Peripheral Neuropathy: When the Numbness, Weakness and Pain Won't Stop (American Academy of Neurology Press Quality of Life Guides) Paperback – November 8, 2006

Beware of doctors who under treat and downplay the seriousness of Neuropathy.I have been struggling with the pain and tingling of feet and hands for several years. My primary doctor (of eight years) just shrugged it off and said "It's probably just Neuropathy, nothing serious." He recommended Alive for the pain.On my last visit with my physician I again complained that my nerve, joint, and muscle pain was getting worse. I had trouble sleeping even four hours a night. I was having difficultly walking straight. As I spoke a sharp and intense pain struck the back of my left hand. I couldn't help but react. Then he said, with a smile: "Nobody should live past 75." (I'm 73.)After I fired him I found another primary care Physician who prescribed a better medication for my pain. His initial examination was the most through I have ever experienced. He also refereed me to a Neurologist.The Neurologist used a machine to administer jolts of electricity at various places on my feet, legs, arms, and hands. When he was finished he said that I had Moderate Polyneuropathy. He agreed with me that my former physician should have ordered this test, but he couldn't say anything about my prognosis.With this information I started a search on the Internet. I found that one of the medications my former doctor had me on had the possible side effect of Neuropathy. I conveyed this information to my new primary care physician. The next day his nurse telephoned to tell me that my blood pressure medication WAS the cause of my Neuropathy. My new doctor had reviewed all my lab tests and was certain of this finding. Naturally he changed my medication.With what I have learned, I expect either a halt of increasing symptom intensity or maybe even the reversal of my symptoms.I have written so much about my own case because I want readers to know that doctors are just people. "Trust but confirm" is always good policy for important complex interactions. A patient should share the responsibility of having good health with his/her physician(s). And if you can't trust your physician, fire him/her and get another. Your health is a life and death matter. Don't feel guilty. Don't feel regret. There are lots of reasons that exist for this to actually be what your doctor wants. Your doctor may already have too many Medicare or Medicaid patients. Maybe he/she thinks your queer. Maybe the doctor just doesn't like old people. That doctors have a better than average intelligence may be an understatement, but they are just people and not gods.I give this book 5-STARS because it TRULY is a splendid source to start learning about the various forms and causes of Neuropathy. While the book may warrant an update, it is an easy read and it comes from reliable sources. I ordered the Kindle edition and read it in an afternoon. Anyone suffering with these kinds of symptoms should consult a doctor AND learn as much about Neuropathy as possible - or as much as one thinks appropriate.

My husband has polyneurothapy and is in constant pain, has trouble walking and keeping balance. He has been to several doctors without much relief over the last few years - there doesn't seem to be any one solution that works for all. This book provided us both with two things: (1) a better understanding of the disease & possible food/medication triggers and (2) case stories that somehow legitimized his version of what's going on with him. Like other non-obvious disabilities, it's difficult for those that aren't suffering to understand the struggle. This book helps with that and made my husband feel as though, someone gets this - it is real. I wish we would have found this book a couple of years ago. Reccomend.

Written by a doctor for patients, this is an interesting overview of the numerous illnesses that fall within the peripheral neuropathy family. This book provides a good overview of the nervous systems, central and peripheral, symptoms, causes, treatments and outlook for patients.Because the human nervous system is infinitely complex and the failures and symptoms that fall within peripheral neuropathy are many, the explanations are necessarily complex. The diverse possible causes for this collective illness and the many manifestations of the illness is a bit overwhelming. The reader is left to try to match her symptoms to the various symptoms to try to find our where she falls within the illness. And, unfortunately, while the book offers light on the subject, it offers little promise for effective treatment or a cure. This is the fault of the illness, not the book.The organization of the material is good and the presentation is well paced. The frustration of trying to figure where you or a family member fits is balanced by the relief that always comes when you discover that there is a name for what you have and that you are not alone in the discomfort or outright suffering.I recommend this book for anyone suffering from this ailment or for anyone closely involved with someone who has this problem as a window into a very mysterious world.

The book helped explain a few things but offered no real solutions to the pain.

Although there's often not much that can be done for idiopathic neuropathy, my particular version of it, this book gives a clear description of what goes on in the nervous system to cause most neuropathies. Worth it for that reason.

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is not only physically painful, it is emotionally very painful. I can no longer work at my life's profession, I cannot turn a doorknob, open my mail,even typing this hurts like the dickens. I no longer go many places...I fall a lot. I recently have felt like I am going nuts.But then this book was recommended to me. I read it immediately upon arrival and had this WOW feeling. I still feel all the pain and isolation, but now I understand more about this disease, especially that I am probably sane because a whole bunch of folks feel exactly like Ido.This nice book has many useful references and explains PN so I understand it. It gave me some ideas to ask my neurologist. He had read the book, liked it and was quite open to trying one of the described treatments.PN patients-this is a good book for you to read. PN caregivers-read it; it will give you some idea of what we are going through.Thank you for listening.

This book examines in great detail all possible causes of Peripheral Neuropathy, but is short on information about cures. This is a great resource if you are having trouble understanding what has happened to you. For those who are more interested in how to deal with, and cure, it, there here is another book with more information about those things: REVERSING PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY Dr. Cory Alpin.

But didnt tell me everything i wanted to know. I dont have a neurologist i can ask questions of importance.