Can neuropathy cause swelling?

[brin]

Hi
Had MS for about 15 years and got along fairly well until November last year, when pain started in my foot. It started in the left foot then four days later the right. It was so bad that I couldn't walk, and still can't. A while after this started I had a swelling on my ankle. I now get muscle spasms and these seem to make the swelling change in size and colour. When the spasms are bad the swelling gets bigger and turns a blue-black, when the spasms subside the swelling shrinks and the skin returns to a normal colour. I am on Neurontin for the pain, which does nothing. Hope someone can help.
Many thanks
Brian

[kwarendorf]

Hi CDS- Welcome to the group.

This is a pretty old thread and many of the original posters no longer vsit us. I didn't want you to think you were being ignored :-)

As to Neurntin, I've used it successfully to treat my MS related neuropathic foot pain.

Kyle

[cdspargo3]

Do you by chance have diabetes? I do and just found out I have MS, I have pain and the doc told me that Neurontin would not help that part, of MS but as for the Diabetes (type2) it helps to an extent. I am still having pains in my feet and legs mainly my right, Toes swell and toes and feet have sharp pain burning like fire! But feet are cold all the time. I came on here to find out about that.

[dcmrpm]

Please try going to acupuncturist and or licensed massage therapist.  I have been going for pain in knee, hip and legs. I have been diagnosed since 1994 and praise God I can still walk. Sometimes there's more help than taking medicines. Trust me when I say that. Going to AC/LMT really get to the root of the issue involving body structural and therapeutic
therapy. I've learned and believe that being unbalanced can trigger so much.  My knee and legs were hurting so bad and realized one leg was longer than the other which caused me have problems and now with treatment I can see/feel a tremendous difference.  So please try that or a reflexologist to treat trigger points that also cause us to have these symptoms/problems.

[fiza21]

I m a case of MS...from past 15 yrs..
but mild spasms ...but now from past 2 months i have numbness and tingling in my legs...and off late started to see swelling on my foot and leg..can someone advice please.

[brin]

Hi Everyone
Many thanks for your comments. The vein problem was one that occured to me. I forgot to mention that I have seen a doctor  and he says it's a bruise and I have hit it  or, because the muscles are weak, twisted it whilst walking. I explained to him that I definately have not hit it and as I have not walked since November could not have twisted it. To this he just ummmed and said "well it's still a bruise, put some ice on it". He then left. The other problem is the neuro. I see him once a year and if I have a problem in between, have to wait about six months to see another one. I have a physio coming soon, I think i'll try to get him to put in some input to the medical profession.
Once again, many thanks.
Will keep you posted.
Brian

[Heather3418]

What Elaine tells you, now makes perfect sense to me.  I was getting the connection with the spasms and the swelling.

As all the posters have said, it's time you got to a doctor to look into this problem.

I might also suggest that if the Neurontin is not working anymore, that you also talk to your doctor about taking you off.  I was up to 3,500 mgs. a day of Neurontin and could not see any improvement, so I eventually went off entirely.

I just heard something in the news within the last couple of days about how the makers of Cymbalta have removed their claim that this medication helps neuropathic pain.  I don't like to over-ride what Elaine says, since she is a nurse.  I just wanted to let both of you know what I heard on the news.  Elaine, you may be able to ask one of your colleages whether this is correct information.  I don't want to give false information out.

Keep us updated Brin.  I am interested in knowing what your doctor thinks about all this.  Especially as it relates to MS.

Best Wishes,
Heather

[monotreme]

Neuropathy can cause swelling in the following way.  If you don't move your foot, as in walking, or flexing it up and down, then the blood circulation becomes stagnant.  It does this because our feet and legs depend on the contraction of the muscles to squeeze the veins and help the blood flow back up to the heart.     This can cause swelling since the blood and fluid in the tissues cannot be moved.

I do not know your exact cause of the swelling, but what I explained above, does happen in M.S.  

Please see your neuro.  You may want to try Cymbalta for neuropathic pain.  It is recommended and I would ask the neuro.

Elaine

[Lulu54]

Hi Brian,
My very first instinct is this is something different from the MS, but I'm not a doctor.  That is strictly a long-distance guess from me.  The other part of that instinct tells me you need to be seen pretty soon by a doctor who can thoroughly evaluate what is going on.  The discoloration on top of the swelling leads me to think of peripheral artery problems - have you experienced ciruclation problems in the paast?  

As for your neurontin not working, you may have been on it so long that you body has become conditioned to it.  That is another good reason to talk to your neor and discuss a change of medicines.  

Both of these - your feet in pain and the swelling are very real reasons to see a doctor, and soon.  Please check there and then let us know what the official word is, ok?

feel better, Lulu

[essdipity]

Is your neuro following this? What does he or she say? Also your PCP. Remember that we can get diseases or illnesses not related to MS.

I'm no doctor, but I'm guessing what you describe is not part of MS. If you are on a high dose of Neurontin (?), that should be helping the pain if it is neuropathic. Also, neuropathic pain arises from nerves, and not from injury to the actual sites of the pain. You do have visible injuries there, swelling and discoloration.

From another perspective, though, maybe this really is from MS, but it isn't neuropathic, it's from the spasms. If you are having major muscle spasms, that could really injure your feet, possibly causing swelling and bruising. Perhaps the earliest symptoms were spasms small enough that you just experienced them as pain, and when they got bigger, the swelling and bruising started.

I sure hope Quix comments on this. But in any case I think you should pursue this aggressively. If the problem is spasms, there are meds for that.

All my best,
ess

[opie74]

Are you taking anti-inflamitory?  I often have ankle swelling, but only in the one that had staff infection for 1.5 years.  Teh Betaseron has actually reduced it, or is it the Naproxin that I take with the shots?  Quix?