What you are about to read is not a paid endorsement; it’s not even a requested endorsement. I’ve not talked to anyone at the company at all. I simply want to share my experience because finally, something worked. After all the tests and the doctor’s visits, I haphazardly came across something that helped one of my biggest complaints. Were the experience not personal and dramatic I would have looked upon this as pseudo-science. Please keep that in mind as you read.
One of the biggest issues I’ve had over the past three years is neuropathy in my left leg, hip, and even up into my arm. The pain was present before the Leukemia diagnosis but became significantly more pronounced once I started chemo. Life was neither comfortable nor pleasant.
The doctors, especially the neurologist, tried to find out the cause and came up with nothing. They felt it had to be a neurological problem but all the tests kept coming back negative or irrelevant. At my last neurologist appointment in December, I was told the pain was something I’d have to live with for now. The chemo prevented any more invasive tests. They prescribed. 600 mg Gabapentin three times a day and you can be sure I didn’t miss a dose. I’d been on chemo for a year by this point and was settled into the idea that life was going to be miserable.
In January I made my annual trip to the Home Show, not because we’re planning any projects or anything, but because it’s fun seeing what new-fangled gadgets and approaches there are to making homes better. This is just one of the things I like to do.
As I was making my way through the massive number of displays, I came across a gentleman alone in a bare-bones booth who didn’t seem to be having the best day. Maybe he wasn’t feeling well or was running late, or some other problem. He didn’t have much of a display set up but he did have a chair and by this point, I’d been walking enough that I needed to sit for a minute.
I said hello and he responded kindly. He noticed my cane and asked what problems I had walking. I explained my situation and he invited me to sit down in his chair, exactly what I wanted. He began telling me about the product he was selling: a shoe insole that used a new technology to address leg and back pain. He mentioned that it felt like walking on bubbles (it does) and that it is surprisingly effective in reducing pain.
I considered the fact that the insoles currently in my boots had been there for over a year and decided to give it a try. When he saw that my current insoles were arch supports, though, he suggested I put them back in because what he was going to sell me didn’t have the arch support. He put the first one on top of the arch support and I tried it out. The feeling was definitely different and at first, I was a little concerned that the bubbly feeling might cause some balance issues. I decided “What the heck, might as well give it a shot” and buy a pair. It seemed unlikely that the insoles would do any worse than anything else we’d tried.
Three weeks or so passed before I realized that I was taking less Gabapentin. The pain was dramatically increased. While I still have balance issues (another problem altogether), I wasn’t experiencing the never-ending pain that kept me from ever being comfortable. Two months in, and it’s now rare that I have to take the pain meds. Success!
The company name is Happy Feet. They’re out of Florida and no, I haven’t checked their political position (something I consider secondary to actual results). They have different insoles that focus on different particular problems, so it might be worth talking to them before making a purchase. Mine are pretty standard: shock absorbers for normal activity, stand, walk, and work.
Please note that they are not a cure-all. Arthritis has been kicking in with the recent storms. Yesterday afternoon, my bones were in extreme pain. Since I wasn’t getting out of bed, no insole was going to help. They also haven’t had any effect on the neuropathy that has annoyed my left foot for eleven years. Still no clue from anyone as to what’s going on there.
What I like is that this solution is non-invasive, doesn’t put any additional drugs into my body, and doesn’t require being refilled every month. The downside is that since it’s an over-the-counter product insurance won’t pay for it. The price at the home show was a reasonable $30, but online it’s closer to $50 plus shipping. Worth it? In my opinion, yes, but the price makes it a challenge for anyone on a fixed income.
There you go, my product endorsement. It worked wonders for me. It may not work at all for someone else. No guarantees from me.
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