Why I wrote this Post
I decided to write this Post because the Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) symptoms were such a shock to my system and made me so worried that I felt I had to share with others who may be equally as frightened as I was when I felt those first pin prick sensations in my feet and legs. As my business isn't a huge moneymaker, I decided to partially monetise the post by adding my Amazon Affiliate links. I have a small Craft business and sometimes I have to branch out into different things to get by. There are also more of my Affiliate links throughout the Post that link to Amazon UK products related to Peripheral Neuropathy relief. I only added these links after this post went beyond 2,000 views.
Author Note: If after reading, you found this Blog Post to be beneficial and are going to buy from Amazon UK anyway, you might consider using one of my Amazon Affiliate links below. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases and I may receive some sort of credit for the time spent researching and writing this Post should you decide to purchase. You can read the entire Post and come back here for the link or you can choose any link below.  Revitive Circulation Booster Amazon UK
Buy Me a Coffee? If you feel I've Helped you a Little.....
Many people who read this blog post are in different countries around the world and I am not registered on Amazon in those countries. If you live outside Ireland & the UK and got some value from my effort to research and write this post; you may show your appreciation by maybe buying me a coffee using one of the links at the end of this post. A small gesture but very helpful to a small business like mine.
A Constantly Changing Condition
This Blog Post has been expanded with updates as I learn more about this condition and fall into the traps in life that make it worse. Due to the amount of new information I've learned I have decided to turn this into a rolling Blog Post. I know this Post is now a long read but please stick with it. I am writing from my own experiences here and you may need to know some things that I experienced if you are new to PN.
To try and make this post easier to view, I have added section links.
The Peripheral Neuropathy Issue - The Beginning
Some time before writing this Blog Post, I had the misfortune to develop pain, numbness, burning sensations and pins & needle stabbing sensations in both of my feet. It started out of the blue in one foot and by the next morning the other foot had identical symptoms. I also began to experience these sensations all over my body in completely random areas with varying pain and discomfort.
The pain from these pin prick sensations were so unlike anything I have ever experienced and made me so anxious that I rang my Doctor for an appointment that day. I'm normally the type of person that waits for an extreme pain event or something falling off before going to the Doctor but these sensations were bad enough and so worrying to make me want to go immediately.
Background, who am I to advise you?
After being pre-diabetic for a for about a year I became a Type 2 Diabetic during Covid in 2020 and this comes with a few negative side effects as anyone with this condition knows. Getting used to medication on a daily basis and removing items from my diet that I used to love is fairly rough going. Ongoing lack of energy and brain fog are another two symptoms that I developed and diabetics must come to terms with and will be familiar with these symptoms as time goes by.
Those symptoms paled in comparison with the Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) symptoms I started experiencing. I was aware of this being a complication of Diabetes but didn't think I would be bothered by anything even close until I was in my late 60s and beyond. In my late 40s I think this was a huge wake up call.
Pill Remedies for Peripheral Neuropathy
I desperately searched for medication and got lost in reviews and advice for various snake oils and vitamin supplements. Medical advice was leaning towards Vitamin D and B12 deficiencies with pain pills for pain management. My blood test revealed that B12 deficiency was not the issue and taking high dose vitamin D tablets didn't seem to resolve anything. Taking tablets long term, especially painkillers is not the healthiest way to treat something like this so I decided that circulation improvement was probably key in all this. Once that decision was made, I went looking for circulation boosters online.
Circulation Boosters
The vast majority of circulation boosters on Amazon were over the €100 mark but reviews were mixed. I find that reviews on Amazon can be very unhelpful at times as many people are usually for the the products and enough are against the product to make you hesitate in buying. A fantastic product can be marred by a few reviewers who are never happy with anything. Where is the real accurate information to be found. I was bothered by this so much I felt I had to write this Blog Post. Maybe it will help someone who is going through the same issues as I was.
I finally stumbled on the Revitive Circulation Booster. The price tag of €375 (at the time) made me very wary. Why was this device so much more expensive than others yet seemed so much less complicated? I went after every review I could find, visiting multiple websites in the process. There seemed to be mostly positive reviews on those websites with people finding great relief from poor circulation issues. Amazon had the usual negative people though so I had to discount many of those. I finally pulled the trigger and ordered one. Don't worry, they sell these in other countries beyond Ireland too, please read on.
Revitive, Finally Relief from Peripheral Neuropathy Pain
Any buyers remorse or skepticism of the Revitive Circulation Booster vanished after the first time I used the device. I will deal with its use in later paragraphs but for now I just wanted to share the fact that it worked. I'm not going to share the technical reasons for how it works, you'd be better off reading the technical information on the website where you are thinking of purchasing from. I'd only be rehashing manufacturers blurbs here and wasting your time. Please note that I bought the more expensive version with the digital display, see picture below. There is a cheaper Prohealth Version. I can't say how that one performs but I suspect it does most of what the more expensive one does but with a few less bells and whistles. You can find the ProHealth Version on Amazon UK here.
Baby Steps in the Beginning
I had to start low and build up slowly over the next few weeks to get used to the sensations but within days my PN symptoms were starting to becoming less obvious and my ankle and calf musculature were feeling much stronger. I write this blog post over a month after first using this device and I have reduced usage to one 30 minute session a day to maintain my gains. The sensations are not painful but if your setting is too high your muscles may contract painfully now and then. Take your time getting used to it and adjust down if it feels in any way more than you can handle. Don't feel that you need to rush to get results, by using this device on a lower setting you are still gaining benefit from it.
My First Impressions
The unit is very well designed and on first inspection the light weight of the unit might make you suspicious of quality. Fear not, it works and gives very powerful sensations right up to your knees. Surprisingly so! The rechargeable batteries are a fantastic addition to this machine. Charge at home and use it for a few days on battery mode is a fantastic plus for this machine.
A lot of the other circulation boosters I looked at had fixed electrical leads so you had to stay close to a socket to use. The Revitive Circulation Booster is 100% portable and can be set up to use in seconds. The rubber matting for under your feet is very comfortable but you may have to keep readjusting your feet position as the machine is working. The remote control is a blessing, especially for people with limited mobility or bigger mid sections. Just point and click to increase or decrease the intensity. From my own point of view it was great to finally have some relief from Peripheral Neuropathy pain with the added benefit of stronger calves and ankles.
How I tested the Revitive
I first charged the Revitive Circulation Booster unit for about 2 hours. I was a little impatient to see if I had wasted my money or not. I started the unit and was gradually increasing the intensity about 2 clicks at a time. When I got to 20 I had to stop as I thought my calf muscles would snap. Recommended settings for PN improvement is 40 and above and I thought I'd never reach that when the sensations at 20 were so powerful. I now know that it was because of muscle weakness which strengthens as you use this device.
I began with 2 x 30 minute sessions a day with a break of about 2 hours in between. Within a few days I was managing to get to levels above 30. The maximum sensations are normally in the first few minutes and again in the last 10 minutes but the sensations change all the time. The sensations are engaged for a few seconds with a relaxation break after and this keeps cycling during the operation time. If it is uncomfortable at any stage you can lower the intensity but it is the changing sensations that make this device so great.
At the time of writing, I use setting 58 fairly comfortably. The high sensations only last about 10 seconds before they calm down so try to go with them, they are less uncomfortable the more you use the device. You can always lift your feet off the device and it will automatically pause.
Added Note; Every time you stop using this unit for a few days or weeks your muscle tone will drop and you will have to build up at a lower setting once again. I had to go from setting 58 down to 36 or so after I took a break for over a week and try to build up again.
The Underside of the Revitive
The underside of the Revitive Circulation Booster unit is very simple. There are 4 grips to stop it from sliding and 2 pivot points which allow your muscles to move up and down. That's it, nothing complicated about it. I have hidden the barcode here for obvious reasons.
It Also has a Tens Function
The Revitive Circulation Booster also comes with a port for Tens patches so you can treat pain in other areas of the body. I have not tested this yet as my focus is primarily on my feet circulation problems. I may or may not use this feature as I already have a Tens Machine for pain relief. This is a nice bonus feature though.
Pros and Cons of the Revitive Circulation Booster
I could not find fault with this device at all. The only issue I have is that it keeps moving away from the chair as I'm using it. This is probably due to the fact that I use it on carpet. I'm sure I could find a rubber or yoga mat that might fix this. This is not a big issue anyway and I normally just pull the machine back towards the chair with my feet between active sensations.
You might find that some days the contact is less because your feet are dry. I don't normally have this issue because I use the Revitive Circulation Booster after my workouts when my skin is damp from perspiration. You can buy conductive gels but you may get the same result by wiping a damp cloth across the soles of your feet.
I tried Aloe Vera moisturiser after a review mentioned it was ok for conducting, it worked but my feet kept sliding off the unit. My view is that buying a conducting gel is an unnecessary expense.
Further Advice
If I'm going to take advice from anyone, I would like to get it direct from someone in the same boat as me. As a Diabetic and a sufferer of Peripheral Neuropathy, my experience might save you time, money and a bit of pain and lead you on a path to healing. The symptoms of PN are no joke when they start so if you are Diabetic or have age related circulation issues; prevention is better than cure!
The Revitive is not a 'Cure all' for this condition but it will aid in your recovery from the symptoms and prevent future problems in your lower legs. Remember, your toes are the furthest extremities away from your heart and are the first to suffer from Diabetic issues like low oxygenated Blood and lack of nutrients. Your feet and toes need both to survive! Amputation of toes and feet is the eventual outcome of untreated PN. Having already lost one of my big toes I can tell you that amputation is not fun in any way. This was from a motorcycle accident in the 90s and not related to Diabetes by the way.
Anyone Can use it! Additional Uses
Another Pro use, It can also be used by healthy sporty types for toning muscles while watching TV. In fact, anyone in your home can use the device to strengthen their lower legs and improve circulation. If you are sitting down for more than 30 minutes then you have no excuse not to use it!
Please Note: Revitive Circulation Booster®, including Medic Knee should not be used by people who are: Fitted with an electronic implanted device such as a heart pacemaker or Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD) Being treated for, or have the symptoms of, an existing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pregnant.
Revitive Buyers Remorse?
As a few people have typed in 'any Buyers remorse after buying Revitive?' on my search function I thought I'd better address it. I've had no buyers remorse whatsoever. None! The price tag did concern me initially but the relief it provided after a number of sessions more than made up for it. Sometimes you need tools in life to help you and this is one of those essentials. Even if you don't suffer from PN, it can aid recovery from sports or fitness injuries or help keep you toned and therefore benefit you long term.
In Conclusion
Don't worry about the price, I did to begin with but I went ahead with the purchase anyway. I now believe it was worth every single penny. I bought the unit in Boots Ireland, you are free to buy the unit anywhere you wish. I have added my Amazon UK Affiliate link throughout this blog post, so I may receive a credit should you make a purchase there. If you enjoyed reading this post and normally buy from Amazon UK then it would help me out too. If you'd prefer not to go that way, I have a 'Buy me a Coffee?' link below.
Check out the Revitive Circulation Booster Please note, prices are subject to change.
If you are suffering from PN, I hope this device brings the same relief to you as it did to me. If this review has helped, I would love to hear from you in the comments below. All the Best, David
First Addendum After Writing this Blog Post
While I was getting these PN foot pains I was also getting a kind of squeezing, contracting pain in the toes of my left foot while sitting down. This was down to reduced circulation and was hard to ignore. Even warm slippers failed to relieve the pain. This was all during Summertime so imagine what the Winter was going to be like.
I searched for anything I could wrap around my foot while sitting down watching TV. I could not find anything suitable until I eventually came across a Foot Cast Sock on Amazon UK. I initially ordered the XL but found that far too big. I then ordered the next one down, size L and that seemed to fit much better. I bought a second one soon after. I wear these anytime I feel any bit of cold. If you struggle with the same thing, maybe these will work for you. I'm a UK size 11 shoe and the L is loose fitting for me. Try a size down from your normal size, you can always send it back. There are no grips underneath so they are not suitable for walking around the house but they help keep your feet warm while sitting down. I hope that helps!
Medical Check-up after Symptoms first appear
Maybe I should have pushed this paragraph further up but it needs to be said somewhere. If you are experiencing Peripheral Neuropathy, your first stop should be to a Doctor to get a blood test. This will rule out any mineral deficiencies or any more serious illnesses that you need to know about. A circulation Booster is a great health aid regardless but getting a Check-Up will give you piece of mind.
Walking Helps Neuropathy Symptoms
You've probably heard that 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week is vital for your health. Hard to do if you are a busy person isn't it? I recently talked with another diabetic and told them how difficult I find it to use my Concept 2 rowing machine during the week. I'm ok at the start of the week but struggle to do it later in the week. His advice to me was to go for a daily walk or use a treadmill for 30 mins instead everyday. If you can't do 30 minutes, do whatever you can. 5 or 10 minutes is better than nothing at all.
My treadmill belt slips for the first 2 minutes or so which is the reason I stopped using it some time ago.
I hate going outside for a walk, always seemed pointless to me even if it is a healthy activity. I've had to force myself to use it regardless. Update: I'm delighted to say that I have since fixed the treadmill slipping by opening up the front and tightening the small drive belt. I presume that this was incorrectly done in the factory as it always slipped since the day I assembled it at home.
I started using the treadmill everyday at a 2.5 incline and 5.7km/hr. 6km/hr was causing some knee pain so I backed off a bit. The incline causes a good sweat after 10 mins or so and does burn off sugar in the body, this continues after exercising. PN symptoms will become less severe after a few days no matter what part of the body is affected. You are oxygenating your blood and pushing blood out to the starving nerves which counteracts the PN symptoms. You will feel better both physically and psychologically after your exercise. A treadmill session with music or TV on in the background will distract you and make it easier. If you like the outdoors, go for a walk in a park but push yourself a little more than your normal walking speed for best benefit. I definitely felt an improvement by bringing walking back into my exercise plan, hopefully it will work for you too.
Additional Note after using Revitive for a few months
Now that I have been using this device for a few months I felt a little update was in order. I still experience the benefits of using the Revitive Circulation Booster although I might miss a day here and there and sometimes I leave it longer. One 30 minute session a day is all that is required to maintain my feet and calves in top condition and this can be done while watching TV. The device still performs perfectly although I have something new to report.
I have been using the Revitive daily on battery mode without connecting the charging cable, I generally don't like electrical devices connected to my body for obvious reasons even though this was designed to be used for both battery and mains use. After more than 3 sessions on battery mode I felt that the sensations were not as powerful as when the battery was at full charge. It still felt like it was doing something and I initially dismissed the issue.
I recommend you limit it to 2 or 3 uses on battery mode and then recharge the unit. This way you will get the best benefit from it. Someone else might not notice the weaker sensations but I definitely did. I thought maybe my feet were not conducting the signals properly at the time but I used it with a full charge after that and it was back to normal again. I hope this helps!
Another Update
Wow, I can't believe the views I'm receiving for this post. Dozens of countries all around the globe and everyone reading the full post too. I'm honoured! I have added a new update below.
Incrediwear Neuropathy Compression Socks
I thought I'd mention another product which is available in many countries I believe. Incrediwear Circulation Socks. Looking after your circulation through exercise, diet and circulation boosters is great but what about when you are sitting down doing nothing or lying in bed? Again I researched solutions without much success, each product promising the sun, moon and stars.
I have been using Incrediwear Knee Sleeves for exercise and knee pain management for some time and recently found out that they sell circulation socks as well. I was a bit skeptical about them being better than ordinary socks, especially when they cost about €25 a pair. I ordered a set of the ankle and crew socks to test them out and see for myself.
They worked. I still needed the large sock cover while watching TV on cold evenings. I wore the socks to bed each night and woke up to very warm feet and no pains. I don't know if it's just me but they feel a bit odd when being worn. Maybe that's the material encouraging blood flow, it's not uncomfortable; just an odd sensation and certainly far more manageable than poor circulation pains. I have since ordered another 6 pairs so I can wash them in turn and always have clean socks to wear. I still wear ordinary white sports socks for work during most days, I'm always active at work so my feet don't have time to be cold. I prefer the ankle socks for home and in bed on cold nights, the crew socks I wear outside from time to time.
FYI: I have no affiliation with Incrediwear, I have been buying their products for years and find them to be very good quality and they relieve pain. Feel free to judge for yourself or not. I have added a link to Amazon UK for Incrediwear here
Comments
I was working on my website recently, I had been wondering why I never get comments on my Blog Posts and I discovered why. Comments were visible but disabled for most readers. I have now changed the settings to allow everyone to comment. If the Blog was helpful to you, please let me know.
A Cautionary Tale - Buying a Cheaper Alternative
June 2024. I recently noticed that someone bought another brand regular foot massager via my Amazon Affiliate link on this post and was delighted to see a small credit to my Affiliate account. That person read my post, went to Amazon and bought a much cheaper product than the Revitive. I didn't mind at all. Unfortunately, that same person returned the machine just over a week later. The credit I received was taken off my account almost immediately and I was fairly bummed about it. I have no idea if the person then decided to go for the Revitive as they didn't use my link after that. Buy cheap and regret!
Something for your next Holiday?
I seem to be getting hits from outside Ireland on this Blog. If you ever find yourself on holiday in the South West of Ireland, maybe you'd like to try out one of my Woodturning Experiences?
Twelve Months On Update
I thought people might appreciate a review update 12 months on from purchasing the Revitive. I've had 2 occasions over the last year where the PN pains and aches came back briefly. One was worse than the other but both occasions were very unwelcome experiences. Why did the PN pains come back?
My blood sugar was obviously higher than normal both times over an extended period.
I was fatigued and overtired from work for a few weeks each time.
Diet had slipped a bit or a lot, I'm not sure. Not just for one or two days either.
Exercise was missed because I was too busy working and too tired in the evenings.
I had not kept up using the Revitive on a regular basis.
What did I do to resolve? First, I started using the Revitive twice a day to get the strength and circulation back up to par and after a few days went back to one session a day when I was around the 50 mark again on the Revitive. I had to cut out anything I shouldn't have been eating and made a point to exercise even if it was just for 10 mins or so. Again, the Revitive proved that it was so worth having as the symptoms were gone after a week or so. I'm reminded of the old advice, prevention is better than the cure! If you bought the Revitive and have slackened your use like I did, dust it off a few times a week and try and keep those benefits going!
Oops, I slipped Again
September 2024. Another few months on from my 12 month update. Unfortunately, I went backwards a bit with my diet and exercise. A busy Summer work schedule and being too tired in the evenings is largely to blame but I shouldn't really have excuses at this stage. The PN came back with a vengeance along with some new and worse sensations. As well as using the Revitive twice a day once again, I had to get back on the treadmill walking for an hour a day. After 3 days I developed open blister cuts on one of my feet. I used Non Adherent Absorbent Dressings fixed with surgical tape to wrap my foot but I had to come up with a way of washing/soaking my feet with Epsom Salts. The full bath was a waste of water so I found a Large Foot Bath on Amazon UK which turned out to be great. As a Diabetic, footcare long term is absolutely essential and I consider this another wise investment in my immediate future. I may splash out for one of those fancy electric Foot Spas later on but this will do for now. I am also trying out these new Metatarsal Pads because I am also having ball of foot issues on both feet from all the extra walking. I will let you know if they worked in a week or so.
Foot Neuropathy is an early Warning Signal
For those that don't know yet, Peripheral Neuropathy pains start in one or both feet first and then generally spread to nerves all over the body. I know this now because this has happened to me several times over the past year. Once they start, you should immediately go about removing the root causes, (cut out sugary products or salty takeaways) and go exercise as much as you can as soon as you can. Sweat as much as you can stand and this will help. The PN symptoms in the feet I've found are an early warning system that your body needs to change something, quick!
Will a Hot Water Bottle Cure my Peripheral Neuropathy?
In short, no it won't. I recently had a chat with someone who wanted to cure their PN symptoms with Hot Water Bottles on their feet instead of buying an expensive machine like the Revitive. Their reasoning was that their symptoms were instantly relieved by the heat and that therefore was a cheaper alternative. I had to correct them immediately. Yes, the heat offers relief from the symptoms but does absolutely nothing to help the root cause of PN. I often use hot water bottles myself, especially on cold nights but you need to strengthen and exercise your legs and feet together so that your body keeps your blood vessels open & healthy and keeping nutrients and oxygen going to your extremities. In health, it is a bad idea to treat symptoms alone and leave the cause as is. Sitting idle with a hot water bottle on your feet isn't going to be the next exercise craze so it doesn't make sense to think this way. Exercise, use a Revitive and you can still use a hot water bottle for relief afterwards!
Ads are Going Soon (they are now gone)
I used to run ads on my website but they were slowing things down and generally annoying everyone. I have since removed them in favour of the 'Buy me a Coffee?' button.
If you didn't use the Amazon Affiliate links in this post but found it interesting or helpful at all, you could maybe use the 'Buy me a Coffee' link below and make a gesture that way. There's no pressure though it all counts and is always appreciated! My business isn't a huge moneymaker so I have to bring in supplementary income where I can. Thank You!
Thank you. Very helpful review. I was recently diagnosed with PN. I already had the Revitive, but rarely used for the past few years. Now I will!
useful