HOLY SMOKES! 

I have searched the depths of my brain to find the words to describe the feeling that keeps me up at night. It’s such an odd feeling; like a buzzing electricity at times. Other times it feels like coiled energy, a tension that can only be relieved by movement. Shifting from one foot to the other, tapping my toes and bunching the arches within my shoes while in public. While in the privacy of my own home, stomping my feet, hopping up and down, stretching my legs in any way I can. Anything! Anything to relieve the tension! At night it’s the worst, the hardest to ignore. The burning that persists when my feet are at rest accumulates with the tension to create the feeling of a constant buzzing in my hands and feet – the feeling often stretching to my arms and legs.

When I was pregnant, the doctor called it RLS, (Restless Leg Syndrome). Oh scoff if ye must naysayers, but this crud is no joke. I now see it for what is: Neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy. Yayyyyyy!

I am taking huge doses of Gabapentin to tame the beast. With recent events distracting me from taking it consistently three times daily, then twice daily, and now once daily, it has returned with a vengeance. Ibuprofen helps quite a bit but I am concerned about too much Ibuprofen as the last time I was taking it daily (for the restless pain in my legs and relentless burning in my feet) coupled with Sudafed daily for a gnarly head cold, I may, MAY have gotten an ulcer. The stomach pain was severe, the doc said that’s what it could be, so I laid off the meds and it got better. I never had any tests to confirm, who’s got time for all the tests!

Yeah, as far as I know I am not making these medical maladies up. I am not a hypochondriac, I do not like attention or pity. I just seem to have one health issue after another! So, I write about them so that there is a purpose to it all (hence my book… should I ever finish it!).

SO! What has helped me…

Elevating my feet at night helps a bit. Consistently taking the Gabapentin helps significantly. Exercise helps a ton, in fact the only time when I am not aware of the irritation in my feet is when I’m exercising.

What has not helped? Massage and icing my feet feels fabulous in the moment but gives no long lasting relief. I am a big fan of Epsom salt for other purposes, but it does nada for the neuropathy.

Well, there you go. Ah, as an afterthought, I live in Hawaii where centipedes are abundant. I am frequently checking my feet to assure myself there are not centipedes biting me, but rather those wonderful damaged nerves firing off to make sure I’m still awake. BUT I am still very grateful to have all my toes!