somehow? Tho? I just wouldn't want to go out of the house if one were nearby! WOW!! - j

It looks like a bear to me! We have them upNorth... mostly in June when the mother shoves the 1.5yr olds out, in preparation for her new mating.

Here is one fellow we had for 8hrs one June. (we later learned a local was feeding them all winter, so they tamed to females, and this one especially wanted ME)

It was tough getting to the outhouse that day!
My husband and son had to beat him off with poles, so I could get out there! He kept coming after ME, but not them. It was not a fun experience! This picture of him in the tree was after we made big noise with pots and pans clanking. But shooting over his head with a shotgun had no effect!