HN user
It's just an expression some of the doctors have used when talking with me, the costs haven't actually approached a million dollars. Basically, I've gone through all the tests and investigations the physicians can think of that might explain my neuropathy.
In terms of actual costs, it's totaled several thousand. This includes lab work, MRIs, seeing specialists, nerve tests, etc.
Please don't make the mistake I made! I was working my first software job, and I started developing tingling and numbness in my feet that would gradually move up my legs if I continued sitting throughout the day. I tried to ignore the symptoms and push through it, and after a few months the buzzing/tingling in my feet and lower legs became permanent. I now live with constant tingling in my lower extremities, and I've had to reconsider career choices. I simply can't sit normally in a chair anymore for any extended period of time, due to discomfort. A career where I'm on my feet moving around a significant portion of the time is probably best for me.
I have what is called small fiber neuropathy, and I can't say for sure that sitting caused it, but I am certain that sitting and trying to ignore the problem at least exacerbated the symptoms and allowed them to become permanent. Unfortunately, my neuropathy is idiopathic, meaning the cause is unknown despite a 'million dollar' workup involving multitudes of tests, imaging, and various specialists. It's still not completely clear whether my case is a circulatory problem, a nerve entrapment problem, or both.
While I don't think you necessarily need to give up a career in software, I urge you to prioritize your health! I developed depression, due to both the health problems and the realization that working in software may not be a good idea for me. I still feel a bit lost, and a bit bitter, but I've improved, and at the end of the day, my health is more important. If you continue to have pain, keep trying different ideas to try to correct the problem, and seek out help from others, including doctors, physical therapists, ergonomists, etc.