How bad are your winters? Here, we have had a very cold winter with lots of snow and ice. I can dress my body warmly, but have a real problem wearing boots. I find my skin to be hypersensitive and footwear and socks can be a real problem for me.

They are cold -6 /-8 Celsius. We don't get snow but the weather comes strait off the snow fields. Days can warm up nicely .
Otherwise we get plenty of ice and heavy fog. Down side is the building at work. I normally wear thermals as it takes half the week to warm up and then they shut the system down over the weekend.

It's nothing like those super winters you US lot get.

Hi,
I actually have not been diagnosed with arthritis. I see a rheumo because one of the diagnoses i was given was sjogren's. He was trying to get rictus in for me and the insurance company insisted I try Enbrel first. So far it is not working and I get huge red hot reactions at the injection site every time. I don't think I am going to continue more than a week or two if it doesn't start helping.

I do get IVIG. Yes I do think that it helps somewhat. Especially with the muscle weakness that is gradually getting worse and worse. It also lowers the pain for about a week.

Trust me I understand your desperation. I know my rheumo wants to try for the rituxin next but I'm afraid of it. I'll have to really think about it.

Check with your doctor about IVIG.

Yes the cause is Diabetes even though my sugars were fine it still happened.
My primary doctor gave me a prescription for gabapentin started with 3 times 300mgs now up to 1800 mgs 3 times a day.

I don't think my doctor wants to bother with me so I made an appointment with a special.

What test should I ask for I have no clue what to at this consultation.

I have been reading and have came to a conclusion that this is it. This is a chronic condition that needs to be treated every day with meds or physical therapy.

There will be some days that you feel good very little if any reminder from the condition.

I do think it will calm down quite a bit as long as I exercise, keep sugar in accepted range and lead as normal as a life I can.

I quit smoking 2 yrs ago and was diagnosed with Moderate Emphysema

I have to say I may use albuterol and advair a couple times a week if that and my breath test at home is mostly above average.

No other course of action but to feel positive and take care of ourselves get rest, eat healthy, get exercise, keep busy.

Hi Happy Tuesday,

This winter is bizarre we have had mild winters in Ohio for years now Old man winter is making up for it with gusto.

Snowing again here. Deliveries in the south and east have been delayed because of the severe weather. A lot of people did not receive their Valentine gifts on time.

I love to look at the snow but if I had to go in it I would change my tune quickly.

Its snowing again here in Ohio guess it came from New Jersey. Every time New York and New Jersey get hit with snow storms it makes it's way to Ohio.

Hi Dr Smith I have added the Lipoic Acid to my protocol. Have been taking for a week now. I don't know about the burning if it's helped. However, I do know it brings my sugar down and that is a good thing.

I will look I into the Pantothenic Acid. I now take B12, Multiple B, B Complex I might be taking too much B.

Today I was almost pain free a few pin needs and on scale of 1-10 1 being best I would say the numbness was at a 2.

Thanks for the information it's much appreciated. Any other tips you can share I would be most grateful for.

There are some Bs you can take too much of (like B6; too much B6 can actually cause neuropathy symptoms) and others you cannot—not easily, anyway (like B12, B5). If "Multiple B, B Complex" is just one supplement, you're probably ok, but if it's two supplements, it may be overkill, and you need to check how much of each individual B vitamin you're taking.

Is the gabapentin working for you? My neurologist gave me gabapentin too, but I only took one 100 mg capsule. I had started RLA around the same time, and it worked so well and so fast I never needed another gabapentin. My results are not typical; RLA works for some folks, but it can take a month or two. I'm glad you're trying R-Lipoic Acid, but if you're taking gabapentin as well, I don't know if you can tell if the RLA is helping the burning pain or not.

Doc

Hi, This is the 2nd day with just a little burning on the big toe nothing like it had been on a scale of 1-10 today's would have to be a one. I do not know either if I have a short hiatus from the dreadful pain or the neurotin and Lipoic Acid are doing the job.

What is the Pantothenic Acid?

Vitamin B5. If you read the labels on your Multiple B & B Complex bottles, you should find it (or one of its derivatives) listed. Normally, we require very little, and can get it from our diets, but like vitamin B12, it is considered very safe, and is being found useful for a number of things.

Pantothenic Acid

Doc

If this continues, you may—if you want—talk to your doctor about tapering back off of the gabapentin.

Doc