New member with rapidly worsening peripheral neuropathy
 

Hello everyone. I'm new here, but have been lurking for a week or two and have learned a lot. Really appreciate the information and supportive environment.

I'm a 62 yr old lady, who began noticing a small area of numbness on the back of both heels about 7 weeks ago (early August). About a week later I began experiencing a strange numbness/ tingling body wide, along with lightheadedness. This frightened me so I went to ER. They did a CT of head, EMG, and blood tests (CBC, basic metabolic panel, hepatic function panel) all of which came back normal. The referred me to my primary care physician and advised me to see a neurologist. By the time I saw the pcp a week later, the numbness that started in the back of the heels was progressing towards the toes, particularly in the right foot. The pcp didn't do much, other than write up the referral. She did suggest b12, which I started taking.

I was able to see a neurologist a week later. He ordered the following blood tests: ESR, FTA/ABS, TSH, serum B12, folate) Blood tests came back normal. He also ordered an MRI w/o contrast, and performed NCS plus EMG of lower ext. left only. MRI results didn't show anything of significance. NSC/EMG indicated barely noticeable CV loss. Ordered glucose tolerance test, which came back normal.

Meanwhile, the foot numbness has progressed from a small area on the back of the heels to the top of the toes and towards the ankles, all in a matter of a few weeks. Also, my hands are more affected, as I am having increasing difficulty typing this. I wake up noticing changes, which has made sleeping very difficult.

Regrettably, I am a long time drinker, and fear that I probably brought this on myself. I have been drinking fairly regularly for about three decades, about 1-3 beers nearly every night. After noticing the numbness, I cut back and eventually quit over the month of August. Been alcohol free since Sept. 1. In spite of this, these numbness/tingling symptoms are getting worse and I've become an insomniac.

Appreciate any advice. Thank you all!

Welcome oldbat :yahoo: Someone may be able to help.

Kitt

Thank you Kitt. This condition really has me stressed out. It's been hard to sleep when you wake up feeling more numb each morning. I'm thankful for the support and knowledge base here.

It's more than likely the alcohol...there is a LOT of good support supplements in the PN section and I have found Inosine to help me a lot, my damage is from hip replacement surgery. Best to Stop the alcohol, you can do it... get to some AA groups if you can.

Hi oldbat,
Welcome! You're by no means an old bat.:D

Congratulations on cutting out the alcohol! That's surely going to help in the long run even if you haven't noticed any benefits yet. For one thing, beer has quite a few calories.

Since you've had quite a few tests without turning up any clues, have you looked closely at your activities lately?

What kinds of things are you doing for any length of time each day? What positions are you in? Do your shoes fit well? Might you be standing too much? Sitting too much? Sitting with your legs crossed too much? (That can cause problems.) Would you say you get enough exercise?

You mention that the problems came on in early August. Did something about your activities change at around that time?

I've had quite a few numbness and pain problems that cleared up like magic when I changed something about my daily activities. It's the things we do repeatedly and often that can bring on problems.

Thank you Caroline2 for the encouragement and advice. I'll have to check out Inosine and grape seed extract. Where do you purchase these and how much do you take?

I did quit alcohol and threw the leftovers away. Some of my drinking friends would have cried to see what ended up in the garbage! Today makes 20 days of no alcohol.

You have a new life giving up alcohol free, too sad so many don't. My father never experienced a clear mind....sad for sure.

I take 500mg Inosine daily, it's on the bottle how much to take. I usually buy it from PureFormulas on line as everyone does not sell....I believe Amazon does.

On Grape Seed Ex, people starting out probably best to buy 100mg capsules and take 1-2 daily and go from there. I've been taking it so long, my normal dose is 200mg....and lately buying a 250mg capsule from Now Foods.... One has to take enough for their bodyweight....

Also, hope you do not take a pharma blood thinner, can't take both....as they thin the blood.

Don't call yourself an "oldbat"... you are not that...

Regrettably, I am a long time drinker, and fear that I probably brought this on myself. I have been drinking fairly regularly for about three decades, about 1-3 beers nearly every night. After noticing the numbness, I cut back and eventually quit over the month of August. Been alcohol free since Sept. 1. In spite of this, these numbness/tingling symptoms are getting worse and I've become an insomniac.

Appreciate any advice. Thank you all![/QUOTE]


Good morning Bat,

I too have alcohol induced peripheral neuropathy and I am here to tell you one thing that happens with this condition. Against all expectations, after ceasing alcohol, Peripheral Neuropathy symptoms get worse. That's right, it gets worse before it gets better. But it will get better. Stick with it. I don't understand the mechanism. Perhaps alcohol has an anaesthetic effect? Things improve, slowly. The symptoms reduce. For me, my symptoms peaked at about 7-8 weeks after ceasing alcohol.

Pain, tingling and numbness are disconcerting, anxiety producing symptoms however they are great motivators when the inevitable wish of a beer comes to mind.

After a while I realised that my symptoms were not actually the end of the world I thought they were. They were actually trivial and instead of looking for them, I became bored by them. I naturally shut them off. Its easy to do this engrossed in a book or a film or a conversation.

Of course your sleeping patterns are disrupted, but that will soon right itself. Don't despair. I think you're able to buy melatonin over the counter in the USA. Consider that as a short term solution.

Anyway, I wish you well. Let us know of your progress.

Atty

Thank you agate for your suggestions and encouragement. When the numbness first began in the heels, I thought it might be due to the way I was sleeping with too much pressure against the heels from the mattress, so I added a cushion to elevate the heels. I read something about hereditary pressure palsies which can be short term or last for months, although no one in my family seems to have this. My dad did have "regular" peripheral neuropathy, which started in his 70s and gradually got worse. He didn't give up the beer and sweets, thinking it wouldn't make any difference anyway. I wish he had because his quality of life suffered, especially when the ulcers began on his legs and feet.

Thank you Caroline 2 for the encouragements and sources. I will check them out.