In February of 1997, I started having pain in my left heel, especially when I pushed down on the emergency brake. I went to my GP when the pain left that foot and went to the right foot. He could not tell me what it was.

In August of 1997, I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel syndrome in both hands. We believed it was from my hand-stressful job. I was a blood collection assistant for the Red Cross. I went to three different WC doctors for this. All three wanted me to have surgery, but I said no. I quit my job in Jan. 1998.

I was concentrating on my hands that year, and by the time Feb of 1998 came, I could barely stand for more than 10 minutes, or walk. The pain subsided in my heels but was stinging and burning so badly. I felt like there were rubber bands around my ankles. I could not sleep, and everytime I laid down it was awful. I was completely exhausted as this was all so relentless, and never let up. I would love it when night came, because I would then be able hopefully to sleep a few hours & not feel this stuff. A few hours was all I could hope for.

I told my hand specialist about my feet and she thought it was systemic. She ran a few tests but all were negative. I told her I had to find out what was the matter with my feet before I had the operations on my hands.

That is when I started my pursuit. I went from doctor to doctor. I spent six weeks at a Chiropractor, going three times a week. I did this only because he said he knew what was wrong with my feet and hands and that he could help. He only made my hands worse, and no improvement on the feet. All this time I was without any medication. I was not sure of what kind of a doctor to go to.

My Podiatrist found nothing wrong with my feet and suggested I go to an Internist. He thought maybe I had Sarcoidosis. I went and she told me I had Peripheral Neuropathy but did not know why. She then ordered all kinds of tests, including HIV, which scared me to death. All came out negative and she suggested I go to a Neurologist.

I did and they did an MRI, which showed a buldging disc at L-5 S-1. Then I had an EMG. On the MRI it showed the nerve was being pinched on the right. The nerve test showed that also, but more of my pain and numbness was on the left side. My Neurologist never tested the left side, and so I fired him. He acted like he never knew what neuropathy was and told me all Neurologists were guessers! He did start me on Neurontin, 300 mg. 3-4 times a day, then upped it to 400 mg. I saw some tapering of the stinging. I was given about five different diagnoses, of course one being Peripheral Neuropathy.

In my quest for finding out what was wrong I went to an old GP I had been to before, and he diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. I had told the Neurologist this, and he said "its just a term", so I did not go back and was not worried about it. I thought too, that I had been in so much pain for so long, that my whole body was in pain..which of course it was. I knew about the Fibromyalgia from my sister's friend. It disabled her and I did not want that!! He gave me Elavil (anti-depressant), and after over a year, I was FINALLY beginning to sleep. It made a world of difference in my attitude, depression, and pain.

Another GP had given me Paxil 20mg. when I went to him. I ended up crying at my office visit so badly..(before I found the Neurologist.) I did not want to take it, but have a friend who is a Psychologist and is very well known in the area. She talked me into taking it. She said when we have a lot of pain in our bodies..we tense up which in return tenses the nerves, so the Paxil helps calm you so in return your pain is subsided somewhat. It also helps for the depression. I dont know anyone who has chronic pain and is not depressed.

At one point I got off the Paxil, and tried the Wellbutrin (another anti-depressant). A lot of my pain came back that I had forgotten, so I got right back on the Paxil. I even tried Prozac but for me nothing works better for the pain than Paxil.

I got involved in a study at a medical teaching hospital in Atlanta, and am on a 22 week study for a new slow releasing Ultram. This has really helped the pain, and I will continue on it. I was given a medical exam, and they watch after me, and give blood tests once in awhile. I have never gone back to the other Neurologist.

About four months ago, I started having wierd sensations in my neck and shoulders and then in my lower back..not like PN necessarily, but more deep muscle-type pain. I knew this is the symptom that my sister's friend with Fibromyalgia had. I went back to the GP whom I hadn't seen in a year. He did the pressure point testing again, and I passed all 18 points (which is bad)..this gives you the diagnosis, which is like PN, not a lot of testing to come up with diagnoses. These points are the same on everyone with the Fibrom, and when they are touched they almost go through the roof. You have to have at least 11 of them to be diagnosed. So after this visit I took it more seriously and have studied up on it.

With the Fibrom, you take the same medications as for the PN (fortunately), and I was so surprised how much the two are the same.

Well this was a long story, but this is what happened to me. I am about the same as I was a year ago. Some days are bad and some so-so! I try not to get depressed. I have given up trying to figure out what caused all of this and have come to accept it. I will be trying to apply for Social Security as I feel I could not have a job with all of my body pain. I can barely vacuum the house some days! Thanks for letting me know you have this site.

Suellen Heath
Heheath@aol.com


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