Sorry....just had to vent, and as understanding as my family is, only those here can truly understand what this pain feels like. Last night I had such intense burning from my neck all the way down my back and all across my stomach and waist. My whole trunk was on fire. My legs and feet didn't really burn, but hurt like hell with all of those fun pains that are often described here. Shooting, cramping, stabbing, stinging, you name it. I just finally broke down and balled like a baby. (I'm a crier anyway). This morning? the pain level is quite low. Why, why does this happen?

One thing that I have noticed when I am in a great deal of pain is my face often gets very flushed. I thought it could be hormones, or perhaps my rocacea, I don't know, but it happens a lot.

Still waiting for my insurance to kick in so I can go to the pain doctor, find another neurologist and get a skin punch biopsy. I don't want everything to stop here. I keep going to the stickys to read the positive posts, and I try to listen to the words that the last neurologist said to me. Though he could not find what was wrong with me, he did say that he has had patients who have improved and healed.

Well, I'm just babbling here, just wanted to vent. Thanks for the sympathetic ear....

Certainly sympathy, indeed empathy, from me. Sometimes I wish I was a crier! It's the unpredictability that particularly gets me, especially the stabbing ones (I call them hotwire pains, like a wire beneath the skin suddenly heated). The only, and rather tenuous, causal link I think I can identify is that the worst happens after exercise, but how long afterwards is variable. For me too the best time is in the morning.

Good luck with getting to see the pain doctor/neurologist, and hopefully a better diagnosis.

Thanks Colin, and yes the hot wire pains are all too familiar...

(((((Hope)))))

I understand you clearly as I have feel the same hell sensation more than once.... I have to scream everytime that pain comes as it comes like in waves you know... ouch....

I have to say lyrica helped me... I stopped it... then Vit B helped a lot too... had to stop it as well... now Im only under vit D and havent felt that fire sensation over the last weeks... Hopefully it will last longer...

Take care.... I have discovered also that cooling my body helps me feel better when the burning comes...

Thanks Blue. That's wonderful that you haven't felt the burning in a couple of weeks. I am going to keep my fingers crossed that your relief will last as long as possible. It also gives the rest of us hope that maybe we can eventually achieve some longer term relief. My gabapentin is basically doing nothing for me, so when I go to the pain doctor, I hope to try something else. I try and take the recommended supplements faithfully and to take care of myself the best I can. I wish I could exercise more, it just hurts a lot.

A cool shower makes me feel a bit better. Anything cooler does....

My neuropathy is in my feet and legs..so I have been there crying hysterically tired of the endless days and nights of pain and no break from it..it is enough to drive one crazy.
On the nights of the burning believe it or not I use Icy Hot and my husband massages my feet with the cream over and over again..then the burning sensation goes away.

I take gabapentin (generic neurontin) and vitamin B and now loratab after visiting a pain management center. My neurologist would not prescribe a narcotic for pain so I went else where. The break I get thanks to the loratab makes it bearable for me and I am in a better mood when I am pain free. My attitude is better and I am not as depressed. Now how long I will be on the loratab I dont know but right now it works and I take one tablet every 6 hours.

I do believe there are certain triggers that will make your neuropathy flare up for me it is my blood sugars high..lack of vitamin b in my system

Hang on in there. I rub down with Aspercreame. I think it gets better after awhile or we get used to it. I've been where you are for about a year. Taken all kinds of meds, with little or no relief. I turn on my mp3 player to distract myself.

And you are correct. Only those who have experienced the pain and discomfort truly understand. Good luck to you.

I would NOT use OTC pain creams over large areas of the body, or frequently or with heat applied.

A young woman athlete died overusing Ben Gay, last year.

I tried a cream recently, active ingrediant Benzocaine, and there was a warning on the packet not to use it for more than a week or over large areas of the body. Not that I'm tempted to do so, since alhough it seemed to give some relief for an hour or so, then pain got worse for the rest of the day. Though I'm not saying that the cream was definitely the cause of either; as all with NeP know, cause and effect is to say the least, problematic.

Distraction techniques and minimising exercise are my only real defences - I've tried pretty well all the standard drugs.

Yes, I remember reading that. You have to be careful and follow the instructions. I believe she used it pretty much all over her body.