My experience with neuropathy began about twenty years, innocently enough, with a numbness in a big toe. Slowly the numbness expanded, turning into episodic pain, which increased over the years to the point where I couldn't get a decent night's sleep. The pain "gremlins", as I called them, had lots of nasty tricks, stabbing, biting, cramps, freezingsensations that felt like my feel were immersed in ice water, burning like severe sunburn over the tops. In desperation, I began drinking beer in the evening, which put the "gremlins" temporarily to sleep. Over time it took more and more beer to do the trick. Then I read that alcohol could aggravate neuropathy, so I stopped, and began substituting aspirin- three at 8PM, three at 11PM just before I went to sleep, and often another three if the pains woke me during the night. Then I would get up and work at the computer until the aspirin kicked in about 45 minutes later. My podiatrist gave me several medicines to try, but none worked. Then a new primary care doctor, alarmed at the numbre of aspirin I was taking, recommended Lyrica. Almost immediately the gremlins were put to rest! It was like a near miracle, after all those years of suffering their attacks. I take two 50 mg daily, and am now thrilled to be enjoying pain-free feet. And a full night's sleep every night!
Last edited on Jul 31, 2009