interested in mitochondrial failure. A lot research being done today is
pointing in that direction.

1) nerve damage from HIV drug prevention is mito in nature. We've known this for a decade now.
2) the new autism research is pointing to mito failures induced by vaccines in babies.
3) We now know that statins damage mitochondria..and that is probably how they induce PN as a side effect.

If the autism research shows this is a direct link (which I think is very likely),
then ADULTS who get that dreaded flu vaccine every year are exposing themselves to this stressor. The genetics research will help with this, and it might be that certain people with certain combinations of genes are more prone to mitochondrial issues.

Dr. Bruce Ames who developed the Ames test for carcinogens that our FDA uses still, is researching aging. I used to have a paper of his, that I put up about his beliefs that mito damage can be minimized with nutrients. He actually makes a supplement called Juvenon.
If you Google that product there are many papers on that site to explain how this works. But because it is a commercial site, I won't
link to it (there are rules here about that). It is easy to find.
Here is one abstract of his work:
from http://www.annalsnyas.org/cgi/conten...ract/959/1/133

He also has a paper out there on B-complex. I can't find it now, PubMed is down for maintenance. But in essence he believes that failures in B-complex metabolism account for many diseases we develop with aging. We do know now the folate system is very fragile and prone to failure (MTFHR) and must be helped along.

The nervous system gives us signals early on that something is not working right in our bodies. But when other organs fail (liver, kidney etc) there is a long lag before we get symptoms. So I think the signals just may be mito failures for many people. This signaling by the nervous
is sort of a bells/alarm to pay attention!

Many papers are on PubMed:
Use these keywords:
Ames B + antioxidants
Ames B + mitochondria
Ames B

example:
It is interesting to note that r-lipoic is showing up now in papers.

My basic thinking on mitochondria is this: Lots of toxins work by poisoning the mitochondria, and it takes a large amount of energy to maintain the very long axons that eventually end in small fibers. So, if you don't know why you have neuropathy, it could be toxic, and your mitochondria might need help. Even if it's diabetic, and the increased sugar is harming the nerves, the mitochondria will have to work doubletime to grow those axons back.

On the sites about mitochondrial diseases, most of which can be quite miserable but some mild, the mainstay of treatment is acetyl L carnitine and CoQ10. I'm not sure where the lipoic acid fits in---where it is used, but it's the one supplement used abroad as a mainstay of treatment of daibetic neuropathy.

A huge improvement here, from the original severe burning in my feet and up to my knees & those sharp electric type jabbing feelings and numbness in my feet to these days were i have no burning at all, no sharp jabbs and the numbness has nearly returned to normal, i can wear shoes, boots and can walk any distance.
I have no need to take any pain killer meds these days, i was on 300mg Tramadol SR x twice daily, only still take a much lessor dose of Endep at night but it doesn't make any difference when i have forgot to take it at times, it does help my sleeping so i have remained on it for that purpose only.

For the sake of newer members reading these posts, my PN was caused through a Prediabetic state & i was low in b12, an EMG showed some large nerve damage but mainly small nerve damage detected by Quanitive sensory testing & the obvious small nerve symptoms, a 3 hour Glucose tolerance test showed an above than normal response to a glucose challenge.

In my case correcting the insulin resistance by a sensible diet which included high fibre low GI foods and loosing weight, some exercise was needed and vitamins were B12 [mostly b12 Cynocobalaimin] only the last few months was able to get the preferred type of B12 " Methylcobalamin " and shots of b12 hydroxocobalain off my doctor, a multi B every day and vitamin C, i added Alpha Lipioc Acid only a couple months back which took care of the rare slight burning i had left.
Nerve's can heal if they are in the right environment.

Help!!! Where do I find the program you followed. I don't know what you mean by the stickies?I have suffered from severe neuropathy since 1994. I have a spinal cord stimulator implant, use Duragesic narcotic pain patches (two 100 mcg patches every 72 hours) and have vicodin and morphine for breakthrough pain.
I have just had tarsal tunnel surgery with an implant in my foot which has eliminated some pain.
I lost my right leg due to a blister (I am diabetic) in Nov of 2005 four months after I lost my husband of 3 years to cancer.
I have thought if only I could have one day free of foot pain it would be so great. but I decided that it would not be good - if I ev er had a day free of pain I couldn't bear to go back.
Help.
JudyH

Hi Judy! You're in the stickies. The stickies are subjects of such importance that they're 'stuck' at the top of the board so everyone can always get to them. Go back to the main page of PN and the very first 3 topics are stickies. The one you want is the second topic. That contains a lot of info about different types of treatments and supplements, vitamins and other things that have helped people with PN.

Just to make sure you get there in one piece... http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum20.html
Also, notice at the beginning of a topic it says stickie?

I am bumping this up to update the MetaFolin (methylfolate)
availability.

A person from the company Solgar has sent me a PM saying that OTC MetaFolin will be made by them, and is due out in late June '08 or so.

Methylfolate is available as FolaPro, by Metagenics, but it is very expensive. The Solgar product will not be that costly I am told.

Look for it at iherb.com ...I'll be leaving for the summer soon,
and will not be able to do computer stuff (no electricity etc) so
some of you will have to watch for it.
I'll look for it in September when I return.

I was a member of the old forum for a long time. Zocor caused my Neuropathy
in 1999. It use to say it on the box but no one would beleave me. When my pain was 10 all the time i wanted to die. I prayed and Jesus helped me get in touch with a friend and he told me to find a chiropractor with a high voltage therapy machine.I found one and the machine went to 400 volts.Five treatments before i could feel the 400 volts. 43 more treatments and i could only stand 15 volts. Bought me a TENS and use it most every day.

I take most of the vitamins recommended but only after i research them.I took 240mg of morphine for 4 years. Last year i lowered slowly to 60mg.
Go to a new pain doctor and he put me on Lyrica and it is helping more than the morphine. The bottoms of my feet are still sore and can;t walk to much but my pain is 1-2.

I am going to heal my self of this horrible desease or die trying. I am 76.

Wow! Great story of what you've been through! I'm glad you're doing so much better. We *can* heal from some of this. And that gives the rest of the people that come here and are newly Dx, hope.

Texasgeek - what is MSM and NAC that you reference in your post? I found the list for mrsD of supplements know to help but can't find those two.

Thanks for much for your help...

Tom -

I have read the list of supplements on the stickie and am anxious to get started on them. However, newly being diagosed I am still going through the tests to see if the cause can be determined. Can you advise which of the supplements did you take? All of them? Will you share the cause of your PN?

Thank you!