Neuropathy - maybe - question
 

I used to think my hands hurt because of arthritis, but when I started taking MSM, cut way back on cheese, & then added turmeric, the pain eased & then went away. Which is great.

BUT - my hands are weak. I have difficulty doing things I used to do, like making jewelry. Picking up small items like beads is tricky & I feel more klutzy than I used to. My grip is also weak - picking up my rabbits is kind of scary, I'm afraid I'll drop them. So I'm suspecting it's neuropathy. Does it sound like neuropathy to the better informed?

If it is (or even if it isn't), I'm wondering if there are exercises that will strengthen my hands. Or should I be asking on the exercise forum?

Being low on electrolytes can make you "clumsy".
Do you notice any difference if you have a cup of salty broth, or some potassium/magnesium supplement?

I have neuropathy, but its CIPN, in my toes.

If it is neuropathy vitamin D3 will help. Have you had your D levels tested?

Another thing that will help is getting a therapeutic squeeze ball or squeeze clamp that's called the Ultimate Hand Helper. They will help build strength in your hand and fingers.

I use quite a bit of light salt for the potassium - it helps my leg cramps. Haven't noticed any difference in my hands.

Haven't had my D3 checked, but I do take it. I had been taking 1000 iu for several years, this winter I upped it to 5000 for my SAD. No change in my hands. The extra has helped my SAD considerably, tho. This has been my happiest winter in years. :)

At least they haven't gotten worse as far as I can tell - I'll know it's worse if I start dropping my coffee cup. But I'll check into getting a squeeze ball or the hand helper thingy.

It's winter; it might be best if you upped the D3 to 10k/day or even 15k/day. If you've been running a deficit, and I see you're in WA so you probably are, it takes a lot more than 5k to reverse neuropathy.

Cortisol issues can cause hand weakness. When I was at my worst with Cortisol Resistance, (fixed it with Dr. Kruse's protocol on his website) I was dropping things right and left.

Fine muscles are the first to have issues when we don't get enough/too much cortisol.

You're right - even here in Eastern WA we don't get a lot of sunlight in winter. Even when we do get sunshine it's too cold to be out long.

I was concerned about too much D3 - but I just looked that up & it seems I was worrying unnecessarily. Thanks! I'll up it & see what happens.

I agree with all the good suggestions you've received so far. Are you totally off grains? I normally eat none, but find that when I do indulge in them, within a few hours I get tingly extremities, or Dupuytren's contracture in my hands and Plantar fasciitis waking me up at night.

No grains at all. I'm scared of them - bread was one of my binge foods. :eek:

What about legumes (esp. soy), corn, oats, dairy, yeast and sugar? Many of these result in the same inflammatory response.

Nothing but some dairy - & I know it's a problem, but I haven't been strong minded enough to cut it out completely. :blush:

I had neuropathy about a year after chemo. I never would have made the association that long after if I hadn't mentioned it to another cancer survivor.

I took Benfotiamine and alpha lipoic acid for it and it was very effective. Efficacy is dose dependent, I believe, so more info if you're interested.

I read the book Sugar Crush which is all about peripheral neuropathy and was disappointed that he never mentioned chemo as I'm really curious how it could cause it much later.



I associate neuropathy with stinging, burning kind of pain rather than weakness but I believe people lose sensation too. Do you feel that or is it strictly weakness?

How 'bout B complex or particularly B 12? My feet get stingy if I don't take that regularly. (But then I'm on Metformin which depletes B12).

Does your back hurt?

It probably isn't that unusual to lose some strength and dexterity through disuse due to pain. That jewellry making might be annoying now, but maybe it's the sort of practice for fine motor skills that you need.

More things to think about! No back pain, no drugs, no B vitamins - I read somewhere that the latter can cause problems & I eat meat, so I didn't think I'd be lacking it. It seemed to just make my pee yellow. I haven't noticed any changes since I stopped taking it - about 3-4 months ago.

Because of my age I wasn't sure if my hand problem is neuropathy or not. Haven't talked with my doctor about it. Are there tests? My doctor - in spite of being with VA - isn't all that conservative & is fine with my lchf diet. It was her suggestion that I take turmeric.

Teaser - that might be part of it. I stopped doing jewelry when my hands started hurting, & that's been more years ago than I like to think about. Maybe exercise & more doing those small things will help.

I think I'll put off giving my bead stash to my daughter for a while. :)