thanks betty.  she is not diabetic and is a teetotaller so no alcohol. she
does however have some incurable lung disease and the only thing that dr
sharp can see is that the stress of that might have caused it. her children
ask me if i could find any info here where i work to send them the info.
i'll send them the website as well as visit it myself.
she is pretty bad off. looks like the skin just come off if anything just
touches her. looks briused all over.
i honestly think i prefer the cp. she manages to keep such a great
disposition.

-----Original Message-----
From: Betty Alfred [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 1999 10:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: peripheral neurophathy


In a message dated 10/30/1999 9:55:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

<< what is the cause of this. i have a friend (like a mother to me) in
alabama
 that developed this.
  >>
Ken, there can be a number of causes (if we're talking about the kind I
have), but at the top of the list seems to be diabetes, alcoholism, and
certain drugs that are used to treat AIDS.  About one/third of the time,
they
don't find the cause.  There are other causes too, though, so I don't want
to
give you the impression that these are all -- they are just the most common
that I am aware of.  A B6 insufficiency or oversufficiency (I can't remember
which) can cause it too.  Also, pesticide and lead exposure can cause this
too.  I was tested for so many possible causes, I never even knew everything
I was tested for.

Some of the causes can be treated, and the neuropathy reversed if things
haven't gone too far, which leads me to say that I hope your friend has a
good doctor who is looking at all the possibilities.  Obviously, some of the
causes must be treated, like diabetes.  I suspect that if she knows that she
has peripheral neuropathy, she would also have been told if she has diabetes
-- I think that tends to be in the picture for a while before PN shows up (I
think -- please don't quote me on that).

The last thing I would say is that you probably needn't worry that her
neuropathy will progress as severely as mine has.  As personal experience
goes, I am almost positive that the odds are against it.  I have met people
who are in the same boat with me, but I really had to search to find them.

Check out this website if you like Ken, it has good information about PN.
I've tried to tell you all the things I can remember off the top of my head,
but you will probably get more than I can give you from the website.  I also
recall that there is some helpful information about taking care of yourself
(especially your feet) when you have this.  I wish your friend all the best.

Betty

 <A HREF="http://www.neuropathy-trust.org/">Peripheral Neuropathy Trust</A>