Living with Neuropathy

I did dialysis for 3.5 yrs, and have now been kidney transplanted for 1.5 yrs. When I was doing dialysis, my body gradually became my enemy. I felt like I was having the “heebie-jeebies”. I’d attack different areas of my body, couldn’t sit still, then I couldn’t sleep. I told my nephrologist that I was having problems and he said it was a side effect of my kidney failure. One of my family members thought it was all in my head!

I couldn’t go outside when the sun was out because I’d really go nuts attacking my body. I’d tell whomever I was with that I had to go inside. The sun was making me crazy. Then a PA happened to be talking with me at the dialysis clinic and said that she believed me to have neuropathy She said the same things to me that I had been saying for a long time. I stood there, with bags under my eyes, and started crying. Someone knew what I was going through! She prescribed Neurontin. I went home and finally slept, could sit for an extended amount of time, and; didn’t attack my body!

After being transplanted, I stopped the Neurontin, for a little bit, and I started to fidget and didn’t want to sit still. I went back on the med and it all stopped. To me, Neurontin has been a life saver for me. Perhaps, I have permanently ruined some nerves? I don’t know and haven’t brought it up since being transplanted.