I also recommend the "Numb Toes" books. They have a lot of info in
them. You can get them at Barnes and Nobel.

BTW, for those of you that have Medicare, we can get shoes. Medicare
will pay 80% of their allowable charge for diabetic shoes. I'm going
to check these out and will let you know. I think we will end up
buying some. I can't live in slippers and cheap tennis shoes that can
be stretched. My feet got wet and cold during a heavy rain storm.

Sunny (Carrol)

- In Peripheral_Neuropathy@yahoogroups.com, Rachel Gariepy
<rachelgariepy@y...> wrote:
> Hi Carrol, thanks for your reply I was glad it was long ...lol . I
will check out the Neuropathy site you mentionned. thanks again,
Rachel
>
>
> Carrol Baker <carrodon@w...> wrote:
> Rachel,
> Go to Neuropathy.org and check the info there. Also they have a
site to
> locate docs in your area that treats neuropathy.
>
> I went the gammet of local docs before going to Kansas City. Most
of them
> said they didn't know what to do. The podiatrist suggested taking
massive
> dosages of Celebrex. I didn't do this. Glad I didn't now.
>
> My MD perscribed gabapentin but started me out on 300 mg. It didn't
agree
> with me so I stopped it. The neuro I saw in KC put me back on it,
but
> started me with 100 mg three times a day and then I increased
dosage to the
> point I got relief. I now take 600 mg in the morning and 1200mg at
night.
>
> I would suggest you start taking it. See how it works. If you have
a problem
> with it, have the doc adjust your dosage and try again. It is the
only thing
> I found that helps. I am not totally pain free but mostly I am. I
also use
> Lidoderm pain patches when I know I'll be on my feet a lot.
>
> My symptoms were much like yours. I wasn't diagnosed with diabetes
at that
> time. As a matter of fact, I had the electric shock for over 20
years before
> it got worse. One podiatrist said the same thing your doc said -
you have to
> be diabetic to have neuropathy. Boy, he needs to go back to school
or read
> his professional journals. The one that said that was my daughter's
> podiatrist so she thought I was making this all up. My problems
stem from
> lower back injuries and scaring around the nerves. My doc finally
diagnosed
> my problem as peripheral neuropathy and told me I had to learn to
live with
> it.
>
> One thing that helps me is relaxation therapy. I sit in my recliner
with my
> feet up on three pillows plus the footrest. Tip back and just focus
on slow
> steady breathing for about 15-20 min.
>
> My children are finally beginning to accept the fact that sometimes
I will
> need a scooter. Sometimes I won't leave the house, and sometimes I
need to
> keep my feet elevated. AND they are sloooowly beginning to accept
the
> handicap tag on my car. My husband has become very supportive and
is helping
> in searching for things that give relief.
>
> Sorry I wrote a small book, hope it helps you. YOu can email me
anytime if
> you need to chat and need extra support.
>
> Sunny
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Peripheral_Neuropathy@yahoogroups.com>
> To: <Peripheral_Neuropathy@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 3:11 AM
> Subject: [Peripheral_Neuropathy] Digest Number 172
>
>
> >
> >
> > There are 2 messages in this issue.
> >
> > Topics in this digest:
> >
> > 1. suffering since Sept 6 need any advice please
> > From: "rachelgariepy" <rachelgariepy@y...>
> > 2. Re: suffering since Sept 6 need any advice please
> > From: SEASIDERS@a...
> >
> >
> >
______________________________________________________________________
__
> >
______________________________________________________________________
__
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 23:40:28 -0000
> > From: "rachelgariepy" <rachelgariepy@y...>
> > Subject: suffering since Sept 6 need any advice please
> >
> >
> > My problem started by waking me up at 3 in the morning with a
sharp
> > electrical like pain that was excrutiating in my right outer
foot. I
> > had never experienced such pain or type of pain I was having. I
went
> > to the hospital and they could not tell me what it was they just
> > prescribe pain killers that did nothing to help me. I went to my
> > doctor later that week because I kept getting zapped in my foot.
She
> > refered me to a neurologist who said he does not know why I have
> > this problem since I am not diabetic. He prescribed pms-gabapentin
> > which I have not started to take yet...I am afraid to start the
> > medication. I get different pains now since my original first
> > episode with this. I now get burning and sore pressure like
walking
> > on buble wrap when I'm sitting. I also starting to get pain in my
> > other foot too. It's like very painfull needles in my foot. Why is
> > this happening to me? Any thoughts? I did have a flu like episode
> > before this started and did also have a filling that broke and I
was
> > eating the mercury that was breaking up slowly. I am trying to
find
> > out why this has started. Any thoughts out there? Anything
thougths
> > would be appreciated I am 46 yeard old female. Thanks to all that
> > reply. Regards, Rachel
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
______________________________________________________________________
__
> >
______________________________________________________________________
__
> >
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2004 20:35:22 EST
> > From: SEASIDERS@a...
> > Subject: Re: suffering since Sept 6 need any advice please
> >
> > You do not have to be diabetic to have neuropathy..I am pretty
sure of
> > that..regretfully what is being diagnosed as neuropathy can have
many
> different
> > faces..some are put on sleeping pills which helped me a lot..I
also take
> a high
> > dose of Neurontin and if I do not take a dose I can tell..I do
the web
> page
> > for our local group..maybe something on here will help
you..visit my
> > Christmas page too..
> >
> > _Azalea Coast Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group_
> > (http://www.geocities.com/azaleacoastfriends/pnsg.html)
> >
> > _Christmas 2004_ (http://www.mudfacemarge.com/Xmas.html)
> >
> >
> > [This message contained attachments]
> >
> >
> >
> >
______________________________________________________________________
__
> >
______________________________________________________________________
__
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
------
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
------
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Peripheral_Neuropathy/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Peripheral_Neuropathy-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com