pain feel as if my foot is broken...is it normal for PN???

cath4512 · 10-04-2012, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsD

Since PN is so variable with over 100 causes, it can present very differently from person to person.

Dr. Latov who is a PN specialist in New York has a list of tests he uses to find causes:

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/test...ripheralNeurop

Basically there are 3 points of view. People can have mixtures of these as well. This is only a partial listing:
1) exposure to things in the environment and lifestyle, drugs, toxins, vaccine exposure, solvents (including manicure solvents and fumes), pesticides, heavy metals, clothes cleaning fluid residues, furniture strippers, printing solvents, injuries and repetitive strain, etc.

2) some internal medical issue that is causing a secondary problem such as pre-diabetes (impaired glucose intolerance and frank diabetes), hypothyroidism, paraneoplastic (cancer) issues, autoimmune reactions like Sjogren's and Lupus, nutrient deficiencies like B12, B1, B6, nutrient toxicity (excess B6), Gluten intolerance, other food intolerances, etc., compression or disease(arthritis) in the ankle, knee and/or spine, etc.

3) hereditary issues, which for the most part are inherited, CMT.
However, this presents in a confusing pattern, that is highly individualistic, and now some papers are coming forward showing CMT can be latent and brought on by drugs such as Levaquin, which somehow trigger it.

Rapidly progressing neuropathies often begin to affect motor ability with weakness in muscle groups developing. Many doctors in US will try IVIG on these types because it is suggestive of autoimmune issues.

So with all these variables it is almost impossible to compare people to each other. And with the huge list of possibilities doctors will not test for everything typically. They will wait and see what develops. It can become very expensive, and time consuming and so they may proceed slowly or not at all in some cases (sad but true).

Thanks for that, its really helpful. The thing I have found when researching is that no one is the ame with PN.
When looking at exposure to toxins, how long would you have had to be exposed for? I dabbled in recreational drugs for approx a year when I was 24 (23 years ago) It was mainly anphetamine.
Recently, I have done a bit of beauty/nails. I use shellac power polish which is UV cured & is supposedly non toxic & only do it on friends & family. I use a little bit of acetone to remove the shellac.I probably only do 2 sets of nails a week though.
Could any of this be relevant?
Thank you so much for your help.

ginnie · 10-04-2012, 07:45 AM

Hi Cath. That kind of pain is hard to DX. The neurologist will be able to at least tell you if it is normal. If you had an accident, or fall, then I could see if it felt broken in your foot. There will be something the doc. can do to ease your symptoms, hang in there. I also have a lotion that helps, that has alot of pain killers in it. It is something you can ask your neuro about. PM and I will send ingrediant list. I do wish you all the best. ginnie

mrsD · 10-04-2012, 08:09 AM

One needs to look at everything, cath.

Here is one article:
http://news.consumerreports.org/heal...anicures-.html

Quote:

And there are plenty of other chemicals to be concerned about. A US Environmental Protection Agency guide, produced to warn nail salon workers, indicates twenty chemicals found in nail glue, polish, hardeners, additives, powders or removers. A medical literature search shows that, in general, several of them—ethyl cyanoacrylate, formalin, toluene, and MMA—have been shown to induce neuropathy and can cause one or more of the following: irritation of the eyes, skin, mucous membranes, respiratory tract, or damage the kidneys or liver.

Alot depends on exposure, what you were exposed to exactly and for how long.
This link has a pdf link to read:
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/salon/index.htm

What can happen with nerves is that they do sustain environmental assaults up to a point, with no obvious problem.
Then something may come along to be a "last straw" and push one over into symptoms. So when a sudden PN shows up, it in reality may have been brewing for a while, and just reached a breaking point. I personally believe vaccines are in that trigger category.

That is why it is so difficult to pin down. If you add a trigger to a person with hereditary tendency (CMT) already, you can see how confusing it becomes. I would make sure you have had kidney tests and liver tests just to be sure about the solvents.

mrsD · 10-04-2012, 08:19 AM

I'd also like to add, that your ankle injuries in the past (I thought I read you had an old ankle problem-- but I may have you confused with someone else ), may be causing some tissue compression now. I know from personal experience that past trauma can come back to haunt some of us (scar tissue and all).

Have you tried ice on that ankle? Or on the foot? Ice tends to take nerve pain down. Heat will accelerate it. Some of us have used ice packs on the feet at times to help. Lidoderm patches are also an option, instead of oral pain killers.

Brue · 10-04-2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cath4512

Thanks for that, its really helpful. The thing I have found when researching is that no one is the ame with PN.
When looking at exposure to toxins, how long would you have had to be exposed for? I dabbled in recreational drugs for approx a year when I was 24 (23 years ago) It was mainly anphetamine.

I was told by my primary MD and also the neurologist that even though I drank to excess for an extended period of time, the toxins from the alcohol weren't necessarily the cause of my neuropathy, but the fact that I was malnourished probably was. Lack of B vitamins B-1, B-6 and B-12 in particular. I asked them specifically if it was from the alcohol, and they said it was much more likely to have been from the vitamin deficiency. I quit drinking anyway, because as far as I'm concerned, two and two is still four, and if I'm not drinking, then I'm much more likely to be taking in the proper amount of vitamins. I just got my first B-12 shot yesterday, and I will report back if I see any improvement in my symptoms.

Stillfighting · 10-05-2012, 02:32 PM

Yes, I often feel like my toes are broken.

ChaucerFan · 09-26-2013, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cath4512

Hi, I have been diagnosed with PN in both feet by my GP & am waiting to see a neurologist.
The last few days the pain has changed in my right foot. It still burns & I get shooting pains from my toes up my leg. But it feels so pain ful on the arch of my foot, almost as if it is broken. I cant walk without limping really badly & my balance does not feel right.
Is this all part of PN?
It is so painful that I cant sleep or concentrate on things.

Well, it's a wee bit late, but I wonder if cath got resolution on this. If it's still useful to know this, my initial PN symptoms were fairly typical -- swelling, numbness, painful tingling. But what really sent me to the doctor was sharp pain in the 4/5 metatarsal area, bad enough that I couldn't walk on it, and the orthopedist put me in a cam boot. Suspecting stress fractures, they did a full-body bone scan. Negative. That pain eventually subsided in the face of cramps and other typical neuropathic pain. But I'd say yes, pain that mimics a fracture CAN be one of the countless ways that this disease manifests itself. There's not much our nerves can't do for -- and TO -- us.

Stillfighting · 09-27-2013, 02:27 PM

I've described my feet as feeling broken. So yes to your question. Not knowing your medical condition I can only say to experiement with a soft orthotic from the drug store. I wear hard ones from the foot doctor but often I can't and use the gel ones. One day I was not wearing any and my foot hurt and I was limping. I put the orthotic in and was able to walk with out the pain or limping (didn't take away the neuropathy) but I think there is something to be said about proper support of the arch. I still prefer flip flops and as soon as I leave work these shows are off, but if I have to walk much that support helps. different days different things work.

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