NeuroTalk Support Groups - New PN sufferer - is Gabapentin safe or not?

NeuroTalk Support Groups (https://www.neurotalk.org/)

- Peripheral Neuropathy (https://www.neurotalk.org/peripheral-neuropathy/)

- - New PN sufferer - is Gabapentin safe or not? (https://www.neurotalk.org/peripheral-neuropathy/200014-pn-sufferer-gabapentin-safe.html)

Good responses here! ;)

If you are taking any RX drugs for anything, you should list them now. Antibiotics, to lower cholesterol, vaccines, OTCs

History of trauma or surgery to the back, or knees or legs?

Some idiopathic PN is environmental, meaning toxins. Alcohol is only one of many that cause PN.

If you are smoking, it is time to quit.

We have a nice support thread on quitting alcohol here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread104096.html

If you are low in magnesium and don't eat magnesium containing foods, nerve problems are only one manifestation of this. Soaking in a bath of epsom salts in lukewarm water will reveal if you feel better afterwards. 6-8oz in a bathtub...don't use really hot water.... it may sting or hurt then.

People who do not eat fish (salmon) or flax containing grains, become low in Omega-3's and these nutrients repair the nervous system. So diet is very important.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirky (Post 1045471)

Thanks for all your kind advise.

I am 44 years of age and have had a very active life in sports, but also on the social side and this is why I mentioned alcohol. I have been given the electrical tests and they came up positive after complaining about the bad sensations I was having in my feet. True enough I was found to have a mild neuropathy. However, the Dr's were interested as my father is a 10-15 year sufferer of PN. But they found no connection between the two of us through blood tests taken. Which was a surprise. I am still awaiting other results like B12. The decision on stopping alcohol and other things on my list in my action plan are all my idea as I want to test to see if my symptoms can be reduced or at least slowed down.

My main question that I feel no one can really help me with is how much time to I have? My work requires me to be on my feet as I am a professional soccer coach. Will I be able to continue with this? If not am I doing damage to them now by still working and occasionally running and demonstrating. Even though recently I have slowed right down and try and Direct more and have others do the work for me. It may be better just to change my approach to my work. I guess the next stage is to go to complete management where all I do is talk and not deliver.

No one knows in my work that I have this condition. I am trying to hide it.

Kitt. What else can one take other than Gabapentin for the fuzzing in the feet? If I do go up to 1800 mg will my fuzzing just stop, but then have many side effects?

Wow so many questions Kitt. Thanks again for talking to me. I hope you are OK and finding a way?

Here is a site which might help you. Scroll down to "Summary".

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK49247/

CMT is also known as Hereditary Motor Sensory Neuropathy (HMSN).

As far as polyneuropathy it just means several nerves are involved.

You referred to electrical tests which were positive. I assume you are talking about EMG/NCV testing. Referring to CMT Type 1, nerve conduction speed is slowed. In CMT Type 2, the nerve conduction speed is usually normal or mildly slowed but the responses to the stimulus are small. Just a bit of information concerning the testing.

As far as alcohol, moderate consumption is fine. Alcohol was taken off the medication alert list in 2004. If you over do then you would have balance problems, etc. and that would not be good for those of us who already have that problem. But moderate consumption is not a problem.

Mrs. D,

You mentioned for people who do not eat fish or flax become low in Omega3's. I recently purchased a bottle of Carlson Fish Oil Omega-3's Dha & DPA with lemon taste soft gels, 1000mg's. I am one of those people who rarely eat any fish; once in a while, cod or tuna from the can.

I have been taking about 4 per day of Benfotiamine 150mg's. and once or twice a week one 100mg R-Lipoic Acid (get too hyped with more) and one of the Stabilized B-12 Methylcobalamin a few times a week. For some reason; not sure have been hesitant and have not taken any of the Fish-Oil (which one of the posters had recommended).

After reading your input; might give it a try. (Not sure; but I think the possibility of this coming up on me could be part of the reason I am hesitating.)

Your thoughts would be appreciated regarding this would be appreciated.

Gerry

If you do not eat enough fish or flax products, you have to get your Omega-3's from somewhere.

Start with 2 a day. That may be enough for you. Take with food.
You can stagger them or take together.

Carlson's is a good brand. You chose well.

Susanne and Kitt. Thanks for all your thoughts and information.

I am unsure really. I guess that is how it is for all of us. This is why I have come to this internet site in the hope of getting people's opinion.

My Neurolgist diagnosed me with Mild Motor and Sensory Axonal Polyneuropathy. But I know that this could also be CMT Typre 2? I wish he could be more specific, but for now this is all they can tell me from the conductivity test and blood test. I have not had any DNA tests. I hope to get to the bottom of it myself and this is why I want to try everything like stopping alcohol. My Dad was not a big drinker.

Through my research and this includes information on CMT, they say if you don't use it then you lose it. I certainly don't want to over do it and I am now very aware of my condition and careful not to do too much excessive movements in work and in play.

I really like chatting to you both as I know no one who is in my condition and situation. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated. I actually want to meet people with my condition too one day.

At this present time, my father and friends all tell me not to worry and just get on with it. So for now I'm just going to have to do that. However, it's me that feels these nasty sensations in my feet and naturally I wish to somehow reduce them or at least get used to them and learn to manage them.

Thanks.

There are over 100 causes of PN. The hereditary types are only one of those.

If you wear athletic shoes? Even lacing too tightly will numb and then irritate your insteps where most of the nerves are.

There are alternate ways to lace shoes to take the pressure off this part of your foot:

https://www.google.com/search?q=alte...iw=981&bih=662

I use corkscrew elastic laces and do the alternate hole type lace pattern. It really takes the pressure off my instep and my numbness and pain went down considerably. The laces give and stretch and do not pinch the foot instead.

I don't know how anyone can diagnose CMT with a blood test that is not a DNA one. So don't assume you have this, quite yet.
You can do many many things for your feet at this time yourself.
The shoe lacing trick is only one of the things you can do.

Good luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirky (Post 1045608)

It seems that you do need DNA blood testing. That should tell a whole lot. And, as I mentioned, EMG/NCV testing can also tell much as far as CMT 1 or CMT 2 and family history of course. And, I do agree that there are many many causes of PN. Good luck.

By my research and by reading the threads on here. I feel that CMT in the worst case scenario and not knowing if I have this bothers me. I wish I could find out. I hope that possible future tests can help answer this for me. I hate not knowing what the cause of my problems are :(

If I do have CMT 2. Which my neurologist said could be possible? Would my exercise and training or type of work make it worse? Am I doing my feet no good by continuing with my profession? Is it possible to have CMT 2 and have it in a mild form or have it develop slowly? Or is this type of PN just bad news all round?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirky (Post 1045909)

DNA blood testing thru Athena should give you an answer. As said before, it is expensive. I am not suggesting that you do have a type of CMT but it probably is worth looking in to. A good neurologist who knows CMT can be of help to you.

However, no one, not even a doctor, can tell you how you will end up if indeed you do have a type of CMT. CMT is progressive no matter what you do. There is no magic bullet, supplement, etc. You deal with the symptoms as they come along. I wish you well.

So in regards to the medicine, my doctor prescribed it for me and I am going to start it, but I do not have tons of cramping, some burning, but it is not constant. My feet are numb to touch, they freeze all the time, can feel if stabbed with something, but that is it? My concern is if I start the medicine, now in my 30's when my symptoms get worse as I age will the medicine still work. I don't want to take it until I really need it. Am I being crazy? The dr. Said it might get rid of some of the numbness or slow progression? I am not under the impression that it can slow progression, which I could be completely wrong. I forgot to say my hands are affected as well.