BillO Loc: Eastern Shore Maryland

Hi

I have been trying Cannabidiol (CBD) oil.
Yes non-intoxicating marijuana extract.
It is legal in Maryland and sold over the counter in pharmacies. I discussed it with my doctor who agreed I should give it a try, he saw no down side even with my ( type 2) diabetes.
I've been using it for over a month and it has almost eliminated my toe numbness and the night foot burning andhas helped with my sciatica . I sleep much better too.
There is much info about it on legitimate websites but most warn that it has not been fully clinically tested.
I intend to keep using it. It has helped.
My wife is using it too. She just had a 3 vertebrae spinal fusion and it has helped her as well.

Of course, you need to do your own research and discuss it with your doctor, and if it is legal where you live.
It does NOT give you any kind of high!

Good luck
Bill

donb17

I, too, am 73. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) when I was 60. It has effectively destroyed my balance. I also can only walk a few hundred yards at a time. I need to sit frequently (i.e., most of the time) and even standing for long periods (i.e., more than 10-20 minutes) is out of the question. I'm still able to drive (using hand controls) and walk up and down stairs (a couple of flights); I, like you, also find going up stairs easier than going down. I use a cane to walk.

My wife and I travel quite a bit, but now long trips are mostly ocean cruises. I don't take a tripod when I travel, but have considered getting a monopod. When I can't sit down to take a photograph and have to stand, I try to find something to lean against - a wall, fence, or even a street sign. When even those are not around, my wife (who fortunately has great balance) provides support by holding my cane and a shoulder to lean on (or really to provide a stable point of reference) while I shoot.

It ain't easy, but it gets me through. From this thread, it sounds like there are a lot of us.

drc023 Loc: North Little Rock, Arkansas

.
Last fall I attempted to do a photo shoot of my grandkids in a nature setting and my balance was so bad I either had to lean against a tree or have my 12 year old grandson prop me up.
I've got to try using the vitamins noted in your post. I have the same problems with balance and shooting pins & needle type pain in my left foot and lower leg. At 70 I'm just now getting over foot surgery on my right foot with enough metal in it to put TSA in a panic. Atrophy from both neurapathy and being off my feet for the past four months has made my balance much worse. Gabapentin 600 mg 3x/day helps with pain and fortunately it doesn't cause me to have any drowsiness. I'm hoping the PT I started a few weeks ago will help with both balance and strength. I know this will sound odd but one thing that also helps me to control the pain flares is a deep breath and slowly exhale while at the same time repeating the same thing over and over in my mind such as tall/short, black/white or wet/dry. Basically anything to divert my attention from the pain. Extra strength acetaminophen also helps. The combination of aging, type II diabetes and DPN is a b****h but it's still better than the alternative.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Our ability to remain upright is a pretty amazing thing. Perhaps understanding it will help you figure something out. We use three mechanisms to be able to stay upright - to know what way is up and what way is down. ONE: visual cues - you can see the floor/ground, walls, etc. TWO: our inner ear tells us when we are moving and what direction we are going, and perhaps helps figure out what way gravity is pulling us. THREE: "proprioception" - Our brain gets constant feedback from our peripheral nerves about where our hands are and where our feet are, how much pressure is on our feet, if we are leaning and putting more pressure on one foot than the other, the front of the feet, etc.

The key is that TWO out of those three have to be working for us to be able to stand upright and to walk without falling down. So - the most common consequence of this is when someone has neuropathy and their feet are numb, they need to always have a nightlight on - getting up in the dark can result in a bad fall.

So - what you are trying to do is to take your eyes off the ground or horizon at the same time you are standing - in your case this will be the recipe for a fall. So - how can you compensate? Assuming that your inner ears are working and that you do not have vertigo as well... You need to either not take your eyes away from the ground/horizon - hard to take good photos that way - or find another way to feel the ground (or a wall). The best solution is to figure out a way to get feedback that your feet aren't giving you. A monopod may help, but having just one point of contact with the ground might not be enough. Sitting is probably the most rational answer - taking a sturdy walker with a seat that you could sit on when you need to put your camera up to your eye would be a big help. If there is a wall of fence that you could lean against, that would probably work for you as well.

Johnnyparkrat

Who knew there were so many of us. I am almost 76 with bad neuropathy from chemo for my Stage lV metastatic kidney cancer and prostate cancer; also bad unrelenting pain from nerve damage from three operations on one foot. Sold my big Nikon equip. and went to light Olympus OMD em10 ll with 5 way shake compensation. Big help using unipod and light Lumix and Olympus lenses.

donb17

Those 3 things are necessary to determine HOW to maintain your balance, but to actually maintain it requires the ability to control your various core and leg (and sometimes other) muscles in a precise, rapid, coordinated way. That's a big part of what I’m missing.

Leon S Loc: Minnesota

I also have a form of neuropathy which affects my ability to walk and stand up. I'm now 73 but worked part time until I was 55 as a down hill ski instructor. My balance was extremely good but it started to go bad at about at age 65. Fortunately my wife doesn't seem to mind helping me when I can't do things like pick up things on the floor. Today I tried to put food in our dog's dish and ended up on the kitchen floor. I try not to go outside this time of the year because Minnesota is nothing but ice and or snow. So far the only drugs I now take aside from B-12, baby aspirin, vitamins, and Metformin. However between the Metformin and a heated mattress pad, I've almost eliminated the nightly pain in my feet. The problem seniors have is that were not going to get any younger and our only hope is to find ways to deal with our problems and not give up the things we love.

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

Two of my many conditions are neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy -have taken gabapetin and tramadol for years. Check these meds w/your doc.

PlayhousePhotography

Hi! I know someone who has managed to control his similar issues with supplements and he's really helped a lot of others. His name is Bob Diamond & his Facebook group is: Solutions to Peripheral Neuropathy Pain & Discomfort. I commend you for not giving up your photography & finding solutions! Good luck!

carlbsc

God Bless all of you guys. What an inspiration you are with you commitment not to let your heath issues defeat you. I'm 86 and suspect I may have to someday face a physical challenge, but having read your messages they will only strengthens my resolve. Thanks.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

I thought I was alone it my whatever I have, can't walk very far, loss of balance and teetering on the edge of falling on my face. I have had two operations on my right leg, six incisions each for vein bypass, it has been
over three months and I feel that is plenty of time to heal, but I still can't walk without feeling like I am going to fall on my face. After I read all these responses I see that I am not alone and in very good company.
For what ever it worth, thanks guy, I feel much better to know that I am not alone.

brooklyn-camera I Loc: Brooklyn, NY

Who knew that by me posting this that there would be so many others in the same boat. Guess it just the golden years catching up to us? I worked till age 62 as an electrician and used ladders all day long. I noticed at age 56-57 that I wasn't that steady as I once was when working of tall A ladders or baker stands. Now I even purchased the Little Giant wide step ladder for around the apartment, it's a three footer. Even using this and I need to change out a lamp or the kitchen florescent it's a project and a half. I must admit that this condition really does SUCK!

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

After reading the responses I guess I'm not as bad off as I thought. As a result of surgery, however, I did lose feeling in one foot and that has not helped my balance. When I was younger I would stand with my feet at about shoulder width and I still do that. I found however that in recent years I would lose balance with the tendency to fall forward or backwards. Sooo, now I maintain a good foot width from side-to-side BUT I also stand with one foot ahead and one foot back. It has really helped my stability when I posture myself that way. And finally, recognizing my limitations, if I try to shoot the moon, I sit on a chair that I drag with me. Good luck and keep shooting.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I guess misery loves company. Ditto on the type 2 diabetes and neuropathy. And ditto on the CBD oil. Don't care if it's legal wherever I happen to be, I always have a supply. These days you can usually find it sourced from hemp instead of cannabis and it's legal most places because there is zero THC.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'm 64 and having balance issues too when looking through a camera view finder. I'm not sure if it has much to do with neuropathy. I have gouty arthritis and a weak heart with AFib. I also have a lot of neuropathy in my feet and some in my hands. Not sure of how that relates, but I also have general muscle weakness. I can't seem to hold a camera steady any longer when standing. I find I have to be seated to take photographs. I do a little better when shooting indoors in my living room. Wow, year ago I could shoot a mechanical film camera at 1/15 sec handheld. Now I need a tripod or to sit down or I'm wobbling all over. I'm pretty much done with stairs too.

I feel your pain. I think I may need an electric cart to get around in and be able to shoot from in a seated position. I'd like to be able to continue doing photography in National and State Parks and other places. Otherwise I've had to bring a chair or shoot from my car seat.

Back in the Fall of 2017 I took a nasty fall. Tripped over a footing in a small city park and went down with two cameras around my neck -- one digital, one film. I held the cameras close to my body as I went to the ground. The cameras were none the worse but I fell on gravel not pavement, dirt, or grass. Got a knee pretty torn up as well as an elbow. I could not get up so there I sat bleeding as my Cell phone was in the car and not in my camera bag. Another elderly couple with some effort managed to get me on to a bench. I later drove myself to my doctor's office. Lesson: don't go photographing alone! When I was young(er) and more foolish I used to sometimes go hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains alone. Mountain Lions, Bears, Rattlesnakes and all.