Neuropathy: Will It Get Better Or Worse?

Today's post from neuropathyjournal.org (see link below) discusses a question that every neuropathy patient asks at some time during their neuropathy history: (Is it going to get even worse?)and unfortunately, there's no hard and fast answer. The reality is that even the best neurologists can't say yes or no. Because nerve damage is so unique to each individual, the best the experts can do is look at your history and your current situation and make an educated guess. That's of no help to the poor patient but it's the reality and this article discusses what you do next. The first hurdle is to accept your condition for what it is; do as much research as possible, question your doctor until his/her ears bleed and follow the medication course as best you can. If the medication (up to and including opioids) still leaves your daily life determined by pain or discomfort, you need to look at alternative therapies and see if anything helps there. Keep an open mind. You won't improve your neuropathy by fighting it, or even giving in to it. It is what it is and you have to do your best to find solutions that fit you best. This unfortunately is the reality of neuropathy but the question: 'will it get better or worse?' is as natural and normal a human reaction as you can get. This article may help put it into perspective.

Will My Neuropathy Get Worse?
By LtCol Eugene B Richardson, USA (Retired) BA, MDiv, EdM, MS


The number one question most neuropathy patients ask is Will My Neuropathy Get Worse? The fear that their neuropathy symptoms will grow progressively worse. Neurologists call this a progressive polyneuropathy. The truth: no one really knows if your neuropathy will worsen, stay the same or disappear. A neurologist shared that this may have more to do with the underlying cause of the neuropathy, genetics, and heaven only knows, issues.

I speak of this very fear in chapter twelve, Focus, in the DVD “Coping with Chronic Neuropathy”, and if you have not viewed this chapter, I suggest that you do so. The viewing will provide a better perspective.

Neuropathy patient fears are often increased by the coming and going (remitting and relapsing) of neuropathy symptoms. These patterns are a medically confirmed fact and also occur in many other chronic illnesses. Better recognized are the same patterns for some forms of MS (Multiple Sclerosis)!

Neurologists confirm that there are acute neuropathies that come on suddenly and then the symptoms disappear. In other neuropathies symptoms occur, disappear and then return at the same level. Other neuropathies occur, disappear and then return at increased levels and in more places of the body. Others come, go and then go away for years only to return with a vengeance!

The chronic neuropathies (affect one set of nerves) and polyneuropathies (affect many nerves), which increase for years are often referred to as progressive polyneuropathies. The mystery is increased as there seems to be no rhyme or reason for these patterns. The only thing I noticed is that when I increased activity, I have increased burning, pain or other symptoms and I neurologist tell me that this is due to making damaged nerves work.

For years between the emotional highs when my symptoms remitted (“Hurrah, they’re gone!”) and the emotional lows when they relapsed (“Oh no, they’re back!”), I was tempted to worry that my symptoms were going to worsen and guess what, they did! But one has to ask the question, did the energy spent on worry change anything? No! What I re-discovered was what I learned in Sunday school. It was better to spend my time and energy finding a doctor who was trained (neuromuscular neurologist) in the clinical approaches to neuropathy then to waste energy on worry. I needed a doctor, not worry, to focus on my symptoms. I needed a doctor working with me as a partner, while treating the symptoms and looking for the TYPE and/or CA– USE. Why finding the type of neuropathy important? Because as Dr. Latov in his book tells us, this can often point in the direction of a cause! I needed a medical Sherlock Holmes, not time worrying about what might happen.

This approach maintained a focus on self empowerment by learning all I could, while prodding the doctors with questions that helped them think and act. The most important question for you is not, will my neuropathy get worse, but what is the type of neuropathy and/or the underlying cause? Spend your energy looking for the type and/or cause, as no one knows if your neuropathy will worsen or not.

I know that for so many of you neuropathy has been a progressive illness which worsened over the years. Conversely, my progressive polyneuropathy has not killed me, for my neuropathy symptoms began at age 31 and I am now 76. Thirty-five years into the symptoms with a million denials with a diagnosis from mentally ill to idiopathic neuropathy. I was given one drug which drove me to talk backwards and then another that reduced pain by 80%. Five years later with the miracle of IVIg I am able to keep breathing and the chest muscle spasms stopped while reducing other mind numbing symptoms. This took many doctors, lots of research and knowledge, while asking good questions and giving doctors documents from experts. It may have been fear and anger which drove me forward, but it was these focused actions that brought help, not dwelling on my fears!

It is important to know which issue is important as you set goals for getting help. It is important to focus your energy on learning, getting help with symptoms and finding the cause and solutions for the diagnosed illness. I do not mean idiopathic neuropathy (of unknown cause). It is very difficult to find a solution, other than for symptoms, when the neuropathy is of unknown cause. Help the doctor think and pushing the system to do the testing that is now available. Click here to read about my opinion on Idiopathic Neuropathy.

Tests that are available will allow the doctor to know if the neuropathy is large or small fiber, motor, sensory or autonomic, axonal, immune-mediated, demyelinating or inflammatory and these clues can lead to a possible identification of the type and/or cause that is more helpful than idiopathic.

RESOURCE: Read Dr. Scott Berman’s book, as this book may provide insight on these issues. Click here to view the recommended Books On Neuropathy. Dr. Berman has untreatable CIDP (chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy) and his book speaks to all neuropathy patients as one who has been in our shoes with many neuropathies. Dr. Berman empowers us to face creatively the emotional issues we ALL face in chronic illness.

https://www.neuropathyjournal.org/will-my-neuropathy-get-worse/