Neuropathy

               If you found this blog because you, or someone you love, has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, welcome. And, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to hear the word cancer. I’m sorry you are now on a life-long journey with this disease.  While it’s true that everyone responds differently to the disease and the treatments, hopefully there will be something here that helps you.

               I am 14 months out from my stem cell transplant and 20 months out from my diagnosis. I responded well to treatment, better than my oncologist expected. And yet, last night, a year after being told I am in remission, I had one of the worst nights I’ve had in a very long time.  I am still dealing with neuropathy in my feet.  I stopped taking the prescribed pain medication several months ago because I did not want to continue to take an opioid. I began searching for other ways to manage my pain – cbd lotion, METANX (a prescription medicine for diabetic neuropathy), foot soaks, compression socks, and massages. For the most part, the pain has gone to a 4 on a 1-10 scale. Last night, however, was easily an 8 on the scale.

               For me, my neuropathy feels like my feet are always “asleep”. That’s a sensation I have 24/7. I also have random, shooting pain in my feet. It’s never in the same place twice, sometimes it is under a toenail, other times it is in the side of my foot. It doesn’t last long, but feeling like you have a needle stuck in your foot doesn’t have to last long to put you in a foul mood.  What I experienced at night, and have since I started taking chemo, is a feeling of great sensitivity in the arches of my feet. It feels like they have been burned. Even the weight of the sheet is painful. Most nights, it is held to a dull roar, but last night it was as painful as it has ever been.

               There’s no rhyme or reason to the pain. This is my off week for chemo (I’m on a 21 day on, 7 day off cycle). I didn’t do any excessive walking yesterday. I didn’t wear uncomfortable shoes.

               Today, my feet have a “hangover” for lack of a better description. The asleep sensation is coupled with lingering pain in the arches of my feet. My tops of my toes are sensitive. Really? The tops of my toes? For me there’s not a lot I have found that works except riding the pain out and waiting for it settle back down. And, praying it does before nightfall so I can sleep tonight.