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Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
I have not tried cold or hot water, but I have found putting a heater makes my feet feel wonderful. I have polyneuropathy throughout my body, but it is definitely worse in my legs / feet and arms / hands. I have also found lying in the sun magnifies the pain killers I take.
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Cudacar
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
I have chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). I cannot stand on my feet for too long, and too much activities with my hands will cause burning in my hands and feet.
The only solution I have found to stop the CIPN is ice water. I dip my hands and feet in and out of the ice water until it goes away. However, sometimes I doesn't go away for a long period.
The only solution I have found to stop the CIPN is ice water. I dip my hands and feet in and out of the ice water until it goes away. However, sometimes I doesn't go away for a long period.
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Jett
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
I have dialysis-induced neuropathy in both feet, no diabetes. I take a load of gabapentin (1200 mg 4 times a day). I think it is bad for your kidneys, but I don't have functioning kidneys, so it is fine except for the jerking that it causes.
I find that after walking on my feet for long periods of times in shoes, ice water definitely helps me. It is very soothing from the burning and the boot-like feeling I get.
I am curious to one day try a strain of marijuana that I saw on CNN. They listed neuropathy as one of the things that it soothes and helps. I have not tried it yet, as it is not legal yet in Florida, but it may be soon, and I will definitely try it then!
I find that after walking on my feet for long periods of times in shoes, ice water definitely helps me. It is very soothing from the burning and the boot-like feeling I get.
I am curious to one day try a strain of marijuana that I saw on CNN. They listed neuropathy as one of the things that it soothes and helps. I have not tried it yet, as it is not legal yet in Florida, but it may be soon, and I will definitely try it then!
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Calvin
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
I wrapped my foot in a cold gel pack and that relieved the pain significantly.
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Trula
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
Calvin, it may have been mentioned already but have you tried Lyrica? It really took the edge off the pain for me. I know cost may be an issue for this one, but there are co-pay coupons on line that can help.
Best! BN
Best! BN
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Bar-none - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/14
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
Regarding cold or hot water for relief of neuropathy:
I have found that cold makes my neuropathic pain far, far worse! I need to keep my feet and legs (from the knees down) extra warm (I'm about to buy an electric warming pad that has a very low heat setting). Currently I have about four layers of quilts/polar fleece over my feet in bed at night. If my feet get cold, then the pain becomes unbearable. Someone suggested that I try rolling a bottle of frozen water under my feet, but that brought on severe pain.
The other thing that really helps relieve my neuropathic pain is regular vitamin B12 injections. Some research is now demonstrating that metformin, which is commonly prescribed for diabetes, reduces or stops B12 absorption, which leads to nerve damage. I have B12 injections at least monthly and it is the difference between needing several doses of pain killers throughout the night and only needing two when I go to bed for about a week, then the benefit gradually reduces until I have the next injection. The onset of relief is very quick, too – if I have the injection in the morning, i will have relief by that night.
Another thing that can help is wrapping the feet (for peripheral neuropathy in feet) in cling wrap (plastic food wrap). Don't know why it works, but it certainly helped me, and it has helped others that I have recommended it to. Strange, but true.
Coating my feet in white ointment also provides relief.
Lyrica and similar medications were just not suitable at all for me.
I have found that cold makes my neuropathic pain far, far worse! I need to keep my feet and legs (from the knees down) extra warm (I'm about to buy an electric warming pad that has a very low heat setting). Currently I have about four layers of quilts/polar fleece over my feet in bed at night. If my feet get cold, then the pain becomes unbearable. Someone suggested that I try rolling a bottle of frozen water under my feet, but that brought on severe pain.
The other thing that really helps relieve my neuropathic pain is regular vitamin B12 injections. Some research is now demonstrating that metformin, which is commonly prescribed for diabetes, reduces or stops B12 absorption, which leads to nerve damage. I have B12 injections at least monthly and it is the difference between needing several doses of pain killers throughout the night and only needing two when I go to bed for about a week, then the benefit gradually reduces until I have the next injection. The onset of relief is very quick, too – if I have the injection in the morning, i will have relief by that night.
Another thing that can help is wrapping the feet (for peripheral neuropathy in feet) in cling wrap (plastic food wrap). Don't know why it works, but it certainly helped me, and it has helped others that I have recommended it to. Strange, but true.
Coating my feet in white ointment also provides relief. Lyrica and similar medications were just not suitable at all for me.
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Kerba
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
Reading these posts on peripheral neuropathy reminds me of how much of a problem it is for many people, and how different we all are when it comes to finding treatment to help us cope with it.
My neuropathy was not treatment-induced. Over several years before I was diagnosed with myeloma, I saw neurologists, looking for answers to all the burning, stinging, soreness, pins and needles, severe shooting pains, hot flushes, and numb patches that I had in both feet, legs to the knees, up the back of the thighs and across the pelvic floor area, and up the left side of my neck, face and head. I also had bowel changes and problems with balance and spacial stuff (falls and banging into things).
Nerve function testing etc came up with no answers. Tried various means of getting relief without resorting to pain killers. Nothing worked very well but heat was a definite no-no, made it much worse. When diagnosed with myeloma (November 2011), there was uncertainty as to whether it was part of the myeloma or something else was at play as well.
As my haematologist did not want to start treatment straight away, he suggested we try plasmapheresis, saying it works for some, not for others. I had three treatments over ten days, which reduced the problems by about 80% to some burning, soreness, and tingling in the feet and a tight feeling up the side of my face. Huge improvement! Still had some balance and spacial issues, but not nearly as bad. I continued with monthly treatments until two months after I started treatment with cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) (about 12 months over all). Interestingly, the Velcade in my treatment did not increase the neuropathy noticeably.
I had a stem cell transplant November 2013 and had no increase in neuropathy until July 2015, when, still with paraprotein undetectable, I had a significant increase in neuropathy. Haematologist suggested we try plasmapheresis again, even though there is no paraprotein to remove. I had three treatments late September, and continue to have it monthly with good results, even though we cannot understand why it works this time.
A nurse in the apheresis unit suggested that, with the blood being cleaned and 2 litres of plasma being replaced, maybe something is being removed that I am not being tested for, but who knows. I am just grateful that it works for me.
This has been a different approach to dealing with severe neuropathy.
Ronda
My neuropathy was not treatment-induced. Over several years before I was diagnosed with myeloma, I saw neurologists, looking for answers to all the burning, stinging, soreness, pins and needles, severe shooting pains, hot flushes, and numb patches that I had in both feet, legs to the knees, up the back of the thighs and across the pelvic floor area, and up the left side of my neck, face and head. I also had bowel changes and problems with balance and spacial stuff (falls and banging into things).
Nerve function testing etc came up with no answers. Tried various means of getting relief without resorting to pain killers. Nothing worked very well but heat was a definite no-no, made it much worse. When diagnosed with myeloma (November 2011), there was uncertainty as to whether it was part of the myeloma or something else was at play as well.
As my haematologist did not want to start treatment straight away, he suggested we try plasmapheresis, saying it works for some, not for others. I had three treatments over ten days, which reduced the problems by about 80% to some burning, soreness, and tingling in the feet and a tight feeling up the side of my face. Huge improvement! Still had some balance and spacial issues, but not nearly as bad. I continued with monthly treatments until two months after I started treatment with cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) (about 12 months over all). Interestingly, the Velcade in my treatment did not increase the neuropathy noticeably.
I had a stem cell transplant November 2013 and had no increase in neuropathy until July 2015, when, still with paraprotein undetectable, I had a significant increase in neuropathy. Haematologist suggested we try plasmapheresis again, even though there is no paraprotein to remove. I had three treatments late September, and continue to have it monthly with good results, even though we cannot understand why it works this time.
A nurse in the apheresis unit suggested that, with the blood being cleaned and 2 litres of plasma being replaced, maybe something is being removed that I am not being tested for, but who knows. I am just grateful that it works for me.
This has been a different approach to dealing with severe neuropathy.
Ronda
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RondaV
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
I have been on Revlimid for 6 months, and they took me off Velcade after two months due to nerve damage. On top of the pain from shingles, myeloma, and now nerve damage from Revlimid, it is hard to get up and start a new day of pain.
Glad to be alive, but I think my oncologist could have been more upfront about what we multiple myeloma sufferers might face.
Tom74
Glad to be alive, but I think my oncologist could have been more upfront about what we multiple myeloma sufferers might face.
Tom74
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Tom74 - Name: Tom Meredith
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 9/5/15
- Age at diagnosis: 73
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
Hey Melpen,
Thanks for all of your detailed info about acupuncture. I hope you feel better than you did before. I am about to try acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy.
daveross
Thanks for all of your detailed info about acupuncture. I hope you feel better than you did before. I am about to try acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy.
daveross
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daveross
Re: Cold water or hot water for peripheral neuropathy?
A cold swimming pool gave me relief from peripheral neuropathy. It also helped me recover muscular strength after my stem cell transplant.
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