Hello All,

I am currently doing an experiment using capsicum. Would love to hear other's experiences or comments.

Natalie


My Situation:

Have mild/moderate chemo induced peripheral neuropathy from cancer treatment eight years ago. My case isn't as bad as many of the people I read about here. I can only walk or stand for 30 minutes before needing to take a break off my feet, have a very numb big toe which I have to keep from damaging, etc.


My Treatment:

Neurologist recommend I try capsicum. She wrote me a prescription for a cream and also a tincture which I filled at a pharmacy specializing in natural medicines (I'm in Europe).

She gave me .025 capsicum tincture which I put 5 drops in a small foot bath of water and bathe feet three times a day for 10 minutes. I felt one or two unusual electrical "zaps" in my foot which I haven't had since chemo, but for the most part nothing happened.

Then I tried .025 capsicum creme, rubbing it all over my feet, between toes, etc., twice a day, once at lunch and once before bed, every day for two weeks.

This brought all kinds of strange sensations. On application I would feel nothing but usually 2 hours later, or even the next morning, I would feel a wave of warmth in my feet to the point of almost burning for just a few minutes and then go away again, but not so burning that it was painful. I would then also occasionally hours later feel a strange electrical "zap" much higher up my leg, in my thigh. I would also feel strong waves of near-burning warmth come on hours later up higher in strange, unexpected places on my legs, such as above my ankle, on the thigh behind the knee or much higher on the thigh. Also if I did shopping or walking, I would feel near-burning after 30 minutes and have to take a break off my feet. If I quickly took my shoes and socks off the intense warmth would quickly go away. My most numb toe, my right big toe, the numbness seems to have slightly improved. However on my left foot, the numbness of my middle toe has just slightly increased. If my feet felt perfectly normal and I took a warm shower, my feet would start burning from the warm water such that I would have to cut my warm shower short. None of these warm waves in my feet or legs are so bad that I can't deal with them.

At the end of the initial trial period of two weeks, all these strange sensations and near-burning made me nervous so I called my neurologist. Her reply: "This is Great!! Something is Happening!! Is the numbness decreasing? Now do both the foot bath, increasing to ten drops, plus continue with the cream as you have been doing. Do everything up to the point where the burning is too uncomfortable. Do this for another month and then check back in with me."

So now I will start the combo regime for the next month.

I looked around on the internet and couldn't find any good information on this kind of treatment or other's experience other than a comment of someone saying they couldn't take the burning.

I have no idea what kind of improvement to expect or how long such a treatment will go on.

I am suspicious of any miracle cures but I'm willing to try and see what happens.

My neurologist seems pretty calm and confident about the whole matter, although she hasn't talked much about her other success stories (I have to race against time with my questions whenever I get to see her).

Hope this description helps others in some way. Would love to know if anyone has any information at all on this approach. I will update again with my progress.

Capsium is ok as far as I'm concerned. What works best on the Neuropathy issues are: Grape Seed Extract, Topricin Lotion for Feet, Inosine and Sphingolin for getting rid of burn;/tingle. I don't have much burn/tingle anymore, but I don't have h ope for nerves to come back from surgery damage done 11 yrs ago.

Thanks for your very nice reply ... comforting to have others in one's camp.

I am not in much discomfort when I am stationary.

What happens to me is that I am fine walking (with friends or shopping or standing while cleaning, etc) for about 30 minutes and then I have to cut it short and stop because my feet start hurting. Feels either like someone is standing on my toes or that my whole feet are in concrete.

I would love to be able to go for walks or be doing a normal activity on my feet for longer and not have to discontinue the activity.

I'm open to any thoughts.

Thanks again for any input.

Natalie