to ask about long term nerve damage?

[Mycatsabastard]

I am being driven insane by the constant twitching in my feet and legs. The numbness, pins and needles, shooting pains and just generally not bloody working properly.

I know this should be in health or something. But I desperately need to know if I'm alone in this.

I have two prolapsed discs, one partially removed, waiting for surgery to have a metal bracket put in for stability but in the meantime, I am randomly kicking cats off the bed by my twitching leg, dp has a bruised leg and I am not getting enough sleep!!

I currently take pregablin, reduced dosage to 25mg twice a day as the higher dose was making me sleep all the time.

[LavenderRains]

have you tried Amatriptyline ?
My father found them very helpful for nerve pain in his legs .

[Queenbean]

I've got the same nerve damage from prolapses discs. Mine is permenant now. If someone runs their fingernails over the skin I want to vomit

No helpful advice but you have my sympathy

[FreeFromHarm]

You are not alone, I am on the emergency list for spinal fusion, I lose all sensation in my legs from just walking a few steps. Try and cut out some salt in you diet , I find in helps at night.
My nerves are trapped between to crumbled discs .
Can you swim.. It has helped a little , and sitting on a yoga ball .
The meeds are awful aren't they, I sleep so bad at night .. Awful

[Octavia64]

You are not alone.

I take amytriptyline which I find helps significantly without making me a zombie. There are multiple options for drugs to control nerve pain/ weird sensations, and people differ a lot in how they respond.

If you're getting that much pain/altered sensation through try changing Meds.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Amitriptyline is great for neuropathic pain and restless limbs.

A low dose before bed has helps me a lot, although I was skeptical at the start. I've been massive dosages of fentanyl and oral morphine, as well as Gabapentin, Zopicline and some other hrug I've forgotten the name of (off label use of an anti-depressant which helps some people with pain, not me though!). And yet, Amitriptyline has had a real effect, when the stronger & newer drugs haven't worked.

It does cause drowsiness so taking it at the right time is important to avoid feeling groggy in the morning. I rather like the sleepiness as helps me regulate sleep, so I'm not up all hours in pain.

Just an aside, Gabapentin is in the same family as Pregabalin, & I had a rough time on it a while back. Most people get on with them fine, but it is tricky as the side effects overlap with the symptoms being treated.

I had ever increasing doses due to my condition & symptoms 'deteriorating'. Took myself off it in the end and a lot of my nerve pain reduced.

I'm now trying Pregabalin but very very carefully to be able to spot side effects easier. Anyway, might be worth thinking about if you're getting a lot of nerve pain.

[Shiningexample]

I sometimes get restless legs at night, I find using one of those very powerful vibrators (the magic wand types) on the soles of my feet helps.
(I am being serious!)

Also wondering if yoga or some other sort of movement practise, maybe tai chi would help you?

I hope you find something which helps

[sparechange]

Another fan of Amitriptyline. I have been on it on and off since my cauda equina and subsequent fusion

I've also had short courses of Valium which help but obviously aren't easy to get doctors to prescribe...

Electrolyte tablets in water also help. I buy mine from cycling shops! They help when I get cramps in my calves

[Mycatsabastard]

Thanks for all the responses.

I've had amitriptilene before and I'm not sure now why I was taken off it, been on so many meds and had so many side effects! I'll talk to my gp about it again though.

I tried gabapentin but felt dreadful which is why I'm on pregablin. I was taking tramadol but am allergic to it so now take codeine for immediate pain relief which has it's only lovely side effects as well.

I have found the only way to make the twitching stop is walking about in the garden at 2am on the cold ground. I sleep with my feet out of the bed as heat seems to make it worse.

Last night I went to go to bed, realised I had no feeling in my right leg below the knee and had to sit on my own for 45 minutes waiting for some sort of sensation to come back before dragging myself up the stairs :o

I'm waiting for a spine fusion. I was scheduled for January originally, they told me I needed to lose about 5lb, rescheduled for June which wasn't ideal for me so now waiting again for another appointment.