Living with Neuropathy

In August of 2006, I started waking up at night with burning streaks in my back on the left side. I also was having some burning in my chest. I thought it was acid reflux, because I do have a problem with it. I went to my GI to get some relief. He tried me on several drugs and none helped. I got so bad I was in tears. The pain was so bad in my chest that it felt as if someone had bored a hole and poured in acid. The doctor did a scope and found no problem with acid reflux. Because every time I went to him I was so nervous and crying, he put me on anti depressents and said I needed to calm down.

The pain was so bad I could not sleep, eat, or do anything. I was taking hydrocodine for pain every four hours. My husband would be up with me all times during the night. I was putting ice packs on my chest to sleep.I was drinking ensure to take the medicine, so I wouldn’t be sick at my stomach. I was going to the doctor having all kinds of test done. I lost 27 pounds in no time. I even went to the emergency room because of the burning in my chest, and they gave me a morphene shot and sent me home. My daughter is a nurse, and she started doing research on the computer and decited it must be nerve endings. She told a doctor where she worked and he said it could be my gall bladder. I had that removed and had burning on way home from surgery. When I went back to him for follow up, he susgested I go see a neurogist. My visit to him was the first time I heard the word “neuropathy”. He put me on neurotin and did blood work. The only thing I have been told is my vitamin D was low.

I now have a problem with weight gain. He has tried me on several different drugs and nothing stops the pain as much as neurotin. I am much better, but I still cannot understand why the burning is in my chest area. It also affects my left arm. I was checked for shingles My left side is where most of my problems are. Is there anyone that reads this know of anyone that has it in their chest area?