Debilitating nerve pain, Help!
Posted , 7 users are following.
Since November of 2015, I have had a mind bending painful nerve pain issue. It occurs mainly in the evening and overnight hours, but also happens periodically whenever it wants, even in the daytime hours. The symptoms I am having are severe arm pain in my left arm from the shoulder to the elbow on the backside only. The pain levels range from a 3 to a 10. When it's a 9-10, I experience lack of coordination, dizzyness, my thought process is dramatically reduced. I lose many hours of sleep and when the pain wakes me up, I am awake for
at least 30-45 minutes each time. I have seen my regular doctor and 2 neurologists, and none of them can figure out what the problem is and how to make the pain go away. I have tried everything from cortizone shots, to pain pills, smoking marijuana and physical therapy. The only thing that helps is drinking alcohol as it numbs the pain. When I smoked marijuana, that helped but I can't do it anymore due to my job. I do have peripheral neuropathy, but my neurologist told me they are 2 different things.
0 likes, 11 replies
Peonygirl1 cory72081
Posted
HI! IF YOU HAVE PIEIPHERAL NEURAPTHY THE SYMPTOMS YOU DESCRIBE ARE SYNONIMUS WITH THAT, MAYBE NEED SECOND OPINION. THIS IS A MOST MISERABLE CONDITION AND IT TAKES ALL OF YOUR ENERGY AND DETERMINATION TO HANDLE IT?! IVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR YEARS AND IT TAKES A TOLL ON RELATIONSHIPS! QUALITY OF LIFE AND HAPPINESS! MY MOST SINCERE BEST WISHES ARE WITH YOU. HUGS ARE COMING YOUR WAY.
betty75346 Peonygirl1
Posted
Hello Cory, I agree with the above reply. I have had peripheral neuropathy for 10 years and your symptoms sound like mine. Feet feel as though they are walking on gravel all the time, burning, stabbing pains that feel as though someone is stabbing me with a cattle prod, terrible itchiness which wakes me up at night, numbness the same as when a local anaeshetic is wearing off . Over the years it has travelled up both legs which are now numb and cramping when I walk.I have started to get painful cramps and shooting pains in my arms and hands. To live with all this, I turn my mind off it and try to ignore it and I find it helps.I also use a cream authorised by my doctor ,on my feet at night.
Amitriptyline HCL 5%, Lignocaine10%, cream 50%, plus another ingredient I can't quite read the name of...Clondine HCL 0.2%.
If were you ,I would certainly see another doctor, one who specialises in nerves.Good luck!
cory72081 betty75346
Posted
Thanks for the tip about the foot cream, I will try that. I have all of the same symptoms of the regular super problems that always occur with my neuropathy. That alone I am aware will never be fixed, hence the $10,000 in stem cell treatments that did not take, trust me Iv'e tried everthing under the sun for that card Iv'e been handed. But as I mentioned in my origional post my issue besides the regular neuropathy issue is specificaly my left arm nerve pain. It is the only reason for my question on this blog, I am in search for a possible answer for this issue as it is ruining the quality of my life way more than my "regular" nueropathy has already caused me. Thanks though.
cory72081 Peonygirl1
Posted
Thank you and best wishes in your issues.
kris11713 cory72081
Posted
Mine is all of my right arm. It feels different from the rest of me all the time. It gets painful; as if it is being crushed.
It is probably "thoracic outlet syndrome." look it up, study the photos and diagrams. An area under the 1st rib forms a near triangle; vessels of many sorts and nerves (from neck and arm) get squeezed there in some of us.
I take loades of Gabapentin just to live with it. Still, I'm going back to doc Tuesday -- pain gets so that I cannot stand to write or type or pick up coffee pot. Never sleep on that arm. Never rest head on that wrist.
Will check back in.
cory72081
Posted
I looked up the symptoms of the thoracic outlet syndrome you mentioned. Very few of the symptoms match my issues, thanks though.
jimkim002 cory72081
Posted
there must be something wrong somewhere in your spine, pinching the nerve, equals pain. seems to me you need an mri, to see , in some cities you can get an MRI for a reasonable price. Ask for a definitive diagnosis, from your doctor
cory72081 jimkim002
Posted
I did an mri in 2016 somtime, it revealed a pinched nerve between my 5th and 6th vertabrae. I was told it would eventually get better and go away. I have just recently seen a doctor that took a full set of xrays of my spine and neck and couldnt find anything? So now I assume my pinched nerve is gone, but my nerve in my arm is still giving me major issues. I'm not a huge fan of any drs diagnosis, still waiting for a difinitive one. Thank you for your imput.
I'm just hoping someone can read this one day and say "hey, I know what this is", "and do THIS to solve it".
jimkim002 cory72081
Posted
I think another MRI is called for. X-ray will not show much
cory72081 jimkim002
Posted
Probibly should, thanks.
katrina84173 cory72081
Edited
Have you tried Gabapentin - for neuropathy. It was miraculous for me - sent to so many specialists over the course of years - took them that long to diagnose. Also went to sports physio who diagnosed the cause as bad posture using the laptop and gave me some exercises. Now use desktop and am off the Gabapentin and it's been fine for a couple of weeks. I had horrible nerve pain in my shoulders, wrists and hands for two years, now gone, touch wood.