My PN pain is about where it was several months ago. No worse but no better either other than the RLS type symptoms have abated. I'm still taking generic ultracet but I'm getting ready to ask my doc about perhaps adding another drug that I can alternate with. It's getting to the point with the Ultracet that I need to take two tabs for the same amount of pain that one tab used to work well for. I take one almost every night several hours before bed. I don't want to have to keep upping the dose. I'd appreciate any suggestions for a drug that I could take for several nights and then switch back to the Ultracet for several nights and just keep alternating.

The other thing going on is I'm beginning to have joint pain in my left big toe. In the ball joint, the joint called the 'ball of the foot'. It feels swollen and it does seem a bit bigger than my right. Course that could be normal side to side size differences. I never really paid attention to that kind of thing until this started. The ball joint aches and throbs deep in the joint. When it's really bad I can't stand *any* pressure on it. Not even a sheet. Can't stand to have it touched or anything. I have had issues with this joint some in the past and it seemed to be gout-like symptoms. This is now becoming chronic pain, that is: I experience this pain almost every day now.

I'm still taking the Methylcobalamine, the B-complex, and the Slow-mag (which I also take to counteract the effects on my bowels from the Ultracet. Works great! ). I need to be more strict about the fish oil and the Vit-E but overall I'm doing ok.

I'm getting ready to make an appt to see my doctor, who has changed because my NP I was seeing decided to leave and I wasn't told until I had to get a refill on a script and called and was told, "Whoops! Your doctor no longer works here!" Lovely. Anyway, I need to get my cholesterol rechecked too. Yuk. But, no matter what my reading is, no statins!!!!

I've had a lot of stress to deal with in the past months, since Aug. My youngest child, 13, has PTSD and possibly Borderline Personality Disorder. She's currently on her third psych hospitalization and will go directly from there to a long term care facility, the exact one to be decided in the next few days. The stress has certainly played a big part in my pain. Considering all though I'm still doing well and as some of you may remember, I stopped taking Effexor XR over 6 months ago and I'm doing well. Even with this added stress. So there is *some* good news to report as well.

When I see the doc this time around I'm going to ask for a referral to a neuro that deals with PN. I want answers. I'm one of the idiot-pathetic diagnosis and that's just not good enough anymore. I want to attempt to find the cause of my PN. With a more concrete diagnosis I feel treatments will be more effective since they'll actually be aimed at something. Up til now all that's been done is symptomatic: Dealing with the pain symptoms.

It's been great to be back here reading again. I'm so sorry that some of you are having more and more crap to deal with. It makes me feel grateful for my pitiful little problems.

ETA: Another symptom or thing that's started recently: At night when I lay on my left side I get this very weird sensation in the area just below my hip that extends down into the groin area. Tingling, tickling, burning, creepy-crawly sensations. If my other half happens to put his arm there or I put my hand there it goes away. The feeling is very disconcerting and I don't know if it's related to the PN or not. Also, I've been having issues with my hands again. I told my other half it was either the carpal tunnel syndrome returning or the PN might be spreading. Any ideas, anyone?