My inner ankles are on fire tonight.

First off, I must tell you that I tried capsaicen therapy. I last three days, then decided I should leaves things alone for a while just using Neurontin, to see how well that dose is working. I've been taking 600 mg three times a day.

So I used the capsaicen for four days, the last time being last night. I didn't wash my ankles off until tonight. They are BURNING.

Can I use ice? I can't find anything about whether or not it's ok to use ice.

I've tried biofreeze and it didn't feel like much. The over the counter pads, salon pas (sp?) really really burned me too

Thanks for any advice.

Kris

Kris, I washed mine off. I put my feet into a whirlpool tub and soaped them up real good and gritted my teeth and washed it off. When the water first hit, I thought I'd die from the pain. It burned so badly. But I perservered and soaped them and rinsed them with cool water and dried them gently and then put lotion with menthol over them. It was really painful but each bath got easier. Just wash your feet separately. Don't put your body in with the capsascian. It might burn delicate parts. I don't know if there is an easier way but this is what I did and it worked. Had to do it about 3 times changing the water, but it did hlep. good luck,

Billye

capsacin alcohol works best. (it is an oil)

There has never been a poster here who could tolerate it, that I
can remember.

If menthol is not working for you, then you do not have a typical sensory neuropathy.

Your pain may have a burning quality, but it may originate
in the joints or ligaments and not in the skin.

Ice is used today for both arthritis pain and ligament inflammation.
It is not recommended to apply it for long periods of time, since that reduces
circulation. But ice is useful for many.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=18347

You might want to search "magnets" on this forum. Application of a high gauss
magnet on the ankle may help with pain. I have used them and so has Brian.
Placement is a bit experimental, but they can really help with pain.(be willing to
move them around a bit to find the best spot)

Also I think Lidoderm patches are worth a try. These are numbing and put the
nerve to sleep.

I am not familiar with that therapy but I can say ice and me equals a big no. My major pain area is the inner ankle/foot/calf so even a finger sometimes bothers me to the extreme. Sometimes what helps me though is if I take off my socks and just lay in bed with them up. Or if I am out I take off my sock and just wear tennis shoes.Everyone is different though. Maybe your doc needs to increase the neurontin cause some people are on a very high dose. Are you taking any supplements?

Ice makes pain worse. If you visit that forum here, you can find threads to this effect.

Another thing you can try Kris, is to soak the ankles in tepid water with epsom salts. The magnesium in there will get into the ankle somewhat and magnesium blocks the NMDA pain receptors. So it might work for you.

And I hope you are taking a magnesium supplement, it will do that orally as well, when you are not soaking.

I washed with the soap to get the capsaicin off. I had the bottle with the sponge on top, 12.5% I believe? Anyway, I could deal with the burning, but suddenly after three days of applying it, my ankles hurt when I touched them with my fingertip! Literally like they were on fire, worse then ever before. It scared me.

I washed, soaked in epsom, applied biofreeze, and waited. By the time I went to bed the burning had subsided.

I'm still awaiting the results on the skin biopsy, and I have to reschedule the autonomic testing. We got 3/4 of the way through, but the sweat test part of the machine broke, so I have to go back for that.

I asked my primary care to do a three hour glucose test and he said no. Maybe because my symptoms aren't typical? This morning I'm going to contact my neuro about any available results and what testing may be next. My foot/ankle surgeon's last words to me were to get a brain and spine MRI, so I will mention that. I've had a sore hip/low back forever, and that worries me.

Thanks again! Mrs. D, I was glad to see you hadn't left for the summer yet! If I don't talk to you before then , have a wonderful, wonderful time!

Kris

You asked your primary if he would do a 3 hour glucose test and he said 'NO",

Here's a good question. Have you ever been tested for diabetes, or ANY OTHER INSULIN RESISTANCE disorder??

If not, and you asked your primary doctor to run this test, and he said 'NO to you, it's time to really think about changing primary doctors.

Now if you have had other testing, than maybe your doctor has his reasons, but if not, and you want this test, I'd try and find another guy who would order it for you.

Boy, primary doctors sure have changed, haven't they??

Years ago, when my husband was on his journey to find out WHY he had neuropathy, and he had every test known to man (and he DID have 2 of those glucose tests, one was 3 hours and the other was 6 hours), we went to the primary care doctor. He had been MY doctor for over 10 years.

I then brought in my husband, told the doctor every test he had and the doctor said: "Has he ever had a heavy metal test?" and we said "no", and he barked to his nurse "get this guy a Heavy Metal Test". and she meekly said "Doctor, we don't have one of those in this office".

He looked at her and yelled 'THEN GET ONE".

They got one, Alan took the test, and it came back negative.

My point is, you have to go down every avenue to try and find out WHY.

It's a long journey.

I wish you much luck.

Melody

P.S. I will never forget when Alan rubbed Capsaicin on his toes (he has neuropathy between certain toes). Well, it was 2 a.m. and he jumped out of bed and started screaming. This was over 6 years ago when he was on the Fentanyl pain patch. I thought he would die, his feet were on fire.

I ran and got another small 25 patch and slapped it on him. Then he said 'whoa". I then got cool water and soap and washed the capsaicin creme off of his feet.

HE NEVER WENT NEAR THAT STUFF AGAIN.

My PN is a small fiber neuropathy, in my case this is what gives me COLD-allodynia, COLD gives me terrible pain

I Also have RSD, and ICE or cold gives me the same type of pain

So allways try something new on a very smal place before you soak your limbs in anything!

I've had for over five years now....at first it was as if someone had a blow-torch to my feet/legs and hands! Cold was TOO cold, etc...felt like Goldilocks? What I've found to help, tho only a little has been cool [not cold] compresses or a spray bottle of tepid water. These two have worked the best for me when things 'rage'.

Mrs D is very right about Magnesium supplements, but I have to say that I tried the foot-bath thing and almost jumped out of what skin I have! I've super sensitive skin now and well, it did NOT like the attempt. Supplements are far safer to start on and work your way up on dose or down.

Melody, wasn't Alan's heavy metal testing a 24-hour Urine test? and, isn't that one of the first tests usually done for most neuropathies and other issues? [As a process for exclusions only]. I'm surprised that doctors took soo long to get to that one... I've had 3 of them over the years and nothing shows up....they also are of use for diagnosing a slew of other issues, I believe.

Hope this helps! - j

Kris... I'll be leaving Sat if the weather is permitting. I have a new avatar which I will put up, when I go.

If your doctor will not order a 3hr GTT...that is really odd. (I've had 2 of these in the past, when I was younger).

Ask for a fasting insulin instead. This will show if you are insulin resistant. The higher the insulin level is, the more you know you are on track for diabetic complications. In some ways it is more predictive perhaps than the GTT...esp if your doctor does not feel comfortable interpreting the GTT for reactive hypoglycemia.

If you had any gestational diabetes with the your pregnancies?
That should also be a clue.