My father has given up.
 

My 54 year old father has severe neuropathy and has lost all hope. I'm looking for any sort of advice or help. I feel like I haven't done enough to help him but I just don't know what to do. He was diagnosed about 20 years ago. He can't tolerate the pain anymore. His doctor has had him on methadone for many years. I doubt it even helps anymore. We've been told by his local doctor (UVA endocrinologist), local pain management clinic and the specialists at Johns Hopkins that there is nothing they can do for him. Aside from the pain, he is losing function in his hands and has a hard time walking. Some days he can't even get out of bed (he sleeps in a hospital bed to keep elevated). Our biggest concern now is that he is experiencing digestive problems and is not eating much at all. He is diabetic, which of course means big problems. I feel clueless and helpless. I came across this forum while doing some research online and figured I would see if we could get advice/support/suggestions.

Thank you. :)

Welcome trfloyd1. :Wave-Hello:

Even tough old birds
 

are not immune to the downward spiral that pain can bring. If local pain management is aware that depression is upon him, you or your dad need to take action to either update the treatment, or find another Dr. Years of treatment w/same medication may have allowed the analgesic effect to slip away and it certainly is possible for clinics to let people slip through the cracks. Any action is better than acceptance. Bring depression into the discussion, not for the treatment of the depression, but for the pain that may be driving it. Good luck, let us know how how things are going. Ken in Texas