Hi Everyone,

My father-in-law lives in Italy and has had a serious neuropathy condition (non diabetic). His doctors have tried all the possible drugs and treatments, the last 2 being cannabis oil and just yesterday an electrical implant to block the pain in his feet, but nothing has provided him any relief.

We are trying to find out if there is a top-notch neuropathy clinic in the USA (Mayo clinic, Johns Hopkins or other top clinic) that might be able to help him.

He is extremely desperate from having pain 24 hours/day and now he's talking about going to Amsterdam where assisted suicide is legal in Europe, so he is truly at the end of his rope.

If anyone out there has ideas on where we could look for some help in the U.S. we would appreciate it so much. Thanks for any information you can share.

Jeff

Hi Jeff. I do not know of any place in the US to recommend, I live in Germany. I also don't know of any places here really. I am new to PN myself.

But I just wanted to give you a very big hug, after hearing about your father. I am so sorry. I wish for him to get the relief he needs!

There is really nothing unusual about using morphine for severe neuropathic pain, at least in the US. I have small and large fiber neuropathy from Charcot Marie Tooth disease, a hereditary sensory-motor neuropathy. It is advanced and does cause moderate to severe pain which is controlled by Gabapentin and MS Contin, a long acting morphine. I also take Baclofen, an anti-spasmodic. I am able to function for most of the day on this combination and have been on it for several years, most of that time without escalation. Beyond fatigue, which I would have anyway because of the muscle weakness, and constipation, which I have fought all my life, I have few side effects.
There is nothing wrong with giving it a try, your father-in-law will know quickly whether it is working or not. It is certainly much better than thinking of suicide, which I would be thinking about also if not for the medication. It has been found to work better in combination with Gabapentin in at least one study.
If you choose to come to the US I can personally recommend Johns Hopkins, I have been evaluated there, but most long standing neuropathies are incurable and they are not going to do pain management, so you will still have to find a way to make life tolerable for your father- in-law working with a doctor in Italy.
There is no reason to be afraid of morphine. Many drugs have far more side effects and can be just as difficult to discontinue. If it helps it can literally be a lifesaver.

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota is top ranked. Dr. Dyck and his team are of the best.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/department...w/ovc-20117067

http://www.mayoclinic.org/biographie...d/bio-20053356

Doctors would have to see your father-in-law not just via telephone and previous records. That I would think is true of any physician.

Hope you find the answer. The above is specifically the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. There are other Mayo Clinics in other states.

Hi Jeff, The laws here in the US have been restricting Drs from prescribing pain drugs that have the opiates. You might need to find Italy's version of PM. You could go to the best of the best clinics and still be out in the cold as far as relief. Good Luck, Ken in Texas.

Hi Jeff,

I was actually relieved to hear he was being offered morphine. I know at least to people who rely on it just to get through life. One has a pump of some flavor.

With regard to PN, check out the last response on this thread:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread27991.html


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