Dr. Smith,
I am so grateful that you posted those sites. I have a urinary tract infection and my family doctor prescribed nitrofuran. I have already been in a flare up due to being hit by a car for which I was taking steroids. I finished the steroids yesterday and my PN has been awful.

I am stopping the Macrobid. I have been taking it for a week. I am so disappointed that my doctor didn't realize not to give me this. We were discussing my neuropathy when I was there so I made the mistake of trusting that she knew this med was safe.

Guess I will never do that again. I hope things go back to normal after I stop the med.

Props to MrsD for assembling that thread.

Don't be too hasty to distrust your doctor. Selection of a medication is always a benefit/risk decision. She may not have known the connection to PN (I sure don't know), but without some kind of antibiotic, some infections can kill. Which is worse?

Doc

Most of the sites about nitrofurantoin PN, say it is reversible with time.

That is a tad more positive than Flagyl and Cipro at least.

Sally here uses Duricef for her UTI's and another alternative is doxycycline. Both have lower profiles for PN.

Consider using the NAC treatment (n-acetyl cysteine).. from the recent article that Marlene posted:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0703160623.htm

Start at 600mg a day and if you can tolerate that you can slowly increase to 600mg 3 x a day if needed. Take with food to avoid stomach upset.

Yes I have found the med that works for me and the safest I can find. I always see the doctor very early so the med will work quickly. We have been moving into our new home and I don't think I drank enough water and I wasn't using my apple cider vinegar. I take DMannose daily, Greens First in my smoothie, lots of water and vinegar and they help a lot. It was a long time between UTI's this time.

I take all of the supplements and eat foods that help repair the nerves and mitochondria. Probiotics also.

I have needles and numbness in my toes also. More a discomfort than pain. Mine seems more apparent at evening than morning and seems concentrated in outer toes. Have no back pain whatsoever and x-rays of my spine has been normal. May be due to statins I have been on or antibiotics taken.
Will be seeing a neurologist soon after my regular doctor, sports medicine doctor, podiatrist and physical therapist have not helped. Lyrica and neuronton have not helped. Trying B12 methylcobalamin supplements now. Just read today vitamin K deficiency can also occur due to meds.