Sunshine gives you Vit D. Perhaps you are low in vit D and this is helping you. Vit D helps with pain. Maybe your vit D isn't a good one? Are you taking D3?

Plus, who is not emotionally happier with the sun shining compared to rain?

Also, were you perhaps moving around more than you normally do??? I have found the more I sit around and "baby" my feet, the more they actually hurt. The more I do and exercise the less they hurt.

Stacy makes some excellent points. Check your vitamin D and make sure it's D3 and not D2.

Neuropathy and Vitamin D

Happiness/joy, excitement, anticipation, exercise... can all stimulate endorphin production.

Laughter/joy (laughter also stimulates endorphins) have been part of my pain regimen for years now. I try to laugh for 20 minutes/day (twice whenever possible).

Doc

Bahhahaha! Dr you just made me laugh when I picture you tickling yourself twice a day!!

It is true. Attitude is everything. I mean EVERYTHING in life. I tend to be more down in the winter. I am NOT someone who likes to go out when its cold, dark, dreary. I NEED sunshine. I use to live in a house where everything was WHITE. White walls, white cabinets, white trim..everyone would say why dont you pain, add color to your life. But I miss that white. It was bright, happy, cheery. The house I live in now is by the forest, with trees blocking the sunshine from lighting the house up. I have to have a light on at ALL times of the day. It's depressing. I LOVE the house but the sun doesnt shine in the windows.

Those endorphines really do help, and while I HATE to exercise, I LOVE how I feel after I am done, and NOTHING beats a bright sunshiny day.

I had the same experience as you...winter I go to florida for a month and stay with my mom. I told hubby when we got back..didnt it seem like I had less pain the whole time we were in Florida? He said ya you difinately felt better there.

The sun, the people, the more exercise walking to see those sunsets on the beach, everything just made life better...in florida.

Maybe you just put it (pain/pn) out of your mind during your trip. Distraction is the best pain medicine.

Toons, kiddo... TOONS! (and screwball comedies)

Yeah, but... Florida‽ Too muggy—too buggy. I'll take the SW...

Doc

The trip from Oz toEurope is a massive journey. It was just about 36 hours in total flying time including a layover, taxi ride, and so forth. That's exhausting, and then I had bad jet lag for about a week. Whilst I enjoyed my trip immensely the last 3 weeks went by so slow and I was very homesick. So distraction/enjoyment and so forth only lasted so long. I just can't even explain it, there was a complete abating of my PN. Everyday i was wondering what was going on?? It had to be linked to all the sunshine.

As far as endorphins, I exercise daily on my treadmill including Pilates at home so the exercise that I was getting is not much different to my exercise at home.

I am vitamin D deficient (like so many people) and have been on D3 for a long time. I am just hypothesising that the direct sunshine might be more beneficial to autoimmune PN rather than the tablets.

That's cool. We were just hypothesizing what else might explain it. As always, YMMV.

Doc

I saw a doco about this today, there are new studies going on at Sydney Uni. apparently vitamin D deficiency is actually a problem here in Oz too. But what to do about Slip Slop Slap? How do we get enough sun, but not skin cancer?

Has the vitamin D helped your symptoms?
Thanks,
Anna

Skin cancer seems to be very much correlated with overdoing it - i.e. severe burning.

Sun will definitely age your skin, but for myself, I'm now trying to be out in the sun as much as reasonably possible, without lying down and "sunbathing". Just keeping active. Avoiding the hottest hours (like they do in Southern Europe). Go inside when/before it starts to sting. It feels good and it feels healthy. It works on several hormones, but even forgetting all that: it just feels good. Even Albert Camus was convinced that sun is extremely important.

Sure, it depends on the climate, and some people really have to protect themselves, there's not one golden rule. On the other hand, the "protection" factor on sun oils is calculated on a very thick covering - most people don't even use 20% of the intended/tested layer, as the correct covering will turn you into an oily blob. (and cost a small fortune)

I suppose it's one of these risks that we have to calculate for ourselves. Maybe avoiding sun and constantly using oils may be worse for your health in the long run. Or you may live longer but unhappier?

Just thinking out loud, and hope I don't have to eat my words.

Dr. Smith, I am from Florida, and a lot of retirees are coming here for the weather.