I read a lot of posts where people say it feels like they are walking on sharp pebbles or things like that. What if it feels like walking on sharp stuff ONLY when you first start walking, for a few seconds, and after that the pain goes away and walking is just fine? Is that a normal experience others have? It feels like a circulatory problem more than a nerve problem since it goes away once the blood gets flowing, but I can't tell. Mind you, blood pools in my feet especially in the mornings whenever I'm standing or sitting with feet on the ground, and not walking around. I don't know what, if anything, that has to do with my PN.

Thanks!
Shauna

Sorry if you've covered this alredy, but have you had a full vascular work-up? When my problems first started, my PCP wanted me to have that done to rule vascular issues out.

I can't related to your scenario with your feet. Mine tingle and/or burn all the time, but they're not worse when I initially start walking around.

I wish I could count on one way things go overall. I have more trouble walking sometimes than others and some days my feet have more sensation than others.

I always have a good 15-20 minutes of extra buzzing after a substantial walk (around a mile). I used to wait a few minutes before driving, however I have become accustomed to the sensation.

My muscles spasming, fasticulating, tremors and so on have become as dibilitating as the burning, numbness and shooting star pain has become.

Yea, after some Bambi steps I can develop a rhythm that appears to hold some of these issues at bay, though having to slow down, speed up or when I stop it all comes to let me know it is still present.

Mrs. D has posted a useful guide to nerves and how they function in abother thread that explains this process quite well. I'll edit the link in if/when I find it.

Best of luck finding some comfort and answers.
Jon

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread216128.html

Here is said thread.

I definitely experience more discomfort when I first start walking. Once I am going I actually feel better. Sometimes I pay for a long walk later but so far it is still worth it.

Thank you, Jon.

Here is a more comprehensive link:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread194446.html

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.