Linda McIntosh, RN serves on the Board of Directors for the Neuropathy Support Network and is a tireless worker on behalf of neuropathy patients and health care professionals in the State of Connecticut.
Linda has conducted many meetings to reach the professional community in her area, as well as neuropathy patients and has distributed posters to support the NSN and the outreach of the DVD, “Coping with Chronic Neuropathy”.
While suffering and coping with several forms of neuropathy and cancer, she goes beyond her symptoms to find meaning in sharing her wisdom with other neuropathy patients and to raise awareness of our neuropathy battle.
Her question to the doctor was:
I am a 66-year-old retired nurse with a rare non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma called “Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia.” As a result of this cancer, I have a very painful polyneuropathy. My neuropathy was made worse by the chemotherapy I was receiving. Additionally, I managed to develop shingles. The oncologist treating me stopped my chemotherapy immediately, and told me I cannot get chemo for at least a year, maybe longer. Can the shingles return upon restarting the chemotherapy? I have received two courses of an antiviral medication (valacyclovir) to treat the shingles; but the neuropathic pain is still difficult to manage and my quality of life is worsening as a result.
To view the complete answer from click on her name Dr. Lisa R. Witkin. Dr. Witkin is a board-certified anesthesiologist specializing in interventional pain management. (See Interventional Pain Management)
