Constipation and Neuropathy

[beauraingdance]

Hi, I was wondering the different condition we experience with Neuropathy,
Since my Aids diagnosis I have developed  Neuropathy in both my legs, I take Gabapentin 300 MG- 3 times a day,  luckily  do not have pain just stiffness and a poor balance  and my gait is off, I also have little feeling in my limbs.
 If I do not push myself, I end up walking like a 80 year old man, I have a appointment with my Neurologist next Month, she will do a nerve test.
As active as I am, I feel my condition is getting worse, I fear what is ahead, Has anybody has experience with long term conditions from Neuropathy?
I do not think it is the Meds as this developed as soon as I left the hospital and I only had been at the time on Biktarvy  for 6 weeks. my digestion is also not normal anymore I end up taking laxatives , I feel like these Organs are frozen. I am  a a very optimistic person I feel I probably deal with anything at this point. I never seem to get a clear answer from my Physicians. Wishing you all good health and peace. Zoltan

[wardp]

Sorry to here that what laxative do you take?.i have to take sodium chloride enemas as my bowels won't move as normal I also take flax seed every morning it seems to soften the stools.i hope you get the help you need.

[beauraingdance]

I take Ducolax, I have taken Sodium Chloride and suppositories nothing works , I will try flax seed. Thank you much appreciated

[harleymc]

I'm not sure if what I suffered from in the late 90's early 2000s was neuropathy.  But the symptoms sounded similar.

I found cycling with toe clips on,  strengthened my legs and gradually I had some ( not complete) regain in sensation

[Shazam9cd4]

About the time the onset of my early syptoms - this time last year and before i was diagnosed i started having frequent episodes of restless leg syndrome.  I used to get mild symptoms of  this on a plane which went away after taking an aspirin.  It was infeequent.  But last year it started to occur very frequently and was sleep disruptive. RLS is incredibly annoying.  Feels like tickly inside your legs, alwys wanting to shift around and never able to stay still.   I now believe  it was caused by this illness.  My GP at the time prescribed pregabalin which eliminated my RLS.  Need to be careful because it has serious withdrawal symptoms if you forget to take it.  This happened to me but they quickly went away as soon as i was able to take the next days dose.  I thereafter reduced my dose to 75g only at night. After i was diagnosed with AIDs and post   my ICU and 30 day stay in the hospital i weened myself off all the drugs i had been given - xanax,  brentillix,  immovane et al.  Took time and i had to shave and cut down doses.   I tried to go off pregabalin but restless leg would return.  What i managed to do was experiment with increasingly lower doses and found that 25mg was just enough to prevent RLS from impacting me.  At some stage in the future ill try again to go off it all together but at moment happy to relieve myself at this low dosage.  Although no one really knows what causes RlS im convinced the restless Legs were related to the early onset of my symptoms and may have been a form of peripheral neuropathy.    Hard to say.  You may want to ask your doc about pregabalin start low. Her is an article comparing both. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/how-gabapentin-differs-from-pregabalin

[Loa111]

restless leg syndrome. RLS is incredibly annoying.  Feels like tickly inside your legs, alwys wanting to shift around and never able to stay still.   I now believe  it was caused by this illness. 

I've RLS too. I did mention it to my ID doc about this annoying sensation in my left leg, especially when I'm in bed at night & I want to keep moving & kicking out my leg. ID Doc even tested me for Diabetes, which came back negative.  Doc did not really come to any other conclusion on the RLS. It's just an annoying thing.
I do wonder did me having a very advanced hiv DX cause it?