A really strange tx for peripheral neuropathy

[Addie]

I was tooling around the net trying to get some info on peripheral neuropathy and came across this:

Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Unfortunately, Vincristine is well known to cause pretty severe PNs. Don't know what you;ve tried but I can give you a list of things that we used here. First, capsaicin cream (over the counter) burns when you initially apply it, but is supposed to "burn out" the pain fibers giving you some relief. Lidocaine patches and combo ketoprofen/ketamine patches have also been helpful to some patients. Seizure meds: tegretol, neurontin, gabatril,topamax, dilantin, depakote, trileptal have been successful in some people. Elavil and prednisone (lots of side effects) are other possibilities. Biofeedback.

Now this may sound a little crazy, but it's cheap, has no side effects, and one of our patients with post herpetic neuralgia (a very painful condition associated with shingles) is actually pain free with this. I think he was either a carpenter or engineer who accidentally discovered that putting a small sandpaper disk (just a circular disk that he cut from an optimum grade of sandpaper) against the area somehow ??stimulated the pain fibers or anesthetized them. Not sure, but he swears by it.

Hope that helps

Is that not weird? But I went immediately to the basement...tore a wee piece of sandpaper off an already used piece and have it taped to my foot...and you know...I can't say that it's not a bit relieved from how much it was bugging me earlier this morning

Anyway...got hubby to find me a full sheet of unused sandpaper and it's packed already, with some paper tape. Hey...I'll try anything (and have already, including icing my foot to *freeze* the neuropathy) to get rid of how distracting this is. Sometimes I'm walking all funky because my left foot is sort of numb and also itches like mad.

Wonder if I could line a pair of boot slippers with sandpaper? Ya think?

If some of you try this sandpaper method...come back and let us know if it works at all for you. Remember...ya gotta BELIEVE!!!

[Donna G]

The neurontin medicine sounds like a better idea. I would be afraid of damaging the skin and breaking it down and running into new and different problems. Donna G

[Connie B]

Okay Addie, I just couldn't pass this one up.

I'm thinking DUCK TAPE! Sandpaper, held on with ducktape. Your a FOOT (shoe) IN for the RED GREEN SHOW!

Yes, I'm a BELIEVER, I'm a BELIEVER!! la la la la la!! You GO GIRL! I say WHAT EVER WORKS!!!!!

Can't hurt to TRY IT!!! Hope it does the trick!!

[Snowflake]

I would think that having it taped in place would lessen the friction while still allowing the bumpy surface to interact with the nerve endings. I wonder if I can install some in the sides of my bra that rub on my darn thoracotomy scar?? That thing STILL bothers me!

[Connie B]

Okay, after giving this some SERIOUS THOUGHT,(oh yes, I know you smell something burning) the part where the person that wrote that post says:

"Now this might sound a little CRAZY"!!

I guess that says it all, from start to finish!

I think Donna has a good idea, and she knows what she's talking about! I'd take her advise first!!

Becky, 10+ years later and my scar STILL bothers me when I wear a dreaded bra! Small price to pay, I KNOW!!

[Addie]

I'm already on Dilantin....so dunno if my onc would put me on Neurontin too. And he's said I'll be on Dilatin for the rest of my days...probably.

I just thought it was an interesting approach...like an old wive's tale, but in this case more an old husband's tale.

I've had a small piece of sandpaper near my heel since I posted this....but none on the ball of my foot. Guess where the neuropathy is the worst???

Yup....on the ball of my foot.

My feet are like most people's...unless they were carried about on a satin litter ....my feet are pretty tough on the bottom. All those growing up years running around barefoot I guess. I don't think a little sandpaper is going to break down the skin. And I don't intend to wear the sandpaper all the time. Just when it bothers me the most...and to help me get thru the airport on Tuesday.

I'll let you know when I get back how it worked or didn't work. But I'm putting another small piece on the ball of my foot tomorrow!

[Debi]

Maybe we should just go for broke and tape an electric sander with a long cord on our feet...

Seriously, if it works, keep us informed.. I may try it. I've had numbness and burning particularly in my feet and toes since surgery, and I know how distracting and uncomfortable it can be. Some days are worse than others but I have never found the "trigger" on why that is. Those bad days are when sandpaper will sound very enticing.