I keep reading the PN causes burning feet, which do I get particularly if I stand/walk too much. But my main issue is freezing cold feet. I wake up in the morning and my feet are freezing (as well as painful), is this usual in PN?

Nothing I do seems to make this freezing feeling go away.

I'm sure others will be along to answer too. My feet get very cold, yet I can't say freezing. Three years ago when I was working at a convience/gas station and on my feet for my entire shift, my feet burned. In the last 2 years, they rarely burn, they ache, sometimes are numb, and they both have a certain area that swells.

Now Kev has diabetic neuropathy and his feet are always cold, ice cold to the touch. He always says he thinks it is caused by poor circulation. So, I would imagine, you will get many answers.

Hey Lupin,
Having PN is like trying to raise juvenile delinquents, they require so much time and attention and you don't know what they will do next. You can try warm foot baths with epson salts, foot cremes and what ever you do to remendy the situation rest assured they will cause you trouble in a different way.

The only thing I have found that warms up my cold, cold feet are a pair of slippers called "Cosy Soles". The website www.footsmart.com has them on sale right now. http://www.footsmart.com/Product.asp...%22&src=FSpaid. You warm them up in the microwave and then wear them. They really work well for me. Good Luck.

Ann

aren't outside..to touch. or just the opposite. Finding the just right things to do is a matter of trial and error. AND It's not your imagination....

Weird or incorrect temp sensations are syptoms of all sorts of PN's. Gel warming paks or the rice or barley packets are good to use as they are a gentle heat, not one that can burn. Part of this is explained under a stickie I'd posted a while ago...page 3 I believe about skin. It's under diabetic neuropathy, but it's good in explaining that those malfunctiong nerves aren't telling your vascular and llymph systems what to do correctly. Or, simply telling the other systems what the totally wrong thing IS rather that what it really SHOULD be.

What to do? The Cosy Soles are one approach...tho I wouldn't heat them so long for starters...sometimes Microwaving stuff can get far hotter than our damaged nerves and skin can really tell - get burned that way. I use a 'celery storage' Tupperware type container and fill it 1/2 way w/ tepid water and soak. I'd found that hot water, was well, just too hot! Another thing I do on occasion is blow my hair-dryer over the cold area..on a low speed, medium temp. That seems to take the 'chill off'. Gentle massaging the bothered areas can help too, just gets things moving...but sometimes, the 'rubbing' is as bad as the problem...Try it and see?

My hands get that way too, for that I've a pair of finger-less 'mittens'. I can wear them and type and stuff and they keep my wrists, palms and knuckles covered but the fingers can do their thing for most 'dry' stuff. Most diabetic socks I've found to be totally useless [and expensive], but one kind "Medi-Peds' I've found in the pharmacy part of places like Walmart-are reasonable and don't seem to be too tight even when the ankles swell. I've not seen/found them on-line yet tho.

Hope this all helps. I know that strange 'pain' is worse than getting real frostbite. I've been close a few times and there is NO comparison.

Hang in there...someone else probably has even better things to try! - j

I too share the pain from extremely cold toes and feet and occasionally w/ burning simultaneously but the cold is by far much worse for me. Many times my toes and feet are cold to the touch, other times they are at normal body temperature but my brain still registers the dysthesia as cold. I'm fortunate in that I've had several Doppler ultrasounds done and I know my arterial circulation from my thighs to the great toe is good. However, I'm sure that my microvascular circulation has suffered from the PN.

What works much of the time for me is an electric mattress pad that my wife bought a few months ago - just like an electric blanket but on the bottom. It has individual controls so I don't disturb her. I turn the pad on my side ~15-20min before I come to bed at which point the foot of the bed is comfortably warm. My feet and toes slowly warm up and I can get some rest.

Some days I've found that putting my feet down on a rug that's been warmed by the sun can sometimes give me some relief too, albeit briefly. I don't know if this will help you but it might be a worth a try.
I do hope you find some relief from the pain.
Alkymst

When I was in my early 40's I was close to 260 pounds. I had 2 stress fractures, one in both feet, JUST from standing. Hurt like a son of a gun too. I had xrays to see what was going on. I HAD to lose weight. I got them just standing at the sink doing dishes and couldn't walk for a few weeks. Well, I could but it was Very difficult and painful until they healed.

My gingerbread men are gingerbread bears....gender neutral. (The cookie cutter looked like a man at first...I did not have my glasses on.)

The gingerbread roof collapsed despite being built to meet the LA building codes...it is OK, we are cementing back together with some powdered sugar.

It is important to have a good diet and the ideal weight (I preach this all the time)...so THAT is why I am making gingerbread blobs when I want to lose 10 pounds....some things defy logic. As you see, I do not practice what I preach....I only ate 3 bears.

My feet often feel cold although they are warm to the touch. I sleep with socks on, and that helps. My toes usually feel better when I am walking.

Herb

You live in Boulder....what is not perfect??? I visit there, and it is gorgeous, no matter what time of year....hate your traffic tho. 300 days of sunshine...I am soo jealous. Of course, every one is so nice to me when I visit, as I live near one of Boulder's 'sister cities'....the 'Boulder of the Midwest'. See, you are cool if you live in one of these cities. (I am from the sticks near the city, but I pass, as I used to live in the city.)

More folks from here by me, move to there by you.

For some reason, I can not wear socks to bed...but my naughty dogs jump up when I am asleep and lay on my feet....so my feet are seldom cold at night. It is always a 'three dog night' at my house.

Did you guys now that how many dogs you sleep with is the old arctic way of judging the cold.....one dog..not too bad, two dogs, must be below freezing, three dogs, zero to 20 degrees, and you need the whole pack if it is below zero---you take whatever you can get....even socks in the bed.