I have severe neuropathy which was diagnosed in 2003 in my feet. Over the past 17 years it had migrated all the way up to a few inches above my thighs. After years battling opiate and Soma dependence and addiction I quit in Feb 2018 and switched to 40mg methadone. I was forced to reduce that to 35mg with the only doc I could find who would prescribe it legally and then was put in the position of having to cold turkey onto Buprenorphine. The neuropathy was just unbearable but for myself, I have actually found some salvation. It isn't absolutely perfect but has improved my pain by about 85%. I had an Abbott BurstDRG neurostimulator implanted after a successful trial. I had serious knee issues
which have also been covered. I personally would recommend this particular model to anyone experiencing the same problems. I have heard that many people have very good results so I am participating in a 5-year
trial to hopefully help others in the same situation. Let me know any questions and I'll be happy to try and help. No one should have to be in this kind of pain...ever.

Hi only1betty

Welcome to NeuroTalk .

You have certainly had to deal with many different things since being diagnosed with neuropathy; it is good to read that the neurostimulator has worked for you.

All the best.

OP: I've posted a lot about a friend with 20 + yrs of neuropathy and she's taken pharma drugs and I don't think she went to the pharma hard pain drugs..I stay away from them personally. She's been taking now probably 10 yrs grape seed extract and is off the gabapentin and any lyrica she took and doing a lot better. I've posted about her and the grape seed ex a lot here and as I say I avoid those opiods... My daughter paid dearly for that addiction she got messed up with.

I deal with neuropathy since hip replacement in 2010 and work with many other s upplements and of course grape seed extract which I'm heading into 25 yrs...No side effects in my life. Thank goodness I've learned to work without pharma.

I am so impressed you managed to stay away from the hard drugs. After the success of the neurostimulator I am still working on reducing the Lyrica. It's a horrific drug and coming off it is very difficult but I've resolved to suffer through another month of reducing 50mg to 200mg. It's well worth the determination it takes to deal with the W/D.

There is a whole segment of our population who do work to stay off pharma drugs. They are big trouble, in the long run. I ended up in the ER from a pharma drug in the 80's and this event was my turning point. I started to work with ALL supplements just about after menopause in my early 50's and I'm 81....so it can be done...

The more doctors we go to the more drugs they work to tempt us to be taking.

Does this drg cover your whole legs or just feet..¿

On Lyrica and Side Effects.

I don't trust MOST drugs. I take 3 minor ones and no side effects from these.

But many others, omgoodness... Here's is info on Lyrica side effects. And could be same scenerio on gabapentin. Nothing surprises me anymore.

https://healthfully.com/the-lyrica-s...n-4824080.html

Thank you, welcome team. That's only the partial list of my physical nightmares. I have a genetic defect called a Chiari One Malformation, which is a cyst at the base of my skull that causes the tonsils of your brain to slip down toward your neck. Also a syringohydromeglia from T3 to T12. This is a fluid filled sac inside my spinal cord that shouldn't be there and I feel it presses on nerves. These a both rather rare. I have developed scoliosis with degenerative disc disease. I almost get some twisted thrill out of listing all my issues for some reason. It's probably because I am now quite successful at being much more like a normal person, at 69. It is truly such a pleasure, I won't let these things take me down!

It actually covers both. My neuropathy was so bad I was beside myself without opioids, just Lyrica and Buprenorphine. I seems to be covering both legs quite well and most of my feet pain, at least about 65-70%. This difference makes me able to deal with my feet after so many years. There have been a few tough days but that seems affected by the weather or if I am overtired. It is truly life changing, I 'm walking a mile 4xwk and doing 5 mi. on a stationary bike about every other day. Since I have been now released from restrictions as of Jan 1, I can set up my pilates machine and work on strengthening my back.

My issue is I cannot afford the supplements I would like to use due to the amount of my Disability payment. I would love to go further that route, I used to run a health food store and am a 50 year ovo-lacto vegetarian though I occasionally cheat with white meat turkey.