Scrambler therapy
 

I'm a 20 yr cancer (sarcoma) patient who has had gradually increasing foot numbness for the past several years on cytotoxic chemotherapy (trabectedin). The numbness worsened and progressed almost up to my knees last year when I was treated with a cocktail of antibiotics, one of which has peripheral neuropathy as a noted side effect. I began to have jolts of pain and nighttime cramping which was only relieved by getting up and walking around. Driving and connecting reliably with clutch, brake and accelerator pedals was becoming a little dicey. My pain MD said walking would help but I already walk 10,000 steps per day for years (unless I'm really sick), but the walking was getting harder as well. It felt like I was walking on stilts, or marshmellows, since I couldn't feel my feet at all.
I just completed 12 sessions of Scrambler (Calmare) treatment which reduced the surface area affected by the numbness by about 50%, and the remaining ankle and foot numbness is now about half as numb as it was. A research paper was just published this year from a group in Rome which reported that patients going back fot a second course of Scrambler treatment had further improvement if they did so within 2-5 months of the first treatments. So I plan to go back for more in a few months. I had to travel to Dallas from Houston in order to find a doctor who offers Scrambler treatment. Insurance doesn't cover this even though clinical trials at Mayo and Johns Hopkins have shown benefit for CIPN. The treatments cost me $3,000.

Hi Aurasol

Welcome to NeuroTalk :).

It is good to read that scrambler therapy has helped you.

You could describe your experiences of it in the PN forum here as well. Other members would be interested in it and they could offer you support and encouragement.

Best wishes.

I've also tried Scrambler therapy. I still have significant pain and numbness but Scrambler took it from a level of 9/10 down to about a 6. I felt it was worthwhile but my pain specialist thinks I've received maximum benefit from it. Looking now for something else to try.

Welcome, Aurasol!

I don't know enough about the Scrambler therapy to be able to say anything useful but it certainly isn't cheap.

I'm glad if it helped you and hope that you can make a good decision about signing up for a second course of it. That is quite a hefty price-tag.

Welcome Aurasol. :Wave-Hello: