Posted Today 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
As far as I know ADT does not, directly, cause peripheral neuropathy as you describe but it may contribute indirectly.
My understanding is that there are two typical causes of peripheral neuropathy: diabetes/poor blood sugar control and a shortage of a particular form of vitamin B-12.
Excess glucose in your blood can damage your nerves. This sort of damage is not generally reversible but proper control of your blood sugar can halt progression of the problem. Some studies have linked ADT to an increased tendency to develop diabetes but I seem to recall that more-recent studies have not found that relationship to be significant. So watch your blood sugar.
The other frequent -- but slightly less frequent -- cause is a shortage of a particular form of vitamin B-12 that is needed to maintain the myelin that wraps your nerves. This is either malabsorption or a genetic inability to convert vitamin B-12 to a particular active state. Several medications inhibit the absorption of B-12. Proton pump inhibitors (heartburn drugs) are often part of the problem. The good news is that if you restore the proper levels of the proper type of B-12 the neuropathy will sometimes actually get better.
A neurologist can work you up, determining the degree of your neuropathy and testing to see if an underlying problem can be found. But, a word of caution... be ready for the neurologist to tell you that you've got it and there isn't much that can be done. Aside from the B-12 magic that only works sometimes and only for some patients, there aren't a lot of effective treatments.