Not sure if I've ever introduced myself....I'm Denise, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and I have been lurking for some months here, trying to learn all I can about CS - and WOW! I have learned lots!
I'm needing to pick your collective brains, please......I apologize for this being a tad lengthy but I am hoping that someone might possibly be able to provide a light at the end of the tunnel for me! A bit of 'background' info....I have a number of auto-immune disorders - type II diabetes (since resolved following biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch in April 04), chronic obstructive sleep apnea (resolved as a result of BPD/DS surgery and a subsequent loss of 65#s to date), Graves Disease (dx Jan 1998) and I have been on eltroxin since Aug 1998. I suffered from cold feet (internal core cold NOT cold to touch) in 1998 after the radioactive isotope drink to deal with my overactive thyroid; this symptom went away when my thyroid counts were better under control. I have again been living with 'core cold feet' since my BPD/DS surgery...I have seen a surgeon (my primary caregiver wanted to rule out circulatory problems....), I have seen an endocrinologist who advises me that he refuses to adjust my thyroid medication until I have lost all the weight that I can post-surgery. I have seen a hypnotist in an attempt to learn how to control my internal body thermometer myself....I refuse to return to this psychiatrist/hypnotist as he was most insistent that I attend 'group therapy sessions' (3 days/week for 2 hours each time - which would actually be 3 hours each time when you factor in travel time to and from work). Okay - enough 'background'... I saw my neurologist today (21 Jan 05) about the 'cold feet' that I have been experiencing since April 04. After a thorough neurological exam (?), Dr. V gave me a diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy.....! Duh - I was a diabetic for 10 years, the last 4 quite severe so this was not a surprise diagnosis to me! He dictated his report while I was sitting in the exam room and I am going to be contacting my family physician next week to get a copy of this report as there were some 'interesting' words that I heard him use.... I asked him if this 'neuropathy' that I had is also known as 'peripheral' neuropathy....Dr. V said that it was a form of peripheral neuropathy....again - not a surprise to me. There are a couple of drugs that we discussed as maybe being of assistance....Topomax (topamax) and Gabapentin...I have a prescription for gabapentin... I came home and did a google search for gabapentin and topomax....and I'm not sure I'm willing to start taking either drug. Not sure what to do/which direction to go from here....I have kinda hit the end of the road as far as looking for answers....I always figured that the neurologist would be sort of the last step in this journey and well - now that I am here - I'm not sure I like it! I have read with great interest about CS working on a myriad of medical problems...I am wondering if it (CS) might be able to help me deal with the problems I am experiencing.... I apologize again for the length of my 'story' - but I am almost ready to have my feet amputated to get rid of the 'cold'....and I know that something as drastic as amputation wouldn't be the answer either....'cause then there'd be the'phantom pain!' to deal with. Thank you. Denise Saskatoon, Sk Canada [email protected]
