hypertension Arm, Leg And Foot Numbness

[yelloownumber5]

Hi,

What is "PN"?

I have similar problems that could be PN, but the doctor seems to be caring in a stealth mode. I have not been able to feel my feet other than numbness, pins and needle, hot or clod sensation, and shooting pains for the last 34 years. Recently the VA gave me Gabapentin. When I wake up now I can feel my feet for a few hours. My feet even feel a little warm when I wake up. This is new and different to me.

Neurotin (Gabapentin) is for epilepsy and shingles, but new uses are nerve damage, psychological problems, and several other nerve disorders. The VA doctor hasn't told me anything about why I am taking this yet. I can't believe how these doctors operate inorder to not diagnose a problem.

This drug seems to be helping in several ways. My tinnitus has become louder, and I get a little dizzy right after taking it for a while. These seem to be the only side effects, so far, after two weeks.

[john999]

I have had high glucose readings for years and the VA never made a diagnosis of DMII until I got to the C&P exam. They never diagnosed PN or DMII until I filed a claim even though the evidence was all there, and I had AO exposure. The only reason I knew was due to my AO exam where the doctor went out on a limb and told me to file a claim for DMII and the PN. Of course, the VA then disputed the AO doctor's results. The VA does a pretty awful job of treating this chronic disease if you are not proactive yourself. If you do have DMII you need yearly eye exams and good dental treatment. DMII patients are at risk from a host of illnesses. I don't feel the my VAMC is on top of this at all.

[James]

To chiefhouse00 and yeloownumber5,

Chief, you may have perpipheral neuropathy and yeloonumber5 that may what someone has stated "PN". This nerve damage away from the brain and I have this myself. Sensory nerve damage more than the other two types of nerve damage a person can have.

Gary

[James]

To Chiefhouse00,

Gary back again here. A person is only allowed 60 minutes of computer time at the Wyoming City Library. When I was at that library earlier today I ran out of this 60 minutes so that's why I left at that time. In this Kent District Library System however a person is allowed 90 minutes total time. At that Wyoming City Library and this library, the Kentwood City Library are part of this group of libraries.

Now your questions. You mentioned about your discs in your spine area of your back I believe. There are nerves that go from this area spreading outwards from a person's spine. If you have something happening to your discs there in your back, you very well affecting the nerves going down to your feet/toes. A doctor I seen before back in June, 2002 thought this was the reason I was having peripheral neuropathy going on. This scenario I mentioned about maybe what Stretch was discribing. Diabeetes is the most common situation that results in nerve damage. I myself had blood tests for Vitamin D-12 Defiency, Kidney Disease, and Diabeetes that all three of these can cause nerve damage and they were all negative. Nerve damage can cause numbness, does cause tingling, cramps, sharp prick electric discharge there in the skin or elsewhere. I have those last three symptoms quite often. I occassionally have that prick like feeling in my facial nerves below my eyes and in my eyes itself. That medicine that Stretch mentioned, Gabapentin (generic name) I take myself, 300 mg. per capule, twice a time, twice a day. Gabapentin helps the pain go away, however if you do have Diabeetes now I'am afraid you'll have this nerve pain for the rest of your life. See Gabapentin controls the symptoms (pain) but once a person gets Diabeetes a person has this disease for the rest of their life.

Gary

[john999]

I talked to a guy whose whole life has gone down the drain due to PN. He does not know how he got it and the doctors don't know either. He was running an auction house and then the PN came along and just wiped him out and it is a sad thing. He takes 3200 mg of neurontin and tons of pain meds. They said he has idiopathic PN which means they don't know what caused it. Maybe exposure to heavy metals at some point in his life.

[tdak]

hi all,

I too take Nerontin(gabapentin) for chronic head and neck pain. I had brain surgery just over a year ago and I have been on Diamox and Neurontin since last Nov, due to the fact that I have now an overabundance of cerebalspinal fluid in my brain. Better than before the surgery which was 0% out of my 4th ventricle and 0% to my spinal accessories. I have a damaged brain stem due to the growth of the brain( I have Chiari I Malformation...growth was 24mm below base of skull on right sie and 22mm on left side...you can google it to get better picture if you want). In any case, I have permanent damage on my left side of the body due to the growth damaging the brain stem and I get pins and needles a lot. I used to get them so bad before the surgery, I felt like I was walking on hot coals. Now they are annoying and get worse depending upon what I do. Sit too long, have neck tilted wrong way or don't wear neck brace for a few days. The Neurontin worked in the beginning, but now is like, why am I taking it? The doctors keep telling me to increase it, but I get the side effects of unsteady, dizzy, runs, loopy cant concentrate feelings. I also take ACETAMINOPHEN/ISOMETHEPTENE/DICHLORALPHENAZONE - which is generic for Midrin. This makes me feel better and I do not get the same side effects.

Sorry I was so long winded, but the doctor seem to think the pins/needles are from the damage to brain stem. Some days they get worse of I take meds late, or forget dose. It is also a side effect, a rare one...but me...I get all the rare stuff.

be good,

Tamara