I have been enduring 9 years of pain hell, associated with CIDP. Burning/freezing toes and feet, deep aching in the lower legs, and electrical zingers, which can be searing. I've done everything my primary doc has recommended, including gaba, Lyrica, and oxy, Mayo Clinic recheck, pain psych, additional discussions with neuros and pain specialists, acupuncture, and a small TENS unit (which did not produce any sensation at all).
Finally, my mom asked if I had tried marijuana. I did it when I was younger, but not for medical reasons. My pain the past 9 months has been nearly unbearable. I am afraid I will have to retire several years early. I am afraid I will become housebound. I avoid driving and shopping as much as possible. I can't even prepare my own food, as the small moves I make in the kitchen, including turning around 180 degrees, trying to balance a number of refrigerator items in my arms, hoping to reduce the amount of walking I do. I would carefully sequence the way that I would carry items back to the dining room table. This finally became so painful to do, that I started eating mostly cereal (except when my wife brought home dinner at night).
Feeling that I have permission from my mom, I drove to another state and bought nearly an ounce of MJ. I went back to the hotel room, and took two puffs. Within 15 minutes, my toes warmed up, then my feet, and on up to the lower legs. I hadn't felt this good in 9 years.
After a month, I can say with great confidence that this has given me more relief, and quicker, too, than anything I have experienced or encountered before. I notice that I am able to walk from room to room without have to sit down at each stop. Also, I had thought that my pain was confined to the lower legs, but after a week, I realized that my upper legs felt better than they had in a very long time. I guess other pain had been more at the fore and I just hadn't sorted it out yet.
I smoke it, as I feel that I have experience with that, but with or two puffs every hour, the smell isn't strong enough for my wife to know when I have used it.
I hope that what I have written, above, helps others. Just because our docs don't recommend it doesn't mean that it can't offer relief.