Would amputation stop my pain. ( neuropathy and arthritis in both feet).

[annebalto]

In on Long Tec 50mg 3 x day and gabapentin 400mg 3x day. And its getting worse. Im 53 and feel I can't live with the pain for another 25 years.

[deniseinmilden]

Have you tried high level vitamin B12 and folate, (particularly methylfolate) supplementation? Lots of injections plus supporting supplements might help.

It would be worth getting tested for both of these before you start supplementing if you haven't been.

You will need to be in the upper part of the laboratory range, regardless of what the Dr says, to rule out benefitting from these.

There's a chance, if the painkillers aren't working, that it's damage along the whole nerve that needs repairing for a solution. Methylfolate is known to help too. See fbirders post of a few days ago.

[MariLiz]

Amputation sounds very drastic and I’m not certain it would help. You hear of people who have lost a limb saying they can still feel the pain from it.

Please try other things first as deniseinmilden suggests.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

annebalto - have you talked about this with your doctor?

are you still on 3 monthly B12 and supplementing in between? Does supplementation make a difference

Looking at your profile you appear to have both PA and diabetes? are you doctors focused on diabetes as the cause and overlooking the possibility that B12 may be involved?

[spacey1]

There is a really high chance that amputation would leave you with the pain but no limb; people have said that's even worse. Phantom pain is incredibly difficult to treat, and at least painkillers take the edge of physical pain, even if they can't stop it.

Do go back to your GP and ask for some more investigations. Hope they find something helpful x

[Wowo23]

I feel your frustration. I have PA and am an amputee. I had bone cancer and lost my right leg. The pain is still with me and made worse by residual limb pain, nerve and phantom pain. Not to mention how hard and painful it is trying to use a prosthetic leg. I hope you get relief soon either from your primary, neurologist and or phyical therapist