Neuropathy Caused By Necessary Medications (Personal Story)

Today's post from frankobserver.wordpress.com (see link below) is a personal account of having neuropathy as a result of cancer drug treatment but will resonate with many neuropathy patients. He makes a very good point, that many people encounter neuropathy as a result of the drugs they have been taking for other conditions and it's ironic that most neuropathy treatments also involve drugs used to treat other conditions. He points out that his doctors shrug their shoulders as if to say, well it's par for the course, which only highlights the importance of finding new treatments as quickly as possible. Science is busy doing just that and there certainly seems to be a new wave of interest in finding solutions for nerve damage but in the meantime, patients need the patience of a saint while they wait in discomfort and pain.

Living with and tackling PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY 
Posted on May 28, 2015 by frankobserver

Peripheral neuropathy is caused when there has been damage to the nerves of the peripheral nervous system causing a loss of touch sensation or a loss of motor function in certain parts of the body; whilst this can be predominantly to the hands and feet, many different parts of the body can be affected..

Whilst diabetes and shingles (Herpes Zoster) are two common causes of peripheral neuropathy, there are several other major illnesses, diseases and treatments that can be the basis of it. 



I’ve had the neuropathy for well over six years to some degree although the severity has diminished somewhat in recent times.

It first appeared during the chemotherapy that followed my operation for cancer. The treatment was called “Folfox” and it was administered at the Drogheda Oncology Unit in County Louth during 2009. The staff and the treatment I received was excellent and for many, one can argue that peripheral neuropathy is a small price to pay but it is still frustrating!

By no means am I unusual in that I have developed peripheral neuropathy, in fact, it appears to be fairly common, especially after Folfox chemotherapy. For some it lasts six or twelve months and then goes away; for others it seems that the damage may be permanent.
When one asks someone in the medical profession “what one can do to resolve this problem”, it is normally met by a “shrug of the shoulders” It seems that, despite their incredible skills, they are technically stumped on this one. However, the medical profession make wonderful advances and there are indications that the instances of peripheral neuropathy, caused by treatment, can and will be reduced for future patients.

Accordingly, when the Folfox treatment is administered now in Ireland, there is an additional drug which can help reduce the instances of peripheral neuropathy in patients. It is considered that Xaliproden reduces neuropathy caused by FOLFOX and seriously reduces the risk of same associated with oxaliplatin which is incorporated in Folfox; this is great news for patients and for people recovering from colorectal cancer; however, the drug has to be administered at the time of ones chemotherapy – it is not practical after the treatment has been completed apparently.



My peripheral neuropathy was caused by Folfox Chemotherapy and there has been little I can do to relieve the symptoms; additionally the amount of numbness to the toes & feet can differ considerably for those affected. But for all people with peripheral neuropathy, it seems the amount of pain can vary considerably from patient to patient, and depending on the parts of the body most affected.

So for large numbers of people, the nerve damage that leads to peripheral neuropathy is caused by the drugs that have been administered to treat other diseases and not necessarily from the illness itself.

Tackling this problem is difficult but from my own experience I have found that vitamin B6 in doses of 100mg per day can assist and reduce the numbness but it remains a significant problem even now. Squeezing a tennis ball helps the hands and fingers as does exercising the toes (standing on tip toes, moving them as much as possible and massage) but it’s a gradual process.
Peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy may be ‘a small price to pay’ especially if chemotherapy has helped to save your life!! But ‘non-cancer’ patients may experience problems following exposure to other toxins, some heavy metals and organophosphate pesticides. Lupus & rheumatoid arthritis can also be causes of peripheral neuropathy .There are also hereditary diseases such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Syphilis patients too can experience this and HIV can cause peripheral neuropathy as can the necessary treatment for same. 

There are many sites that discuss this issue but the best place to start is probably with your own doctor or GP. My own experiences are covered in a log that I made at the time of my treatment. Please visit COLON CANCER – MY EXPERIENCES.
Good luck and best wishes to all.

https://frankobserver.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/living-with-and-tackling-peripheral-neuropathy/