Peripheral Neuropathy - What Helps?

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anicca
anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I have very minimal peripheral neuropathy. My feet are affected most, but only with some superficial numbness. The problem is that I am on my feet and have to wear very tight boots for work, and that makes it worse. I really need this to go away ASAP so I can work more. I've been taking magnesium and B6 daily, and vitamin E every other day. What else can I do?

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  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
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    It is usually temporary and
    It is usually temporary and goes away on its own - eventually. I don't know of anything you can do to hasten the process. Sorry.

    Carlene
  • Sandy10
    Sandy10 Member Posts: 80
    #3
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    neuropathy
    Hello!!!

    I also have neuropathy in my feet and toes. I have been taking neurontin for it. It helps alot. Some people don't want to take alot of meds, i didn't either but after dealing with the neuropathy for awhile I chnaged my mind. :) I take it 3 times a day and after a few days, the neuropathy was much better. it doesn't make it go away any faster, it just treats it while you have it. I've noticed that if I miss a dose of meds, it gets bad again. Give it a try. ask your doctor for a script of neurontin 300mg 3 times a day. hope this helps!! ((((HUGS))))

    Sandy
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #4
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    Sandy10 said:

    neuropathy
    Hello!!!

    I also have neuropathy in my feet and toes. I have been taking neurontin for it. It helps alot. Some people don't want to take alot of meds, i didn't either but after dealing with the neuropathy for awhile I chnaged my mind. :) I take it 3 times a day and after a few days, the neuropathy was much better. it doesn't make it go away any faster, it just treats it while you have it. I've noticed that if I miss a dose of meds, it gets bad again. Give it a try. ask your doctor for a script of neurontin 300mg 3 times a day. hope this helps!! ((((HUGS))))

    Sandy

    Thank you
    Hi Sandy. Thanks! I think I will file that for future use if I need more chemo down the road and have more significant symptoms.
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #5
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    Hissy_Fitz said:

    It is usually temporary and
    It is usually temporary and goes away on its own - eventually. I don't know of anything you can do to hasten the process. Sorry.

    Carlene

    Thank you. It had gotten
    Thank you. It had gotten better, but I made it worse by having a couple of glasses of wine at Christmas. Now I know - no alcohol till it's all gone. Patience is not my strong suit, but I'm learning.
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #6
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    anicca said:

    Thank you. It had gotten
    Thank you. It had gotten better, but I made it worse by having a couple of glasses of wine at Christmas. Now I know - no alcohol till it's all gone. Patience is not my strong suit, but I'm learning.

    That's a new one on me. I
    That's a new one on me. I have not heard that alcohol makes neuropathy worse. Mine is very minor, especially considering that I have had 17 doses of Taxol, which is well known for causing neuropathy.

    I have a glass of wine most evenings, either with dinner or just before. (Red wine, however, inhibits your body's ability to absorb iron, so if you have low RBC, it's recommended that you stay away from it.) I suppose everything is a trade off, one way or another.

    Carlene
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #7
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    I KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL
    I had such burning and pain in my arms, hands and feet. I used B6 and L-Glutamine. In fact, we just started our daughter on L-Glutamine for her neuropathy. She has severe rheumatoid arthritis, but neuropathy as well. Seems to be helping her, and I hope it helps you too. Hang in there - it will go away some time after you've stopped chemo.
    (((HUGS)))
    Monika
  • azgrandma
    azgrandma Member Posts: 609 Member
    #8
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    mopar said:

    I KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL
    I had such burning and pain in my arms, hands and feet. I used B6 and L-Glutamine. In fact, we just started our daughter on L-Glutamine for her neuropathy. She has severe rheumatoid arthritis, but neuropathy as well. Seems to be helping her, and I hope it helps you too. Hang in there - it will go away some time after you've stopped chemo.
    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

    massage
    massaging it helps me some
  • survivingovca
    survivingovca Member Posts: 23
    #9
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    mopar said:

    I KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL
    I had such burning and pain in my arms, hands and feet. I used B6 and L-Glutamine. In fact, we just started our daughter on L-Glutamine for her neuropathy. She has severe rheumatoid arthritis, but neuropathy as well. Seems to be helping her, and I hope it helps you too. Hang in there - it will go away some time after you've stopped chemo.
    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

    L-glutamine
    The L-Glutamine powder also helped me (along with B-vitamins). It can be found in health food stores in the muscle building section. I took a heaping teaspoonful mixed with juice in the morning. It completely got rid of my neuropathy, with no side effects, since it is an amino acid. But you should always check with your doctor first.
    I thought I'd never play the piano again, my neuropathy was so bad. Good luck in finding something that works for you!
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #10
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    mopar said:

    I KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL
    I had such burning and pain in my arms, hands and feet. I used B6 and L-Glutamine. In fact, we just started our daughter on L-Glutamine for her neuropathy. She has severe rheumatoid arthritis, but neuropathy as well. Seems to be helping her, and I hope it helps you too. Hang in there - it will go away some time after you've stopped chemo.
    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

    I haven't heard of
    It's great to know you had such a good result with L-glutamine. I did have burning and cramping in my feet at first, but now it's only some numbness and burning that isn't a big deal.
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #11
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    mopar said:

    I KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL
    I had such burning and pain in my arms, hands and feet. I used B6 and L-Glutamine. In fact, we just started our daughter on L-Glutamine for her neuropathy. She has severe rheumatoid arthritis, but neuropathy as well. Seems to be helping her, and I hope it helps you too. Hang in there - it will go away some time after you've stopped chemo.
    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

    Somehow, I got my replies
    Somehow, I got my replies mixed up! I hadn't heard of L-glutamine before, so that's something I will check out.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #12
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    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #13
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    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Nancy, I'm sorry you still
    Nancy, I'm sorry you still have numbness after so long. Has it improved at all? I hope it isn't a problem for you. I've been very lucky that mine is so superficial. I just worry about my feet because they have to be in good condition for me to work.
  • LPack
    LPack Member Posts: 645
    #14
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    peripheral neuropathy.
    For sure massaging helps!

    Libby
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #15
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    Hi Annica,
    I saw your post
    Hi Annica,
    I saw your post about neuropathy and I know exactly what you are going through.

    Even after 6 months now of no chemo, I still experience a bit of numbness and an achy type of pain in my feet particularly.

    This is a condition that gets better as time goes on, so some patience is required to deal with it.

    One thing outside the vitamin supplements was walking almost everyday. This is why I walk to this day. The results helped me immediately and tremendously!

    Hang in there, it will get better.

    Sharon
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #16
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    msfanciful said:

    Hi Annica,
    I saw your post
    Hi Annica,
    I saw your post about neuropathy and I know exactly what you are going through.

    Even after 6 months now of no chemo, I still experience a bit of numbness and an achy type of pain in my feet particularly.

    This is a condition that gets better as time goes on, so some patience is required to deal with it.

    One thing outside the vitamin supplements was walking almost everyday. This is why I walk to this day. The results helped me immediately and tremendously!

    Hang in there, it will get better.

    Sharon

    Thanks, Sharon!
    For some reason, I didn't want to say exactly what I do, but now I feel safe here. I teach ice skating, so I am on my feet a lot, but in very tightly fitting boots. My neuropathy is noticeably worse in my right hand and left foot. I figured out that it hit harder what I was using more (I'm right handed and, most beginning skaters use their left foot more, so I have to also, in teaching.) Unfortunately, walking is more difficult for me as it aggravates problems with my hips (weird, I know,) but I think I should try it, since you say it helps.

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