Also guys, on day three of 1/3 teaspoon per day - I started packing up zip lock bags and sending it out to all friends and family to try.

My little brother had a serious heart attack at 39; he's had high cholesterol, hereditary, since the age of 7. He had to have a stint put in. Now he has two little babies, wife, mortgage, he's early 40's, 42 I think. I was really hopeful he would try it. He agreed to, I was very relieved because one of the main benefits ppl who use it talk about is the lowered cholesterol and cardiac issues.

Also, it helps you hold onto water like you did when you were younger. I do not mean bloating here. My skin looks fab!!! I look younger. I can't stop staring at the backs of my hands cause their not wrinkly anymore - Im 50. Also, I noticed my eyes felt better and better everyday when I woke up. My eyesight improved. I was using a 2.50 reading glasses, now down to a 2.0 ! I can't believe this stuff. See how I dont care what the naysayers say? Would you?

By day four, I was up to 3/4 teaspoon. I was at work and sitting at my desk - and I just said to myself - I feel like a million bucks!!!! And I do. I hope the same for you, whether you use "the mud" (as we affectionately call it even though there's really no dirt in there) or something else... flax seed maybe, Vitamin D, what have you!!!

Love this place.

PS Mrs. D. - you may have forgotten, but I also had Lyme Disease too. Nice to see you Mrs. D.

Kitty litter is kitty litter.

Sorry, but I have a real problem with information gleaned from sources selling something. Too much puffery, weasel words, pseudo science, BS, etc....

The reason this stuff is used as a pesticide is
The stuff may be harmless to folks with healthy guts (GI tracts) but I have IBS, and know from experience that certain foods & supplements (e.g. psyllium) can be abrasive enough to cause a flare—bleeding—in my intestines.

I can't risk that again.

Doc

I would have to agree Doc Smith - doesn't sound like it's for you. I have a touchy tummy too. Never been diagnosed with IBS. That's why I started so small, 1. to find out effect on neuropathy... 2. to minimize effect on tummy.

I did have some cramping the first night, but I'm prone to it. I took one Walmart generic Immodium ID (spell?). Didn't need one after that. I noticed if my intestine felt a bit crampy, or cramps threatened, the easiest and best thing to do was just drink a good sized glass of water, 6 oz. or so.. and that stopped it right quick. I know people talk about putting it in a glass of orange juice, but I use a good size glass of water with it. The first couple of days, it made me thirsty too, but I've been shriveling up on account of menopause so that didn't surprise me. The stuff is the bomb.

Best - I get to ride my bike everday again! Whoo Hoo!!! Doesn't get better than that in my little world!

I'm sure you'll find what works for you. May the force be with you!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist

...Beam me up Scotty!

Just got a text from my little sister, she's a Registered Nurse. She's worked in re-hab centers, psyche wards and now she's a school nurse (much easier and more pleasant gig, quite frankly). My sister is 46 and I sent her the mud cause it was supposed to thicken hair, make your skin and nails more beautiful, etc. She has no health problems. She just sent me a text, "Love the mud!" I sent her one back, "The mud has helped me beyond measure. Stay on the mud and you won't get old!"

When I first got this PN thing... three of my toes on my right foot went numb. Went to a neurologist in a panic, thinking MS. He did the 'shock the leg' test and told me I had an abnormality but it wouldn't be a a big deal. When I wound up in pain a few months later and thought my life was over, I was really mad at that doctor. I felt like he lied to me.

I became willing to try anything, I felt like there was a solution. I tried accupunture, which did make my foot that felt giant immediately go back down to normal size... then I started reading here and posting and trying anything people talked about. My boyfriend said I was trying too much. I told him if it was him, he'd want to figure it out before his nerves got damaged too. I felt that I was in a race against time.

The accupuncture lady told me that everyone has their own inner guidance. She said it will be that inner guidance that will help you find what you need. I knew she was right. I got it down to manageable. Again, large part because of this site, actually, more like 99.9% this site, to be exact. But I remember someone making the comment here to me, "but partly it was you because you were willing to try/take supplements."

I know Doctor Spock is trying to rain on my little Diatom Fossil parade here, and I knew someone would, but I have pain on my side. When I went back up just to see the posts, again I was horrified at what this horrible PN thing does to people. They are even painful to read, those posts.

For those ppl who have had enough of empty promises and treatments that stop working, those are the ppl who will begin to try anything. If not what I've mentioned in my post here, maybe something someone else has mentioned.

Thanks again Neuro Talk for all that you have done for me. Not just me, but me and my family cause we all know what it's like to have a family member flattened by PN. Everyone suffers.

KarenEVP, You posted that you had a "shock the leg" test. Do you mean EMG/NCV testing? The doctor found only a little abnormality but it wouldn't be a big deal. Curious as to what was actually found if you don't mind sharing. Thanks.

At one time, I painstakingly posted out my doctors notes that I asked for, mostly for Mrs. D to see. What do you call it - little electric shocks, they dont really hurt but are annoying.. to try to figure out if your nerves are working up to speed or are, I guess too slow? The neurologist did it in his office. I just cant remember and dont feel like grabbing out those papers, off to play with grandaughter today.

Here's what I had. Three numb toes, then a foot tingle. That went on for a while. Then after maybe five months - I had a never ending kind of cramp in my calf. The calf got weak if I used it for more than three hours a day. This went away, mostly, when I took the level of Vitamin D Mrs. D told me to take. My vitamin D test was a 15 point something, very low. The neurologist never looked into it. I came here and asked about it.

Then I started getting little pains, light kind of burning pains, enough to annoy you and keep you awake, moving up both legs.. finally into the but. There were times when I didn't know how to sleep cause they were in the front, sides, backs of legs and but, no where to lay on. Very annoying. Then there was the electronic shock that came along to the left cheek every so often and left foot. First time it happened, I just stood there, didnt know what happened or what to do. If I put my left foot back down, it would shock again. I was stuck in place at work. This ****** me off. Then it went away.

Then there was the horrible all over pricking and itching. That was resolved with the benfiotamine that I told you about, thank God. Then on top of that the Benfiotamine started keeping the annoying light pains up my legs and butt from happening when night time close in. When I started taking the Alpha Lipoic Acid, those light pains went away further.

Sometimes if I eat something that sets off my nerves, I still get to enjoy all of these annoying issues. I just have to wait for it to wear off and not eat that stuff again, or take that supplement, or whatever set it off.

Since almost a month on the mud.. when I get up there is no trace of nerve pain. Usually in the morning there is still a little, that sends me for my Benfitiamone, can't remember how to spell it, and the alpha lipoic acid - first thing, also that nortriptyline antideppresant I told you all about in this thread. The first time I spelled these things out for you guys, I looked at the bottles, I am just ready to go do something else right now but want to answer you.

Now in the morning, I have ZERO pains, not even the tinyest slightest trace. I dont have the occassional prick or pain that lets me know that the neuropathy is manageable but certainly not gone. I have been having ZERO, do you guys hear me? ZERO. That is why I have come into post about this. It's got to help someone else it just has to.

Now if I were to go eat the things that irritate my neuropathy, yes, I would get those stupid nueropathy symptoms back.. I tried it just to see, in a little tiny amount. It does not protect against eating what you know will **** off your neuropathy. Also, when I eat something that ****** off my neuropathy, the Benfiatomine, whatever , and the alpha lip. acid dont help either. So no difference there.

I have had days lately where I can say I have completely forgotten I have neuropathy.. if you have manageable neuropathy, then you can imagine what that would be like. Thanks for reading my post and asking a question, makes me feel like I spent my time for something here. But Im sorry, gotta' go and don't want to deal with spelling and typos right now. Sincerely, Karen

Not quite (though if you're going to refer to it as mud, ya better expect some slinging), but I'm getting used to being misconstrued.

I do have some reservations, and eagerly await MrsD's looking into it. I would myself, and perhaps will, but I have some other things on my plate at the moment, and family comes first.

But most of my comments have been strictly humor. If I can find humor in my own pain (Dr. Smith — Oh, the pain... the pain...) then you can bet I see it in a lot of places.

We've had similar discussions about N-acetyl-cysteine, which some other folks couldn't handle because it's made from human hair and duck feathers.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread193882.html

I've recommended the stuff many times, especially for people who take a lot of Tylenol/acetaminophen, because it protects the liver from damage.

IME, (and I find it funny because I also see it in myself) there's no fanatic like a convert. I can cop to the same sin with adrenal hormones, RLA, and B5, and you're right—they work for me.

I make no apologies for my skepticism—or my sense of humor; I come by both honestly.

Doc

Hey Doc, nice post! I make no apologies for using myself as a guinea pig when two docs told me: Half the people with PN are diabetic. For the other half, we don't know what caused it and usually dont find out. No tests were ordered by first neurologist until I went to the second for the second opinion and he ordered some. So, for me, it was Google and Mrs. D. and a couple of others here too. Went well for me too

For Kitt again, I think you can search my name and see past threads by me and read all I found and shared here, just a thought. I just wanted to come back and tell of something good I found. Thanks again for asking, Karen

What I found was that half the people with diabetes develop PN. There are many, many other causes for PN including inherited ones. Good site listing it:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...s/con-20019948

There are DNA blood tests that can rule in or out some of these problems. Yes, some people will never know what the cause of their PN is. It can be very complicated as most of us know.

Yes, I know that I could do a search on your name to read about what you have been through.

I wasn't offered any DNA blood test. Maybe my insurance won't cover it and the docs know what.. Anyway, I'm doing well right now but I'll keep it in mind for the future, just in case. Thanks, Karen