[kreink]

Hi all, my name is Kevin, I am 35, and a school teacher. I am only recently coming to understand what a disaster PN is. Mine is from Diabetes that I only recently learned I had.

Long story short, the PN in my feet is both sensory and motor and I have gotten to the point where it is really affecting my ability to walk, my ability to work, and my relationships.

I am comming to grips with it, but it is frustrating. I take 3600mg of Gabapentin and 90 mg of Cymbalta wich helps make the pain manageable but often it seems it makes my feet so numb that my balance and walking become terrible. I often find I can only make it through the work day and then I crash at night and suffer. I hate to admit that I have begun smoking again but pain and anxiety have beaten my will power. Some nights I just want to cut my feet off.

The motor difficulties are getting bad enough that I have begun using a cane and next week I will get fitted for an AFO on my left foot. My biggest fear is that eventually the motor problems will intensify in my right foot and I will be looking at the prospect of not walking. I am single and deal with this largely by myself, I have family but that is another mess entirely. I get encouragement and support mainly through friendships at church.


Thanks for reading, I hope I can find support here and learn more about how to manage as well as help encourage others.

God bless.

[pabb]

if you are not on an antidepressant, need to be eval'd for that....also a COMPLETE nutritional assessment.....and life style change prob. is in order.
and engage whatever support systems you have, to the fullest extent possible!
good luck

[gardengrl]

Welcome Kevin, I'm also pretty new here & not quite familiar with how things work so much but wanted to Welcome you. The people & information available here have been so very helpful to me & I'm sure you will find the same.
I have some of the same problems as you, I don't list them all but between me & mom, who I am caregiver for....lets just say my LEFT PINKIE is pain free! lol
Have a Great Day

[mrsD]

Welcome Kevin...(my son's name is Kevin too).

Rapid decline in a young person from diabetes is not common.
Especially MOTOR issues.

I'd get another medical opinion. If you are having autoimmune reactions those can be treated aggressively to prevent loss of mobility.

[SeamsLikeStitches]

I went through the stages you are in. I thought that my life was going to be nothing but struggling through a day of work, coming home and dropping into my bed, sleeping as much as I could and being in pain all the time.
It takes time, and I know that's not what you want to hear, but there are solutions to this. There is no "quick cure" or magic pill.
Ask a lot of questions here. Listen to the experienced people, like Mrs D. Bob, and some of the others... take the vitamins, (B-12, etc.) and rest... a lot for now. Get on the anti-depressants and the anti-seizure / pain meds. They will get you through all this.

Unfortunately I lost my job the first year I had PN, the meds and the pain were too much for me to handle. Eventually I got it under control and got back in the saddle. Now I'm working again and even exercising every day. No more canes, no more braces... It can be done! You have to take your time and STRESS IS YOUR ENEMY!!!!!!!!! I can't say that loud enough!

God Bless you, and welcome to the group.

[kreink]

Thanks for the welcomes! I appreciate your tips. I found out I am getting fitted for an ArizonaAFO. Having never used an AFO before I dont know what to expect.

The burning started about a year and a half ago in the tips of my big toes. I told my doc about it and he gave me a back pain pamphlet and sent me on my merry way. 8 months later I was in the ER with and learned I was diabetic. The pain leading up to that point had progressed to where I was planning back surgery, the neuroseurgeon looked at my MRI and told me that the some of my foot pain was PN not from a disk in my back as the MRI only showed the nerve was bulging on the left side.

At that point I saw a neurologist and had an EMG. I was in the hospital alot as I also was dealing with gastroparesis. uncontrolled nausea and vomiting is no fun. The gastro issues took up most of my efforts through the fall, thankfully my stomach is feeling strong again.

I began having muscle weakness on my left side in Nov, now I walk horribly and stumble alot. My Blood sugars have been good and I had been excercising regularly up until I couldnt stant without being in a boot cast and on crutches.

I am off crutches now, still in the boot cast to imobilize the ankle and foot. I use a cane to assist my balance and off load some of the weight so I dont feel so sore by the end of the day.

as I said the pain meds leave me feeling off balance and my feet feeling spongey but the alternative is horrible pain that has me laying on the floor crying.