That is exactly how mine started. I never told any doctors because I assumed that it was circulatory and just lived with it. Now years later it turns out that it was the beginning of neuropathy. I guess the autonomic part of my neuropathy is what compromises my circulation.

When I was around 30 (long before my son was born) I stood for long hours in my job. My feet started hurting like you describe in the morning when I first got up. They would settle for the rest of the day. Then my hands started going numb on the steering wheel of my car. My hands worsened horrifically during my pregnancy and that was my EMG time with a rehab doctor that I was referred to by my OB.

Things got much better after I delivered, but I still had some foot and hand issues. I wore the wrist splints from the rehab doctor every night. But I could once again do most things except for hand work (crochet, sewing). So I avoided the suggested surgery for carpal tunnel.

It wasn't until I received my hypothyroid diagnosis in my early 40's that I realized this was all thyroid related. On the medication (levothyroxine), both feet and hands improved dramatically. My feet had grown numb by then, and so woke up and tingled/burned for almost a year and finally settled down.

Healthgirl, what type of PN do you have, or what is the cause of yours? Or is it idiopathic?

MrsD, fascinating and happy that you experienced such improvement upon getting thyroid treatment. How much of your PN do you think was/is due to hypothyroidism? I recently tested thyroid and it showed elevated reverse T3, and slightly high TSH. I think I'm going to try increasing my selenium intake to 200mcg from 100mcg as there is some research demonstrating a benefit to thyroid from supplementing selenium at that level. I'm already taking iodine for thyroid function. But thyroid is something I should pursue further.

Today the loss of sensation has progressed into my knees! The rate of progression is absolutely bafflingly rapid.