I've worn them for about four years now. I didn't have a neuropathy diagnosis until this year. I had severe edema in my legs, and the doctor thought it might be PAD - Peripheral Artery Disease, so he recommended the stockings. He called it the 'old people's ailment', because I was down in Florida and he saw a lot of old people as patients. I used to wear the knee-length ones - compression 20-30, and the thing with the socks is that the swelling stops at your sock line, and it was right under my knee, so it backed up into the knees and caused me to be almost completely immobile. After awhile, I got those gradient sport socks you're talking about, and that's what I wear now, and they're short, so the 'edema line' is about halfway up the shin, and doesn't bother my knee. If I DON'T wear the socks, the edema goes right down to the foot, and sits on top of it, and feels like someone took a hammer and hit me there. So I wear them pretty much all the time. It helps with the general pain, too. They work for me, big-time. Hope that answered your question. Discount Surgical has a delivery website with more compression socks than you can imagine.

http://www.discountsurgical.com/

Remember the old saying, " you know who your true friends are when you are in trouble" It is true. My own daughter abandoned me completely. There are just some people who cannot handle anyones distress. Some day we all hurt, and that may be the only time they change their tune and have compassion. In the mean time, you have us right here on NT. I run back here all the time to talk, vent, get a grip on my life. Don't let the others bring you so low. Find some measure of peace, and contentment for just yourself. I refuse to be treated badly, there is no excuse for it. I care about you, and am glad you came to NT. ginnie

I am so very sorry that you are going through such a hard time -- I turn to this support group when my pain and emotional distress are so much I can't feel like I can go on - and then there is someone out there who maybe I can help, and to be honest is in worse shape than I am. I've had this crap for over 12 years now and am always so very tired and drugged and bored because my life is so limited. I know I am depressed and am trying some new meds for that -- but also have the lack of support from family -- that is the hardest part of all. NO ONE understands - everyone is sick of it after all these years -- and my husband has his own issues and the stress of that just sends me off the roof in pain. My feet burn burn burn and the rest of my body does now too. When the stress is high it is impossible for me to control the pain -- but how do you eliminate stress in these days?? I do know that you can't give up and that the Lord loves us and will help us through the hardest of all days for sure. If I didn't have my faith I couldn't do this at all. Please remember that this is an up and down thing and this is a down for you and I -- two weeks ago I was in Boston on a trip! Now I can't even get it together to go to the store. The emotional part of it is the hardest part for me.
On a lighter note -- I used to live in Glen Waverly (Australia) I LOVED it there. I am back in the states now, but that is a great memory for me. Come here often and lean on all of us when you are struggling - sometimes we just need to vent!

No, you don't have to suck it up. There has to be more help so you can have some quality of life back. Why can't your husband work? Right now, you need to take care of you first. PM me if ever you want. We will care for you right here on NT, and try to help. Have you tried physiatrist? They specialize in pain/ and whole body approach. I hope very much that you can get more help. ginnie