Re: [CH] Strange Question but not really O/T

Linda Hutchinson (lipant@sympatico.ca)
Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:31:35 -0400 

Yes!!! Jim, we share most of the same symptoms. I have followed your story 
of cancer recovery and I am really sorry to hear you now have neuropathy. 
You have paid your dues by now.  I have also had the electric shocks just 
recently, bad enough to make me scream but not throw me. Yes to sensitivity 
to heat and cold. I am constantly changing clothes. I now walk with a cane 
and tend to stumble.

There are several groups for the neuropathy if that is of any help: I am 
co-mod of Peripheral_Neuropathy at 
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Peripheral_Neuropathy . We talk a lot 
about drugs to take and etc.

Thanks for the links;  I will go through them.  Best of luck to you Jim.

Linda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jim Graham
To: chile-heads@globalgarden.com
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: [CH] Strange Question but not really O/T


On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 01:56:18AM -0400, Linda Hutchinson wrote:

> Has anyone on this group developed peripheral neuropathy? "Neuropathic
> pain is pain caused by a condition affecting the nervous system
> (nerves, spinal cord or brain)."

Peripheral neuropathy goes way beyond just pain.  It can appear as pain,
burning, tingling, numbness, and/or problems with coordination (ref:
CancerCare link shown below)....all caused by damage to nerves.

See the following for some good information on it:

   http://www.cancercare.org/pdf/booklets/ccc_neuropathy.pdf
   (CancerCare - Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy)

You may also be interested in the following, from the American Cancer
Society:

   http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_2_3x_Peripheral_Neuropathy_Caused_by_Chemotherapy.asp?sitearea=MBC

which says:

---------------------------  CUT HERE  ---------------------------

   What else can cause these symptoms?

   Peripheral neuropathy (PN) can also have other causes, such as:

      * other cancer treatments, such as surgery or radiation
      * tumors pressing on nerves
      * infections that affect the nerves
      * diabetes
      * shingles
      * low vitamin B levels
      * some autoimmune disorders

   It's very important to understand the cause of PN so that the right
   treatment can be given. [....]

---------------------------  CUT HERE  ---------------------------

After my chemotherapy, brain surgeries and radiation therapy, and
another round of chemo, I feel all of the symptoms above (mostly random
nerve firings that often toss my whole body around) AND another, from the
second document (the ACS doc):  "increased sensitivity to temperature
(usually cold) or pressure, so that things hurt more than usual."
In my case, the increased sensitivity is to both cold and hot
(apparently this is fairly common among cancer survivors, at least,
it's true for nearly 100% of those I've talked to).  And the increased
sensitivity to pressure applies x1000 for the three areas on my skull
where tumors were removed.

Anyways, that's my contribution.  Hope it helps.

Later,
   --jim

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