Hi, everybody...(shyly scuffing toe on ground...).

I'm new to the forum, although I've been lurking for a little while to get a sense of it. Hopefully I won't make any (or many) faux pas.

I'm sooooo happy to have found this forum, as I have recently been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and am, um, kinda scared. Okay, a lot scared.

There's a lot of questions I have, but I am also mindful of how much more pain everyone here is in and I feel kinda funny about talking about mine, which doesn't approach yours.

I'm sure that I'll be able to learn and grow from being "with" you here. I feel better already!

Hladna

definitely comes with the territory!

Two things tho...I suggest your read the 'stickies' information to be 'saved' at the top of this forum, and then give us a little bit of background about your main issues and yeah, the fears as well. We all cope with them, and are still around to complain!

Ask questions! Don't be shy - it shows you're learning, as you learn, you learn how to cope better...Does this make sense? - j

Hladna,
Welcome - You've come to the right place for information and support from a great many caring people who have struggled w/ PN from almost any source. I'm relatively new myself (~5 months) and have only scratched the surface of the wealth of info and experience here, all of which is willingly shared.

As Dahlek said take some time to read through the stickies and the associated links and do post up about your background and ask questions - there are no dumb ones, only unanswered ones.

Alkymst

Welcome to our "family",
There is a lot to learn and more news and new people every day. We are glad to have you and we'd like to hear your story too.

Billye

You have found the right place to be. I have been around a couple of years, don't post a whole lot, and for sure don't have near the PAIN some of the others have. There are many great and wonderful people here from all walks of life and even from other countries. I read every post every day (sometimes 3-4 times a day). I have learned so much. Glad you are here.

I appreciate the warm welcome to this forum. Actually I've read just about the entire thing, even the stickies, in my lurker days. I wanted to learn anything I could since that seems to stave off the fear at least a little.

Well, my background isn't much. I'm a fortymumblesomething year old female and apparently I've started this PN a long time ago without knowing it. It started some years ago with some minor pain in my fingers, and I figured "Oh well, everyone has aches and pains." I amused myself by tracing the actual pain down along my fingers (found out recently that's *exactly* where the nerves are...uh oh)

Then...YOY!...within the last, say, six months it turned into flaming, burning, piercing, stabbing pain that I just couldn't believe. I have only recently gone to my GP, and he did a checkup, then the bloodtests which all came back fine, then ordered a EMG (June 1) and put me on Neurontin which seems to have stopped the acute "attacks" but not the regular daily pain. Still I am very grateful for the relief it has given me. We're on a "conservative" treatment schedule since I don't have insurance. The doctor said we'll take one test at a time till we get answers; this way I don't have to pay for a whole slew of tests at once when maybe I don't need them.

Funny, I have a feeling I'm going to need them...

So I dunno. I've got a bunch of questions but have to ask a procedural one first: should I space them out one per thread? or cram them all into one post in one thread?

Thanks again,
Hladna

What the heck, just ask them all at once! That will keep us all busy. Is your neuropathy only in your hands and not in your feet?