[goblue1998]

For the past week I have been experiencing feeling of small electric shock throughout body, eyes, chest, arms, stomach, the feeling lasts a second or shorter but is concerning. I don't have a CRPS diagnosis. I had foot surger Dec 2013 and have some type of nerve damage/issue yet to be officially diagnosed. I am wheening off of Gabepentin from 1800 MG down to 600 MG per day at advise of doctor I have wheened over 2-3 weeks ~300 MG per week.

Any ideas, I can't get into to see PM until Middle of June and I don't care for the PA at the office she doesn't know her stuff unfortunately.

I am scheduled for EMG Thursday to see if compressed nerve or nerve damage in left foot which up until this week as where all my symptoms are.

I feel like I am going "batty" that maybe it is in my head, but man the feeling is real, sometimes I gasp or grap the area that had the sensation like the nerve misfired.

[Littlepaw]

Did you start this since weaning the gabapentin only? Never before then?

gabapentin dampens nerve signals, maybe you are reacting to everything firing at a higher rate? Gabapentin can be difficult to wean off of for many reasons. Sometimes people have to go back up and wean more slowly.

I think it is great you are getting NCS/EMG. I would hate to see you have to put that off but you need to be comfortable. Have you let your doctor know?

Also, even if your EMG is negative it may still be worth a peripheral nerve consult (plastics) with someone who does scratch collapse test. My neuroma was not clear on NCS but did show up on scratch collapse.

I hope you get answers soon, Littlepaw

[goblue1998]

Little Paw, How do I locate a doctor that does the scratch test in Phoenix Area?

Yes the symptoms only started after wheening from what I recall. Before I only had nerve issues in the surgerical foot. I had the intense "electric shock" feeling about 1 or 2 weeks after surgery when the nerves where waking up which doctor warned me about thank goodness. I am feeling is similar but all over body places and times vary and not nearly to the degree as immediately post surgery.

I haven't consulted the doctor yet, I will let him know the symptoms when we go over the EMG results.

In addition to wheening I have also started taking B Complex vitamins at his advice.

We will see very nervous for the EMG test so maybe it is more stress than anything else.

I appreciate the advise and knowledge you share on this forum.

[Littlepaw]

Thanks! I always hope some of what I have gone through saves someone a little time searching and floundering around. Nerve injury is kind of a weird thing to run down. I found the two peripheral nerve surgeons I consulted before my neuroma removal by googling, then combing through their training and looking to see who did lower extremity. Lots of hand people out there, foot not so much. Both Doctors I saw trained at the Washington Univeristy peripheral nerve fellowship program. They were both trained in microsurgery as well at Stanford and I forget where else. The head at Washington U, Susan Mackinnon is a big fan of scratch collapse so a lot of people from that program use it. I imagine if you hit a road block you could call the Peripheral Nerve Program at Washington U and ask if they have former fellows in Arizona.

Good search terms are "peripheral nerve surgeon Arizona" or "plastic surgery reconstruction". You want either a plastic surgeon who does lower extremity reconstruction or there are podiatrists who have undergone a fellowship for nerve surgery. They can be located through the website for Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. It did take some digging to find the right specialist, peripheral nerve isn't even a specialty so it takes time. for me it was worth it. I had a great surgeon with great training. Either one I consulted with could have done the surgery. I went with the one who was a little closer and with an easier follow up schedule since I had to travel for care. I still have pain, nerve surgery is rarely perfect, but having the neuroma removed made a huge difference for me. My CRPS came from a later procedure, wish I hadn't needed that one!

some people feel shakey on B vitamins, might try splitting the dose if you can
Good luck!

[goblue1998]

Thanks LittlePaw There are two podriatrists in Phoenix, Scottsdale that listed on Association of Extermity Nerve Surgeons one is on my list to see next and definitely before I would get another surgery. My problem is it has been almost a year and half so the damage might have been done and not reversible now. Makes me so made since I have been complaining on these issues and symptoms since surgery and they can't saying normal etc, well now obviously after 1.5 yrs it is not normal.

[Littlepaw]

It never hurts to get information. Before having any procedure or deciding not to, I think it is best to have as much info as possible. Get a consult and see what they say. When it is a sensory nerve damaged instead of a motor one the timeline is not as vital, there is no muscle target or loss. Painful sensory nerves can be treated, removed, relocated years later and make a difference in the right circumstances.

I understand your frustration. My original ortho kept saying my first procedure was a success despite my whimpering on the couch for months.

[Jennijojo]

Originally Posted by goblue1998

For the past week I have been experiencing feeling of small electric shock throughout body, eyes, chest, arms, stomach, the feeling lasts a second or shorter but is concerning. I don't have a CRPS diagnosis. I had foot surger Dec 2013 and have some type of nerve damage/issue yet to be officially diagnosed. I am wheening off of Gabepentin from 1800 MG down to 600 MG per day at advise of doctor I have wheened over 2-3 weeks ~300 MG per week.

Any ideas, I can't get into to see PM until Middle of June and I don't care for the PA at the office she doesn't know her stuff unfortunately.

I am scheduled for EMG Thursday to see if compressed nerve or nerve damage in left foot which up until this week as where all my symptoms are.

I feel like I am going "batty" that maybe it is in my head, but man the feeling is real, sometimes I gasp or grap the area that had the sensation like the nerve misfired.

I get those every time I ween off antidepressants the first time it happened I didn't tell my dr I had just stopped taking the. and had had a recent fall off a horse. I went through tests for brain injury before we figured it out. I thought I was going nuts.
I get them in my face and extremities. I wonder as well if it's the gabapentin making them come and go in your eyes and such.

[goblue1998]

Update - I had my EMG last week, went well not as painful as I thought it was going to be thank goodness. My nerves showed they were healthy and no damage. The doc that performed the test thinks the staple in my foot is resting just next to the nerve enough to cause my symptoms of irritation so he recommends I get the staple removed. He doubted CRSP as a diagnosis which is comforting, but still nervous about the surgery to remove staple.

I see the Podiatrist today to go over EMG results officially and see next steps according to him. We will see.

[Littlepaw]

hey that's great news! Really!

I will put my usual pre-op info. This is from the peripheral nerve guy. 900 mg gabapentin right before the procedure and the antibiotic minocycline after the procedure for one week reduces the chance of chronic pain. Hit the Vit C and make sure the doc is going to take his time and protect cutaneous nerves while going in. Oh I so hope this gets you out of this mess. I am rooting for you. Go blue!