Numb burning tingling pins & needles Feet

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Thats why I feel like im going nutts. The doctors say i have nerve damage from pre diabeetes even after they took all kinds of blood tests and never conduction study that came back normal. Foe me its in the feet and a little bit in the tips of my fingers. Although this week I have been feeling it going up into my fourarms. Its really got me worried. But it is comforting to know that other people are feeling the same thing. My question is would I still be feeling this after 4 months of taper?

[[pa...]]

I had a nerve conduction study for my burning tingling skin and the doctor said my nerves were the most sensitive she'd ever tested.  I was jumping all over the table - not painful, but just made me react excessively like a reflex when the doctor taps your knee.  But, my nerves are "fine" she said - no damage, just super sensitive for the time being.  They still are but I think they're getting slowly better.

 

Paresthesia

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Overall my understanding of benzos effect on the GABA receptors in the brain is that the effect is profound and individual to the person. While some people may take a large dose over a long time, their taper could be rapid and yet they might be ok without any lasting effects at all.

 

Others may take a small dose for a short time, taper slowly..., and experience disturbing and lasting physical problems long afterwards. These examples would of course be the two extremes, or what statisticians would say falling into the "critical regions of the bell curve."

 

Hopefully all who must go through this experience fall within two standard deviations of the mean/ average of that bell curve. But between those two standard deviations and the critical regions are approximately 50 percent of us. The w/d experience is not a one size fits all situation, but is truly sized to fit just you as the individual you are and your unique brain and GABA receptors.

[[ar...]]

I am just starting to get these symptoms of pins and needles, numbness, and painful joints in my hands and feet, and I am over six months out! I too have skeptical doctors who say, "I've never seen withdrawal last this long." Fortunately, there is a wealth of experience and assistance on this site, indicating that these symptoms are quite normal in the context of withdrawal. Hang in there.

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Argent, you say it well, and it is the truth.

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Yes my feet are numb with pins needles kinda and my fingertips feel the same way. When I wear my shoes or sneakers it seems 100 x worse. all the doctors say its diabetic complications. But mt A1C is aaveage around 6- 6.5 Does anyone know if thats so high as to cause nerve damage? Although my nerve conduction study showed nothing abnormal.

I am glad this site is back up again. Thank you everyone.

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My husband has type2 diabetes and his A1C has just tested at 6.5. I am told that if one is below 7, it is fine. When he first developed type2 his A1C was 16, and he had no signs of this neuropathy then and does not now either. I suppose that it could be individual again, but putting this together with the benzo use, I believe that is the nerve pain you are experiencing.

 

My blood glucose has been just fine, and yet I have tremendous discomfort with the sensitivity in my legs and my insteps also. I know what you mean about putting on your shoes also and how wearing them is uncomfortable. I have that everyday now to some degree, and it is very distressing. In fact, due to the sensitivity in my legs, I find that getting dressed and going through the day is often a situation that I just have to cope with.

 

I have yet to meet a doctor who gets anything about the w/d from this stuff. Makes me wonder if they ever use it themselves. If they do, they must just stay on it, or they just don't take it. It's obvious that many don't have a problem Rxing for their patients, however. The other thing I've heard first hand from my oldest daughter is that she has many co-workers who take benzos with no intention of stopping.

 

I think there are millions of people who just will not experience some of this because they will take it as long as any dr will Rx. So therefore, those many Drs will not really know much about w/d and all it's variations, especially in one specific case.

 

Hope you feel better, and frankly, I hope I do too!

 

Intend

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In addition, I add that my husband has had this type2 for about 4 years diagnosed. Probably longer undiagnosed. Also he's never taken benzos. So while the numbness, burning, tingling, hasn't been any issue for him, it's taken a real toll on me. Just more FYI. I believe your discomfort is due to the benzo w/d.

[[pa...]]

I also took Neurontin for the pain - for about 4 months - and it helped a bit.  BUT, when it stopped helping and I tapered off of it, my symptoms were much worse.  I feel like the Neurontin set me back a good bit. 

 

Paresthesia

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Its really amazing how many issues coming off this drug can cause. I  am just hoping that for me the numbness in my feet and fingers is from the wd and not a permanent nerve damage from elevated sugar. It seems that alot of people have had the same thing. Thanks everyone for your responses.

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I have had burning and tingling befor I started my taper and I think it was due to tolerance withdrawal.  Since I started tapering it has gotten a lot worse.  It is not constant however.  It seems to be bad when I have other intense symptoms.  I did a pretty large cut initially befor I knew about going slow.  I am hoping that if I hold for several weeks and then go slow that it will improve.

 

We just have to hang in there.

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Well tomy you want reassurance that your tingling and burning are not related to the type 2. I don't know how long you've had that, but your A1C is well in the acceptable range. My husbands dr talks about that range a lot so I'm familiar with it. We know of people who because of drinking alcohol and eating the wrong way have A1Cs all over the map, and they don't have the sx you have. They have type 2 but havent taken  benzos.

 

Do these  Drs have some kind of remedy for the neuropathy sx they say you have? If they do then maybe you could give that a try while continuing to just go through your withdrawl. If they don't  have some treatment, then you just have to go through the w/d anyway.

 

Try to relax which is easier said than done. I know that because I regularly feel distressed over my sx. But I am 100 percent positive it's caused by benzo w/d so I am not questioning some other diagnosis and that gives me some small peace of mind.

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Intend, the dr's dont have anything to do fot it unless the pain and discomfort gets to the point that I would require pain meds which I really dont want. I think at one point a few years back I had 1 blood test where my A1C was 6.9 but most of them range between 6 and 6.5. I am putting my mmoney on it being the wd but there always that thought that crosses my mind that maybe it could be something else. Thanks alot for all your replies and support.

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It is definitely the w/d then, and since they have no treatment for supposed nerve damage ( which I do not think you have), just go through the withdrawl knowing you are doing all you can. I understand also the desire to find some relief with a pain med. I made up my mind to avoid any other meds for pain because I'm not on any other pills but these benzos. I don't want to cloud the picture here with any other medications and the side effects they may cause.

 

I don't take any vitamins or even aspirin; I actually haven't needed to so that's good. But my point is that you just need to stay focused on getting through the w/d and do your best to handle the discomfort. And believe me when I say I know how uncomfortable and actually painful this is.

 

Good luck and I hope we both get through this.

 

Intend

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I say my neurologest again today and I asked him again about the numbness. He say its neuropity. I asked him didnt the nerve donduction study come out with nothing abnormal? He said yes but you have classic symptoms of it. I showed him the page in the ashton manual about pins and needles and num hands and feet. He says well a very small % of the people may but most people I taper off the drug dont have any sx or symptoms. So he goes on to say maybe it could be but I am holding to you have diabetic nerve damage. I hope not and since alot of you guys on here have had the same symptoms I hoping I am the same and in time it will heal. Thanks again

[[Be...]]

Tommy,

 

You may want to look into vitamins & minerals which support nerves.  I know some buddies have problems taking vitamins & supplements because they rev up symptoms.  I haven't had this problem.  Like most side-effects, it's going to be different with each individual. 

 

I'd suggest you ask your doctor to do a blood test to determine your vitamin levels.  I know they can easily check your B-vitamin and D-vitamin levels....also potassium.....not sure about zinc.  See if you're deficient in anything.

 

Even if you're not completely deficient, you may want to try taking a good B-complex, D3 and zinc supplement.  If it revs up your symptoms, you can always stop.  I also take 5,000 mcgs. of B12 (by sublingual losenge) daily.  I ordered the Wonder Laboratories brand from Amazon.  They actually give me a little boost after I take them (in a good way).

 

Here's a blurb from an article on LiveStrong.com.  I found it by googling "what vitamins support nerve health"

 

Zinc

Zinc has been used to help control pain from arthritis and may also alleviate nerve pain due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The Gachon Medical School in Inchon, South Korea, tested the effects of zinc on neuropathic pain. Mice were induced to produce pain in the lumbar spinal nerve. The results, published in April 2008 "Biometals," suggest a reduced level of zinc in the spinal nerves may be related to increased pain sensitivity, and that zinc might have an adaptable role for neuropathic pain relief.

 

Vitamin B

A daily dose of 50 to 100 mg of vitamins B-6 and 500 to 5,000 mcg of B-12 for three to 12 months may help heal nerves and decrease or eliminate pain, says Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., in "Psychology Today: Complementary Medicine." These B vitamins may treat chronic pain by inhibiting incorrect signals to nerve fibers and pain centers in the body. Parker College Research Institute in Dallas conducted a study that showed that a combination of vitamin B-1, or thiamin; B-6, or pyridoxine; and B-12, or cyanocobalamin, brought relief to chronic back pain in 30 minutes that lasted six to 12 hours. Researcher Xuejun Song, M.D., Ph. D., concluded that anybody can use the vitamins to relieve chronic neuropathic pain, generated from the nerves themselves, without negative side effects.

 

Vitamin D

Diets deficient in vitamin D may contribute to chronic muscle and nerve conditions, including fibromyalgia. According to a report from Pain Treatment Topics, which studied 22 clinical investigations, inadequate levels of vitamin D were found in patients with various chronic pain syndromes. Author of the report, Stewart B. Leavitt, M.A., Ph.D., said, in most cases, aches and pains vanished or diminished significantly by supplementation of vitamin D. He suggested that vitamin D supplementaion should be considered as an inexpensive course of pain management in its early stages. (See Reference 5 )

 

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/479443-vitamins-minerals-good-for-nerve-pain/#ixzz1geJK2U2R

[[Be...]]

Hey Tomy, rest assured that this is all part of the benzo beast.  I too have experienced tingling/numbness in my hands and feet since the begining of my taper.  Sometimes my feet get hot and feel like someone is pricking them with needles.  It comes and goes for me and is not one of my more dominant symptoms.  Try not to dwell on it, it will pass someday. 

[[Be...]]

Oh, I meant to mention that I believe it's withdrawal. I had it too.  However, if your system can stand the vitamins, it couldn't hurt.

[[St...]]

At almost six months since c/t, I still have burning and tingling in my hands, feet and calves. But gone is the cold feeling under my skin even when I felt like I was overheated. That was a weird one. All of my symptoms are getting much better. Just in a bit of a wave right now.

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Thanks guys. Betty I just started taking vitamin b comlex 50 2 x day. For me i feel like my feet are cold but when i touch them there not. Its like a numb feeling and its constant. I also get it a little in my hands but not as bad as my feet and the hands dont get a eeling of cold , just numb. Thanks for all the input.

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Tomy it's infuriating that these Drs keep telling you it's diabetic neuropathy when they have nothing to offer you but pain meds. I guess it could be withdrawl neuropathy, but the antidote to that is waiting it out.

 

The vitamins may be helpful to you; just don't overdo it. I searched all over the Internet and thought i might have some vitamin and mineral deficiency  that was causing my symptoms also. But my blood work came back with good levels of essential nutrients for healthy nerves. I think anything you can do outside of taking pain meds probably can help.

 

I've had so much nerve pain in my left jaw that I went to the dentist and had multiple x-rays to look for abcesses up into my jaw. Nothing was there. The dentist said it was caused by "something" but since it was nerve pain, only cortisone would touch it. He wrote me an Rx for a course of cortisone but I just knew it is the w/d again.

 

I have had so many areas of my body affected by pain including legs, feet, skin, jaw that if wasn't benzo w/d, it means my whole body is falling part. And that isn't yet the case.

 

Just keep hanging on. I don't know how long you've had this going on, but it's gonna get better cause it is the benzo w/d. The Drs don't know everything. I have known people with type 1 diabetes ( insulin injections required) that don't even have neuropathy. Just go to the dr for your other health issues, eat sensibly, take some supplements in sensible manner, and just wait this benzo w/d out. That's what I'm going to do.

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Thanks Intend. The dam doctors dont know a thing about the wd. All they know is how to get you hooked. Than were on our own. Its a dam shame.

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I just remember my dentist saying that  my jaw pain was caused by "something" deep in the nerve. He said he had some nerve damage in his shoulder and that his doctor told him that the only thing that would touch it was cortisone.

 

He said he had taken several courses of cortisone over time, but didn't want to keep doing that because of side effects and his doctor agreed with him. At the time, I asked him if pain meds would ever help his shoulder and he said no because "it was deep into the nerve and not in the muscle or the tissue."

 

He said that's why pain meds wouldn't help my jaw pain. It was in the nerve so only cortisone would help. We both agreed that I shouldn't take the cortisone cause it's a short course they give you and then the pain often returns.

 

The point here is that we have affected our nerves where they originate up in the brain, so we can take all the pain meds they will give us and it won't really make a lot of difference other than cause another addiction. I have also noticed that people are taking neuron tin for pain with some mixed results. I just believe we have to let the nerves in our brains heal for these pains to go away.

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Yes i just hope it is sooner rather than later. I dont like this feeling in my feet and its keeping me from functioning like i would like. Thanks again

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Tomy you are super welcome. I what you mean. This pain I have in my legs makes me want to stay home too. I'm a really active person and indent likebthis either. Hang in there. We have to.

 

Intend