Yes, I agree. Genetics may make you prone to have problems. When you have illness, toxins, drinking etc that stress the sensitive nerves you can have problems. I have found age means nothing. I had shingles when I was 25. Rare that young. It just depends on each person's body.

I have never had alcohol, but Benfotiamine (B1) has been one of the very best supplements. L Carnitine, thyroid, Alpha Lipoic Acid, making sure my B12 level is good, Vit D also. I take many supplements.

I am not diabetic at all. I have never had a high number on lab testing or home testing. I do check my blood sugar at home to keep it low/even. Not much now that I know the worst carbs. My integrative MD wants all of his patients to eat healthfully. No or low sugar and other carbs. No junk carbs. Even if your test for A1C and glucose is good, diet is number one. For any illness. Only way the body has to get nutrients for the nerves which use a lot. Supplements are number two. Actually, for me they are equally as important.

The Wheat Belly cookbook has been great. Hubby and I love to cook and go out to eat. He is a great cook and we love to experiment with healthful foods. Shrimp, salmon, scallops are my favorites.

Okay so my plan should be Omega 3, B12, B1, and lower carb intake for now? and obviously no alcohol. Is there anything I'm missing? Sallys - do you use a monitor daily for your blood sugar level? If so what kind? Since I'm not diabetic I really don't know the level it should be at. I have researched it because diabetes runs in my family but I couldn't get a clear range.

I think you should get Benfotiamine (instead of regular B1), Dr's Best is the brand I use, as suggested by many here.

I bought a cheaper brand of Blood glucose monitor at Walmart, it's by Reli for like $15 for the machine and a pack of the sticks for it is cheaper than the expensive machines. The better machine you buy the more expensive the strips.

My mom has an expensive one, dr prescribed and she and I compared it to my Reli from walmart, and mine was 9 points higher than hers. Since I am not diabetic and use it for my own purposes, I just tell myself I could be 10 points higher or lower, which is what all the machines say anyway.

I don't test my sugar level daily anymore. It is always 76 before eating and returns quickly after eating. Eating low carb keeps it below 100. If I eat potatoes or rice it goes above 100. Those numbers are very good so I am happy and I will keep it that way by not eating food that spikes it. The nerves need to be a good level, not high or low.

Even a high/normal level is not good for the brain.

I take Life Extention brand of Benfotiamine.

I did a lot of reading online and several books about the best levels.

I think I have the Lifestyle kind. It has been a good tool to learn what foods to stay away from. After that, if your levels are normal, you just know what to eat.

If it is in your family, it would be great to learn how foods affect you to make sure you stay healthy.

Here is one place to look.
http://diabetes.webmd.com/how-sugar-...iabetes?page=2

A chart with levels.
http://www.bloodsugarzone.com/blood-sugar-level-chart/

I just saw these cases, so cute.
http://www.shopdiabetes.org/Categori...-cases_jan2013

Sally

Thanks for that! I will get these vitamins tomorrow. I'm so glad I got on this site and I feel very hopeful these things will help my neuropathy! This information is priceless for those of us suffering and you guys are so generous to help out. Thank you!

Thank you for all your advice! I am going to start this asap. I'll also check out the sites. I have spent so much time searching online for answers to my problems and though I still don't know the cause I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. It's good to have people to talk to. Thanks for everything!

I disagree with the common "charts" somewhat after doing research in that most charts focus on fasting numbers and numbers 2 hours after eating.

I think the important number is 1 hour after eating. Some research shows that while you may not be "diabetic" for spiking 1 hour after a meal if it goes back to "normal" at the 2 hour mark, IF you spike above 140 at the 1 hour mark you are on your way to diabetes AND spiking at the 1 hour mark can certainly cause damage to your body, organs AND cause neuropathy.

So, for me, I do not check mine at the 2 hour mark because I know it always drops back down. I check 1 hour after a meal to make sure I don't spike.

I found quite a few compelling places/doctors on the net that talk about this.

I am a 65 year-old, white female in otherwise healthy condition. In the fall of 2009 I was diagnosed with a H. pylori infection and took the usual regime of antibiotics to clear this up. In addition, I was prescribed omeprazole (20 mg) per day for the accompanying gastric distress (which I continued to take until about a month ago). In the fall of 2010, I began to experience "weird" feelings in my legs and feet. I also began to have "spells" of orthostatic hypotension. I was referred to a cardiologist (who detected a valve failure in my right leg Great Saphenous Vein) and subsequently had EVLT (endovenous laser ablation) to kill off that segment of the vein and had to wear prescription strength compression stockings for three months subsequent to this surgery. In the spring of 2011 (once the compression hose came off), I still had weird sensations in my legs and feet and "walked funny", which I attributed to the compression stockings and "getting used to the new circulation patterns" in my leg. On follow-up, however, the cardiologist was concerned about my gait disorder and referred me to a neurologist. The neurologist did all of the usual reflex testing on my legs and an EMG and said everything was normal. She ordered MRIs and CT scans. These resulted in a diagnoses of "cervical spondylosis with myelophathy" and I was referred to a neurosurgeon who said my symptoms were wrong for this (no problems in arms and hands). Upon my request, my Nurse Practitioner referred me to a gait disorder specialist at Baylor who diagnosed a "psychogenic gait disorder". My Nurse Practitioner referred me to PT where no real problems were observed (as long as I did my PT in the morning). My feet tingled all the time and I started to avoid wearing shoes (which helped), but kept me housebound. It seemed impossible to really walk around unaided (started working my way around the house by holding on to the furniture. My PCP Nurse Practitioner also referred me to a different neurologist (at my request) and the new neurologist (started seeing him in the spring of 2012) diagnosed me with Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy (fall of 2012) and gave me a long lecture about alcohol (which I do not abuse). He sent me to another neurosurgeon who ordered more MRIs and stated that my new Cervical MRI looked better than the one taken a year earlier. He gave me a prescription for a walker and told me not to fall. Meanwhile, my nurse practitioner ordered B12 tests and prescribed weekly injections (starting two months ago) based on a serum lever of 324. Then, I did internet research and discovered that the omeprazole may have played a factor in all of this. I quit taking the omeprazole a month ago. My symptoms have not progressed and seem to have improved. I KNOW that my mental state has improved since starting the B-12. What is my likely prognosis here? Is it possible that I will improve? Is it possible that there has been degeneration of the myelin sheath and that it will regrow? Any advice and thoughts would be appreciated.

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

It will go faster recovery-wise if you also use oral methylB12 daily.

5mg orally on an empty stomach for 3 months, and then get retested. Daily oral done properly is FASTER and more natural than injections.

Here is the B12 thread we have here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html

Injections are not the active form of B12, like methylcobalamin is. So now that we have inexpensive oral quality product having invasive injections is no longer necessary. Besides almost all injections are synthetic cyano form, which has to be converted at 4 levels to the active form. Some people don't have the genetics for that.

We have alot of information here, we've spent many many long hours/months/years assembling it. So please do some reading so you will understand your issues. Most people do much better with B12 deficiency once they have the testing, by medicating themselves with methylB12 and only using the doctors for the tests. Most of us keep our B12 at around 1000 also.

MethylB12 is still mostly available online at quality outlets:
Puritan's Pride
Swanson's
iherb.com etc. It adds up to about pennies a day. Must be taken on an empty stomach for proper absorption, though.

I have seen a lot of charts with the numbers one hour after eating. These are just an idea for those with no idea. I do know that my numbers are always far below. I measure one hour after eating. I agree. Charts are a good way to learn. I have one on my computer screen. Not sure where I got it, but it has numbers for after eating and two hour also.

I wanted to give some sites so she can start to measure and learn. The one hour mark is the most important for sure. By two hours, the numbers are low and the person has no idea what the spike was.

I will keep looking for more charts for the one hour mark. I need to figure out how to show the one on my screen.