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Category: Patient Testimonials

Neuropathy 101: Part 3 (Real Patients, Real Stories)

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Welcome to Part 3 of our blog, Neuropathy 101. We’ve discussed the signs and symptoms in Part 1, and advanced treatment options in Part 2.

And, of course, we saved the best part for last. If you or someone you love is suffering from neuropathy, the most important thing for you to know is that there is hope. You don’t have to suffer and let neuropathy take over your life.

Today, I want to share with you the stories of three patients who came to see us with different symptoms, frustrations and needs. And after treatment, they are all experiencing the improved quality of life they were hoping for. After practicing for more than 35 years, there is still nothing more rewarding to me than hearing patients come in and tell me how their life has changed for the better since treatment. Here are their stories.

Evelyn’s Story

Symptoms:

“When I came to see Dr. Anderson, I had so much numbness in my feet and it was so painful. My feet hurt so bad by the end of the day, I wasn’t able to wear shoes. I was ready to go stark raving mad. I could only wear sandals and I live in Wyoming. And in the winter, I will tell you I definitely did not want to be wearing sandals,” Evelyn says.

Treatment:

Evelyn had nerve decompression surgery on both legs. This is a 1-hour procedure where we go in surgically to open up the nerves that become compressed in the legs, and cause severe neuropathy symptoms.

Life Today:

Today, Evelyn says, “I have new shoes that I got a year ago and I can finally wear them all day. It was so funny because my husband thought I had gone shopping and bought all new shoes. But, I was just finally able to wear all my own shoes again! At night when I got to bed, I can actually feel the covers with my toes, which I haven’t been able to do in years. I have no pain. I can be so much more active now. I’m ready to go dancing! If you are having problems with your feet, come see him and get the help you need!”

John’s Story

Symptoms:

“Most of my symptoms were occurring on the bottom of my feet. I was having a hard time being active because it took me so long to recover. If I walked about a mile, the balls of my feet would be so sore, it would take a full day just for me to start feeling better,” John says.

Treatment:

John had the ESTIM & MLS Laser treatment we discussed in Part 2 of this blog. Because John’s symptoms were not as severe, our non-surgical treatment options were a good fit for him. The ESTIM treatment is an electrical stimulation therapy, and the laser treatment works on the cellular level. Both treatments work in harmony together to help repair and restore the damaged nerves.

Life Today:

Before he was finished with treatment, John was already reporting significant symptom improvement. “I would say I’m 70-80% better already, and that’s being conservative. I can now walk 2 miles a day, and my feet recover in about an hour. I’m very happy with my results,” John says.

Kelly’s Story

Symptoms:

“I was experiencing a lot of numbness in my feet and struggling with loss of balance. By the end of the day, I was just in excruciating pain. I am on my feet all day at work, and I tried every type of shoe and insole out there, and nothing worked. I don’t really like to take pills, so I didn’t want to get on medication for it, but I really was searching for relief,” Kelly says.

Treatment:

Kelly had nerve decompression surgery on both legs, just like our first patient Evelyn did. This is a great option for many people with severe neuropathy and pain because it’s a minimally-invasive procedure and there is very little down time. Most patients can be up and walking around the day after surgery.

Life Today:

“I don’t dread getting up in the morning anymore. Now I can get through work every day. My heel pain has resolved as well, and my balance is so much better. I feel confident in where I’m stepping and I have that “front to back” feeling of motion that I didn’t have before. I would do the surgery again, in a heartbeat,” Kelly says.

Don’t Give Up

Every day I see patients who come in and they are experiencing incredible results like these. They are back to work, to play and to the activities they love. My desire for you who are reading this is that you would be encouraged to not give up.

Come see us, we can help. To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Vanessa’s Story: An Answer for RLS

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Vanessa had been suffering from severe Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) for many years. Finally, the answer came.

The Diagnosis

“I have dealt with this for many, many years. They diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, and put me on medication, including Gabapentin,” Vanessa says.

The medication helped a little, but it wasn’t enough.

“This is something that we see quite frequently,” says Dr. James Anderson, DPM. “Many patients have been put on medication for neuropathy and restless legs, and either it doesn’t help, or they are suffering from unwanted side effects. They come to us looking for hope.”

When You Can’t Fall Asleep

Vanessa’s symptoms were the worst at night. Like many patients struggling with RLS, as soon as she laid down to rest, the feeling of extreme anxiety in her legs and the constant need to get up and move would take over.

“I just couldn’t get to sleep,” Vanessa says. “My legs were tingling and numb, and just felt anxious, like I had to move them. It just didn’t feel right.”

After spending years being awake while everyone else was asleep, Vanessa was looking everywhere for a solution.

Finally, she saw a commercial with Dr. Anderson, DPM, talking about nerve decompression surgery for patients with RLS. “I said, “Yes, thank you!” Vanessa says, remembering the relief she felt.

The Answer

Vanessa came to see Dr. James Anderson, and he recommended nerve decompression surgery.

“This procedure takes about an hour, and we go in surgically to open up tight nerve tunnels in the lower leg that are causing the symptoms of RLS,” says Dr. Anderson.

He identified three nerve tunnels that were compressed in Vanessa’s legs, the superficial peroneal nerve, common peroneal nerve, and the soleal sling. In the operating room, he used a nerve monitor to verify that the nerve function was improving during her surgery.

Sleeping All Through The Night

Two weeks after surgery, Vanessa came back in for her follow-up appointment and she was all smiles. She didn’t report experiencing any pain after surgery. What she did experience, was the sleep she had been hoping for.

“I fall asleep, and sleep all through the night!” she says. “This has helped me tremendously. Dr. Anderson is awesome!”

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

Lisa’s Story: Restless Legs and Neuropathy

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Lisa Nelson had been suffering from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) for years. After what seemed to be an endless search for a solution, she is finally back to sleep. Read her story here.

The Symptoms

“I had been struggling with RLS for 8-10 years,” says Lisa. “I also had neuropathy that was getting progressively worse, and edema and swelling in my feet and ankles.”

“If I got three hours of a sleep a night, that was normal. I had to stop hiking and exercising because I didn’t have any energy and I wasn’t confident in my balance.”

The Searching

“Over the years, I went to an acupuncturist, chiropractor, general practitioner, and a neurologist,” Lisa says. “No one could offer me a solution other than going on medication, which I really did not want to do.”

“There’s nothing worse than feeling like you just are not being heard,” Lisa says. “I knew that all my symptoms were somehow connected and I just wanted someone to take the time to listen to me.”

“I was constantly searching for a solution because it was not getting better. It was just getting worse. Finally, I was referred here by a friend who also had restless legs and dropfoot. He was very insistent that I come see Dr. Anderson and I’m very grateful that I did.”

The Solution

Lisa came to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and he recommended nerve decompression surgery. “This procedure takes about an hour, and we go in surgically to open up tight nerve tunnels in the lower leg that are causing the symptoms of RLS,” says Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson performed surgery on Lisa’s left leg first. “She had so much improvement in her symptoms that she came back and we operated on her right leg just one week later,” Dr. Anderson says.

He identified three nerve tunnels that were compressed in Lisa’s legs, the superficial peroneal nerve, common peroneal nerve, and the soleal sling. In the operating room, he used an nerve monitor to verify that the nerve function was improving during her surgery.

“Before we open the tunnels, we stimulate the nerve and send messages into the muscles to get a baseline number. In Lisa’s case, one of those tunnels measured at 6,800,” Dr. Anderson explains. “Then, we test again after the tunnels are open and the pressure has been released.”

“The final number on this tunnel for Lisa was 8,600. So we knew right there in the operating room that we had a very good chance of resolving her RLS symptoms.”

Finally, the Sleep

Lisa was able to walk right away after the surgery and didn’t experience any post-operative pain. Within one week of having the surgery, she was already reporting 90% improvement in her RLS symptoms.

“Now, I sleep!” Lisa says, “I’m off all my medications, and I sleep an average of seven hours a night.”

Life Today

Lisa is planning a trip to Alaska with her friend Wade, who recommended she see Dr. Anderson. They are both very excited to be able to hike again.

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

Debra’s Story: Relief from Chronic Pain

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Every patient we see is unique, but unfortunately, many of them come in telling a similar story. They are suffering from chronic pain and are searching for answers. They want to avoid the medications, the spinal injections, and the spinal stimulators that are commonly used for the treatment of chronic pain problems.

At Anderson Center for Nerve Pain, we focus on treating patients with chronic pain or numbness throughout the body due to diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy treatments, trauma or surgery. If your pain or numbness is due to injury or entrapment or compression of one or more peripheral nerves, there is a very high chance that we can help. We utilize one or more of several successful treatment methods, depending on each patient’s needs:

Here’s Debra’s story. Our hope is that if you are suffering today, this will encourage you to not give up.

Everything Looked Good

Debra came to our Fort Collins office from Denver. She had a complex injury to her foot due to a fractured heel. With this type of injury, it is not uncommon for surgery to be indicated to put the heel back in the proper position. This injury will typically present with not one, but multiple fractures. Her X-rays showed screws and plates in the heel bone, and everything looked good.

But She Was Not So Good

Debra was suffering from chronic pain. She had severe burning, tingling, numbness, and throbbing in her foot and into her leg.  She had been referred to a pain clinic and was on narcotics, which were causing her to fall asleep at work. Because the fatigue was so extreme, she was going to bed at 7:00pm, and she felt it was dangerous for her to even drive her children around. The next step for her was to consider a spinal implant for electrical stimulation to help with her pain. Drugs and the implant are common conventional methods to help these patients. She came to me to explore her other options.

New Hope

After examining Debra, it was apparent that a nerve had been damaged from the surgery she had. The surgery was a success in terms of repairing the broken heel, but she was now left with residual pain. A small nerve called the sural nerve that lies on the outside of the ankle became entangled in the scar tissue from the surgery. On her first visit I injected a small amount of local anesthetic with cortisone above the area of nerve damage. She returned several days later and said, “The pain is coming back, but for three days, it was almost completely gone!”

Because of her chronic pain, the doctor had warned her not to contemplate any kind of surgery in the foot or leg, so we did another injection. She came back again and again, and with the same response each time! Eventually after two or three injections to calm this injured nerve, she had faith in what I was suggesting that we do.

The Source of the Pain

So what did we do? Because of the severe amount of damage to the nerve, we made a small incision in her lower leg just above the ankle. Through this incision, we cut the nerve and buried the tip in the muscle. Why the removal? The nerve was the pain generator. Why did we bury the tip in the muscle? This is commonly done to minimize the possibility of the tip of the nerve causing pain. When a nerve is cut, it wants to recreate more nerve tissue and we call this an amputation, or stump neuroma. By burying the nerve in the muscle, it reduces the chance of the area being sensitive to touch.

It is very important to note two things:

  1. The nerve removed does not supply any muscles that could result in weakness. In fact, she should become stronger as she can now use her pain-free leg even more!
  2. The numbness tends to go away as the other remaining nerves will sprout new branches and make up for her numbness. Months later, most patients report minimal numbness.

What We Believe

My message to you is this. If you or someone you love is suffering from chronic pain, please do not give up hope. Maybe you are on medications and struggling with the side effects. Maybe you are suffering from the stress or depression caused by chronic pain.

We believe that the time has come to change the game regarding the approach to helping people suffering from chronic pain. We may be able to address the source of your pain just like we did for Debra.

Don’t wait. Come see us. Click here to make an appointment.

Don’l’s Story: A Solution for Restless Legs

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It had been decades since Don’l Butler had slept through the night. “I have had restless legs all my life, ever since childhood,” Don’l says. For most of her life, doctors were not able to provide Don’l with a clear diagnosis. “It was only a few years ago that I finally learned I had restless leg syndrome,” she says.

Here’s her story, and the treatment that finally brought her relief.

Decades of Desperation

Night time comes, and it’s time to settle into bed, relax, and drift off into sleep. But for Don’l, that sleep never came. “I had creepy-crawly sensation in my legs. They would jump at night as soon as I laid down,” she says.

“Steadily, the symptoms became worse and worse. My legs starting jumping and moving during the day as well,” Don’l explains.

Sleeping on the Sofa

Don’l would move into the living room and try to sleep on the sofa because it was keeping her husband up at night as well. “I was kicking him, and it was affecting his sleep too,” she says.

Most nights, Don’l never went to sleep at all. “After awhile, I developed insomnia and then you can’t relax and sleep. It just doesn’t happen. You are awake all night long.”

“I took every kind of medication I could find. I tried patches, everything. Maybe some things would work, but never for very long. The restless legs completely monopolized my life.”

Don’l remembers occasionally dozing off for 5-10 minutes, and then waking right back up again. “The last two months before my surgery, I barely slept at all,” Don’l recalls.

From Oklahoma to Colorado

“My husband was searching and searching. He is the kind of person that once a problem comes up, he doesn’t stop until he finds a solution,” Don’l says. Finally, after searching online, he found Anderson Podiatry Center.

Don’l and her husband live near Tulsa, Oklahoma, approximately an 11 hour drive to Fort Collins. Dr. James Anderson, DPM, spoke with Don’l over the phone about her symptoms, and she decided to make the trip for an evaluation.

Dr. Anderson says, “Having restless leg syndrome is a very devastating thing. It is so hard for people to function during the day when they don’t sleep at night. After meeting Don’l and evaluating her, we were very optimistic that we could help improve her quality of life.”

Hope in the OR

Dr. Anderson performed nerve decompression surgery on Don’l. Dr. Anderson explains. “We believe the symptoms of restless leg syndrome come from certain nerve tunnels in the legs becoming compressed. We go in and surgically open up those tunnels, and relieve the pressure. As a result, many patients experience 80-90% improvement of their symptoms.”

Dr. Anderson uses an intraoperative nerve monitor that was first used for head and neck surgeries to measure nerve function improvement during surgery. “We were the first to use this technology for foot and ankle surgery, and we can see in real time how the nerves are improving,” Dr. Anderson says.

For example, when operating on Don’l, the baseline number in one muscle group measured 1672. After performing surgery and measuring again, that number went up to 2300. “This is a great benefit to the patient,” Dr. Anderson says, “Because we have objective evidence in the operating room that shows how the nerves are functioning better than they were before.”

My Life Today

In April 2017, Dr. Anderson performed nerve decompression surgery on one of Don’l’s legs, and she experienced significant symptom improvement. About a week later, he performed surgery on the second leg. Don’l finally began to experience that peaceful sleep she had been searching for, for so many years.

“I have been sleeping each night, all night, the whole night through. The improvement is extreme. I feel so much better. I was on Gabapentin and I am now off of that medication and don’t have to deal with the side effects. This has been life changing for me.”

To learn more about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Wade’s Story: Restless Leg Syndrome & Dropfoot

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For most people, restless leg syndrome would be overwhelming enough to deal with by itself, but Wade had restless leg syndrome and dropfoot, a condition that makes it hard to lift your toes or move your feet from side to side. Here’s his story, and how one procedure solved both of his problems.

No Sleep, No Solutions

“Every night when it was time to sleep, my legs would start twitching and jerking, and it was a violent type of jerk that would wake up my wife. I would get up and walk around and stretch. It kept both of us awake  at night.”

Like many people struggling with restless legs, Wade searched for remedies online. “I don’t like to take medications or drugs, so I tried essential oils and magnesium oil, but nothing really worked,” Wade says.

Sick and Tired

Wade had dealt with these symptoms for nearly 6 years. He was having difficulty walking at work, experiencing sleep deprivation and didn’t want it get any worse.

Finally, he had enough. “You just think you have to live with something like this and so you learn to deal with it,” Wade says. “But finally you get sick and tired of being sick and tired and just decide to find a solution.”

Two Problems, One Treatment

Wade made an appointment to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and was pleased to find out that both his dropfoot and restless leg syndrome could be improved with one simple procedure.

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, explains “We believe that the source of both of these conditions comes from nerves becoming compressed in the legs. We perform nerve decompression surgery, and go in and open up those nerve tunnels, and many patients find relief from their symptoms very quickly after the surgery.”

The surgery takes about 45 minutes, and patients are able to walk the day after, so downtime is minimal. “I saw Dr. Anderson on a Monday, and was scheduled for surgery on Wednesday. I was just ready to get it done,” Wade says.

Intraoperative Nerve Monitor

Dr. Anderson says “We use an intraoperative nerve monitor that monitors progress during surgery, and it allows us to see how the nerve function is actually improving.”

The surgeon takes a baseline number of the nerve function before starting the surgery, and then again once surgery is complete and the nerve tunnels are open.

“For example, in Wade’s case, his baseline number was 11,976. By the end of the surgery it was 13,539, so we were able to tell him right after the surgery that his nerve function had improved,” says Dr. Anderson.

Watch Wade’s surgery in the video above.

Life Today

6 weeks after the surgery, Wade came in for an office visit. He reported that his dropfoot symptoms had already improved by 80-85% and his restless legs had improved by 90%.

“My wife and I can sleep through the night. I’m able to go for walks again and resume my normal activities,” says Wade.

His advice for others experiencing similar symptoms is this, “Don’t wait so long to take care of this. You don’t have to suffer and let your symptoms ruin your life. This can be fixed. Just make an appointment and see what they can do for you. My experience has been wonderful.”

To learn more about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Bonnie’s Story: Relief from Restless Leg Syndrome

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Sleep is one of those things that’s easy to take for granted. And then, suddenly, a beast called restless leg syndrome enters your life, and the whole world turns upside down. And now all you can think about is what you would give to get a good night’s rest.

The 20 Year Battle

For Bonnie Pederson, this battle had been going on for two decades. “About 20 years ago, I started having all the symptoms of restless leg syndrome,” says Bonnie. “Burning, tingling, numbness, the constant need to move, and pain especially on the inside and outside of my legs. There were very few nights I didn’t have at least one of these symptoms, and I was getting maybe 2-3 hours of a sleep a night, combined.”

No Diagnosis, No Relief

Determined to find an answer, Bonnie began going to a variety of doctors. “Back then, they really didn’t even have a diagnosis for it. They called it ‘nervous legs’ and there wasn’t really any known treatment or cure,” Bonnie recalls. “I went to a neurologist, a back doctor, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, a holistic medicine doctor, an orthopedic doctor…Then I tried medication, got a trainer, went through sleep tests etc.

I tried everything. Not to mention scouring the Internet for any remedies I could find. You finally just hit a wall where you start to accept that this is just your life.”

Finally, Hope

“I live in Las Vegas, and I worked with Anderson Podiatry Center as a contractor to help with office administration,” Bonnie explains. “One day, I came in for a business trip and mentioned that I was having a little trouble “ramping up” that day because I don’t typically sleep at night and it becomes hard to focus after awhile. Dr. Anderson began to tell me about the treatment he offers for restless leg syndrome and I was shocked. No one ever mentioned seeing a podiatrist to me before.”

A Breakthrough Treatment Option

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, says “We believe that the source of restless leg syndrome comes from nerves becoming compressed in the legs. We can go in and surgically open up these nerve tunnels to allow the nerves to return to their normal function. The procedure is outpatient, only takes about 40 minutes, and we have found that many patients are experiencing long lasting relief. They can sleep, get off their medications, or at least lower the dose, return to their normal activities, and it significantly improves their quality of life.”

restless leg syndrome
Bonnie (pictured right) with her daughter and granddaughter

My Life Today

After she had nerve decompression surgery in October 2016, Bonnie immediately noticed sensation returning to her feet. “I could tell the difference in temperature and texture, I knew if I was stepping on carpet or hard floors and if they were hot and cold, and I began to sleep for 5 hours a night,” Bonnie says. “Now, on average, I sleep for 7 hours every night. I can work full-time and sit at a desk without trouble. Now, I am back to walking and biking and hiking. Just sitting down to read a book, and going to see a movie with my daughter without having to get up and pace the back of the room is amazing.”

A Word of Wisdom

For other people struggling with restless leg syndrome and neuropathy, and it feels like there is no hope, Bonnie says this. “Just pick up the phone and call. You have to be willing to step outside the box and continue to try something else. This surgery is something that no one else knew about and as a result, I struggled with restless legs for more than 20 years. Now, I’m just trying to wrap my mind around how my whole life has changed.”

To watch our free webinar about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.