I've been working my way through a bad flare for awhile and my right knee area is still giving me problems. I went to see my PCP. PCP is on vacation so I saw a new Dr. who was examining my leg and asking questions. Then she pulled out a tuning fork - a brand new shiny one to test my reflexes and she put it against my right foot and I felt absolutely nothing. So she did it again, and again I had no response. So she tested it against herself incase it wasn't working and then I asked her to put it on my arm to see what it should feel like and immediately out of my mouth, before my brain could intervene and think more clearly, I said "I get regular pedicures". LOL What I meant to say was I realize now I have to check my feet regularly for cuts, ulcers etc. because with my neuropathy, I'm not feeling everything on my feet. I have to tell you I was shocked and saddened by this news. Then I explained to the Dr. that I meant, I'll have the woman who does my pedicures really check my feet on a regular basis. And I went home and told DH to let me know if he sees anything to alert me. I know that I now have to be vigilant of any injury to my feet or I could develop gangrene or worse.
In the past I've always associated feet checking with people with diabetes and alcoholics - and now me too. Do you have feet neuropathy and do you check your feet regularly?
Skylar
Hi Skylar
I've never had an issue with my whole foot being numb - but my big toes are. They went numb about twenty years ago, sayed numb for about 10 years and then feeling returned after a back injury (which must have shaken up my nervous system!) I realised in bed the other night that they've gone numb again. Despite feeling numb if I try sticking pins in them, they sometimes feel as though someone is sticking pins in them, when no one is! My feet feel as though I'm permanently walking on heating pads.
Take care - Scottie :)
Scottie, what shocked me is that my feet aren't completely numb - so I assumed I was feeling everything - well I'm not - I feel the big stuff but miss small things.
I did have two episodes of foot drop a few years ago and each time it resolved itself - thank goodness, but I don't know if this foot neuropathy will get 100% better or not.
It must have been scary having a whole foot numb - and then weird when the feeling returned after 10 years. I know what that sticking pins feels like, I have it on my shins. I think it must be worse on the feet. Are you checking your feet regularly for any cuts, bruises etc.?
Skylar
Hi Skylar,
I'm another one with the weird feeling feet. My right one is numb all the time and my left one is almost numb, but there is a little feeling in it.
My neuro finally understood me when I tried to explain to him why I prefer to wear soft slippers around the house. It's because I have a better feel for the floor in them instead of the hard sole outdoor shoe. I would like to just go barefoot but with my dogs and their long hair I often get their hair embedded in my feet. Then that gets infected, so I settled for the soft slippers.
With neuropathy we do what we have to do to keep going. ;D
Take care, Pooh
Well add me to the gang of hot footed mamas! Yep I get all those wonderful feelings too. Life is never dull. Although the neuropathy has been doing better with my anodyne therapy machine, it has gone out and was shipped off today for repair. I am hoping to receive it back by the end of the week. I can go about every other day with out doing the treatment but by the third day all h--- breaks loose.
I pretty much look and check my feet everyday. First to massage moisturizing cream into them (helps improve circulation) so that they won't be totally dried and cracked. Then on goes the socks - soft cotton only. I pretty much wear socks 24/7. For whatever reason they seem to help control the crazy runaway symptoms. Its like walking a fence though. Wearing the wrong kind of sock - too thick, too textured, too tight - and it has the opposite effect and makes them go crazy.
My numbness is mostly in the upper part of my feet at the toes which of course messes with the balance. Whether diabetic or not the numbness can bring about injury. It is important to check your feet daily to avoid any complications from a simple stick or cut. Poor circulation associated with neuropathy also contributes to delayed healing.
I have strange sensations in my feet, not necessarily numb, more like burning and tingling. I have completely quit going barefoot since it seems as though the bones in my feet ache if I don't wear good shoes always.
It's a good reminder for us to keep an eye on our feet.
Julia
I have burning and tingling and the feeling like someone is shoving a pin in. I hate that feeling. It hurts! At first I thought it was athletes foot so I bought med for that. It did not work so I bought another. Well...no results.
I have since figured it out..I also have no reflex in knees or ankles.
Sometimes I have had episodes of not really knowing where my feet are landing and have allmost fallen. A wall or chair has saved me..
Can we all have a ain free symptom free day???!! Well it's a good wish!
~~Shari~~
I have neuropathy in my feet and else where. I have reduced it to some extent with supplements and foot patches. The reduction puzzled my PCP and was confirmed by a recent EMG.
Hi Pooh - well I'm a bare foot walker in the house, can't stand wearing shoes or even socks in the house. I can understand why you prefer the soft bottom slippers. I think my surprise at this was because I go barefoot in the house, I do feel things on my feet so I thought I was okay - but I'm wrong. I guess it's part of the territory.
Salsen - thanks, that's a good idea, to massage my feet every night with lotion to increase circulation and check for any damage. Hope you get your machine back quickly.
Julia, while I walk barefoot in the house, I have found I have to wear well cushioned shoes when outside walking around.
Shari, that's scary, not knowing where you've placed your foot and loosing your balance - is there anything you can do about it? What do your doctors suggest?
Joe S - what are these foot patches and supplements that are helping you? I do know some neuropathies can improve even if you do nothing. I've had two episodes of foot drop which went away on their own when the nerve pathway repaired itself with no treatment on my part. I'm just happy I don't have foot drop anymore and I hope I never have it again. OTOH, I want to do what I need to do so this doesn't keep progressing.
Thanks everyone for your responses, Skylar
my feer are constantly on fire,, take neurotin but dont see much improvement,, cant wait to get home in the evening and get my shoes off,, sometimes I;ve had to wear two pair of socks to dumb down the pain a little,,, been getting some strange rashes on the shin bone lately, gotta wonder if this isnt part of sygrons also,, its freaking hot out today and my whole body feels like its going through spasms
Skyler~~These things come and go. I tell the doc what is going on but by then it is gone! It may happen 5 times in one week and then not again for months. Then for a day I'm allmost tummbling over. Internist says to keep up on info with you all!!
Yes, it is hot~~93 here and muggy. To much sun for a couple of days so am pretty much sitting and drinking today. (Ice water that is!)~~Shari~~
I get burning and tingling in my hands from time to time especially towards evening. I take OTC supplements Jarrow Formula Methyl B-12 sublingual tablets and Alpha Lipoic Acid which I order from iherb.com and this helps a great deal. I read that the Germans have treated painful neuropathies for 10 years with the supplement Benfotiamine (a fat soluble form of the B vitamin, thiamine), so I ordered some to try.
Regarding conventional treatments, I have read posts on this forum from other members who swear by the prescription drugs Lyrica or Celebrex for treatment of neuropathy.
Joe, I am also interested in finding out what the foot pads are?
Regards,
Sue
I have been through Neurontin, Gabatril, Keppra, Lyrica, Cymbalta, Nortriptalin, and a whole host of other meds and what may have worked initially over time quit working. I no longer take any of these meds for the pn pain. My poor neurologist has a hard time trying to come up with something. Infra red light therapy has gone a long way in making the pain controllable. I do take a B complex vitamin as there are a lot of studies that show this can help with pn problems.
I have learned to go with the flow. High humidity days - the norm for here in south Louisiana - does make the feet go nuts. The cooler lower humidity seems to calm them down. On bad days I am like Pooh, I tend to dance around. The more you move the less it hurts!
Hello
I have a question about my feet. I have had problems with them for years. I have had bone spurs removed from my left foot and the Dr. said the area between my big toe and foot needs to be fused together. I had the right foot done last Dcember and I had a Mortons Nueroma Taken out of the uper foot near my toes. My feet always hurt. Esp. the right one where I had the toe fused. I have sjogrens is this related. What a pain. Now my big toe sticks up won't lay flat it feels really bad. and all my toes are numb and swell up all the time. I won't have my left foot done. I now have a large peice of metal with 6 screw in my toe. I can't even move it. I wish I had not had it done. The pain now is worse.
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
Wow! you really have had it with the foot pain. I don't know if it is related to the Sjogren's or not, but I suppose it's possible. So much of what goes wrong with our bodies can be traced back to this insidious disease.
If you are in as much pain now as you were before you had the surgery, I don't think I would have the other foot done either. It's so hard to know exactly what to do when you don't get the relief you hoped for.
I hope you find relief soon or in very near future.
Hugs, Pooh
Hi~~first..what is a Mortons Neuroma??
I would think if you are having that much pain that something should be done to correct the situation. Can you go to a doc who may be better at this sort of thing.
I know how you feel with the foot pain. It is one of the things that plagues me every day. I use Emu oil and that seems to give me a bit of releif. I really have to limit my activity.
I also am feeling pain in the ball of my foot..tests show lots of little things going on but they say that none of it should be causing pain!!
I have extra bones also..not sure what that is called.
I sure hope you follow through and get this fixed..corrected.
I will be thinking of you and hoping you will kep us informed.
Take care~~Shari
Hello
A Mortons Neuroma is ( Theresa is a large nerve in everyones foot below the toes. and my nerve got inflamed and swelled up and the other nerves wrapped them selfs around it and it hurt like anything. The dr who removed it said it was a really big ball of nerves. It really hurts now. I was subposed to go back and see he but every time I make an appt. Something happens and I have to cancel. He is a really good Dr. I really like him. Its my fault for not being able to go back and see him. I am sure he can fix it if I can go back but I will not have my other toe fused to my foot. No way I have enought problems. when I had my other foot done in December. It took me for ever to get better. I can't take pin pills. and was it painful.
Thanks for all you help Theresa
What an interesting thread
My rheumy is leaning towards mild sjogren's and I do have feet problems. I used to do ballet dancing and my feet really got some hammer dancing 'en pointe' and were always very supple.
nowadays with the arthritis etc I wake in the morning and can't move my feet. They are like blocks and take a while to supple up. sometimes they feel like they aer on fire on the base of my feet and I get sharp pains in my toe on my right foot. (haven't worked out which one yet) I also have numbness and tingling on my big toe on my right foot but only on the top of the toe.
I have reflexology every 2 weeks which is wonderful so Jackie my therapist keeps an eye on my feet for me. I had a lot of heat from the reflexology which is part of the treatment but I still get it and its like having a blow torch on one part of my foot.