Flagyl can cause PN, hopefully, you were on it for a short period of time and the problem will be temporary.

The good news is that peripheral nerves regenerate, and toxic neuropathies are a "one-hit" problem. You had your hit with Flagyl; it's now gone; and you can go on to heal. Please read the stickies and read about all the supplements which aid nerve healing. I am particularly partial to all the supplements that facilitate mitochondrial---it takes a lot of energy to send nutrients from the cell body near the spinal cord out to your pinky or toe. Acetyl-l carnitine and CoQ10 are among two of the most important here.

Flagyl is something a person with CMT should not have. Our peripheral nerves do not regenerate so anyone with CMT - beware. It's on our medical alert list.

Kitt, I agree with you, and also, I imagine the same applies for those with the hereditary neuropathies that are not CMTs. Drugs and drug interactions are so much more of a problem that people imagine.

Flagyl either aggravated or caused my PN. I haven't taken it for over 5 years, but I did take it on and off over the course of a year in 2002-03.

I will be trying the niacin therapy, along with my methylcobalamin B12. It is getting to the point where I get no sleep, between the feet and hands, the gall bladder (upcoming surgery) and the Crohn's and the tinnitus.

I hope that yours is only temporary and dissipates soon.

[QUOTE=LizaJane;435088]The good news is that peripheral nerves regenerate, and toxic neuropathies are a "one-hit" problem.

How can you tell if a PN is from toxic or other causes? (all the tests are normal - in my case, and my doctors can decide if it - genetic, toxic, sensory GBS - so I'm confused....)

[QUOTE=amit;435393]Some detective work is necessary sometimes when tests don't show much.

You have to go back to when this started, and review what you were doing/eating, etc. What illness you may have had
just before symptoms. If you breathe in fumes (paint strippers, formaldehyde, etc). What drugs you were taking.
What you may be missing in your diet. Those kinds of things.
That is where the answers typically are...doctors themselves are quite limited in this regard.

I had mild PN until 9 years ago and got the intestinal infection (which I have again right now) - which requires flaygl and/or vancmnycin to treat - they are only meds that work... I had mild nerve damage when I got sick with the infection - (the nerves were tested the day they discovered the infection) - and 6 months later - after several rounds of flagyl and oral vanco - had NO sensory nerve conduction - the docs said it was the flagyl and they shouldnt have given me the flagyl (kinda late)... it is not worth the risk. I went from walking to wheelchair, from eating to having no solid food now for 9 years cause of the nerve damage it did to my guts... and unless there is a medical miracle - will never recover them as sural nerve biopsy shows severe loss of large and small sensory nerves, as well as nerve roots - the roots are not growing back and wont... so what the docs think is in inherited PN but was not super serious - has taken me down - in much due to this drug. As I said - I hav somehow contacted this infection again and have been very sick - but at least my GI doc I have now knows not to give me flagyl, nor would I ever touch it... Vanco is much more expensive, and they go for flagyl first.... please dont take this med!!!!!!!!!!! The infection (C-diff) itself is very dangerous but vanco, while an anti-b of last resort - at least will not kill the nerves like the flagyl. There is also another new drug on the market they are using for C-Diff, sorry, cant remember name - states right on the side affects it is toxic to nerves!!!!