Pain with Diabetes/IR-Anyone else?

[Pattyannruss]

A little known or talked about issue with Diabetes is Diabetic Neuropathy.
Many long term SC memebers are aware of my journey through pain hell.
I have yet to find a doctor that can answer my questions. It seems my issues are too complicated for them to break through.

I have a detailed "journal" of symptoms and issues I have faced over the last 6 years.
Most of this came on very fast. So the doctors are at a loss as how to treat me.
I show most of the classic signs of Diabetes, includding Neuropathy. But thankfully I don't have Diabetes. I am still only IR. My pain is not limited to hands and feet. I have it in every muscle and tendon. Some days are better than others, but life is being severly affected by it all. They recently DX me with Fybermyalga(sp?) and mild sleep apnea. I was only told if we can get better sleep for me I should see a reduction in pain.

I guess my concernes are what can I do next?
My assortment of pain is hard to explain to others. I have an all over discomfort that feels like I run a fever all the time. Very achey.

Then specific but seperate issues are a cramp/spasm/pulled muscle pain in the front of my theighs. They accur in the same place and during the same activities each time. Usually not to both legs at the same time. I suspect it is a pinched nerve/s of some type.(Main stump of the doctors) Imagine the worse charlie horse cramp ever. Now multiply it by 10 and have it progress like a menstral cramp.(Come on slow, intensify and hold...then it goes away usually when I elevate the effected leg)

I also have a simular issue in my low back,mid back and the muscle under my right jaw.
The one under my right jaw really freaks me out. I have had my jaw, neck and that muscle lock up to the point of having problems breathing. It does the same thing to my mid back. If I reach in specific ways, I lock up and can not breath(constricts my ribs) I literally freeze in place and can not move until it passes.

The only "normal" neuropathy symptoms I have is the pain in my right foot/ankle that is discribed to be more restless leg than anything.

I guess I just need to know others that have simular issues.
My husband is clueless and just doesn't understand why at times I can't "get off my butt to do anything". If I hear "You just need to make yourself get up and_______ then you can feel better" I am going to go postal.
If it were him, he would be whining daily. (I don't say anything)

Here is one site I found during my search. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
http://www.diabetes.org/type-2-diabe...neuropathy.jsp

The American Diabetes Association Neuropathy area is sponsored by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer.





Nerves send messages to and from your brain about pain, temperature and touch. They tell your muscles when and how to move. They also control body systems that digest food and pass urine. About half of all people with diabetes have some form of nerve damage. It is more common in those who have had the disease for a number of years. Nerve damage from diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy (new-ROP-uh-thee). It can lead to many kinds of problems.









Diabetic Neuropathy Checklist

Diabetic Neuropathy Public Service Announcements

Diabetic Neuropathy content in Spanish

Additional Specific Types of Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic Neuropathy Campaign Video News Release










But if you keep your blood glucose levels on target, you may help prevent or delay nerve damage. There are treatments that can help as well.

What types of nerve damage can occur?



There are two common types of nerve damage. The first is sensorimotor (sen-so-re-MO-tor) neuropathy, also known as peripheral (puh-RIF-uh-rul) neuropathy. This can cause tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in your feet and hands.

The second is called autonomic (aw-toh-NOM-ik) neuropathy. This type can lead to:

digestive problems such as feeling full, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
problems with how well your bladder works
problems having sex
dizziness or faintness
loss of the typical warning signs of a heart attack
loss of the warning signs of low blood glucose
increased or decreased sweating
changes in how your eyes react to light and dark
People with diabetes can also have what is called focal (FOH-kal) neuropathy. In this kind of nerve damage, a nerve or a group of nerves is affected, causing sudden weakness or pain. It can lead to double vision, a paralysis on one side of the face called Bell's palsy, or pain in the front of the thigh or other parts of the body.

People with diabetes also are at risk for compressed nerves. Something in the body presses against a nerve preventing it from sending a signal. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of numbness and tingling in the fingers and can lead to muscle pain and weakness as well. Nerve damage can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Symptoms can be very mild. Knowing the symptoms to look for and reporting them to your health care team can help. Make a list of your symptoms or use the checklists in this brochure. Your doctor will give you an exam and a number of tests to check for nerve damage.

What You Can Do If You Have Diabetic Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)



There's a lot you can do to prevent or delay nerve damage. And, if you already have diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), these steps can prevent or delay further damage and may lessen your symptoms.

Keep your blood glucose levels in your target range.

Meal planning, physical activity and medications, if needed, all can help you reach your target range. There are two ways to keep track of your blood glucose levels:

Use a blood glucose meter to help you make decisions about day-to-day care



Get an A1C test (a lab test) at least twice a year to find out your average blood glucose for the past 2 to 3 months
Checking your blood glucose levels will tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working or whether changes are needed.

Report all possible signs of diabetic neuropathy.



If you have problems, get treatment right away. Early treatment can help prevent more problems later on. For example, if you take care of a foot infection early, it can help prevent amputation.



Take good care of your feet. Check your feet every day. If you no longer can feel pain in your feet, you might not notice a foot injury. Instead, use your eyes to look for problems. Use a mirror to see the bottoms of your feet. Use your hands to feel for hot or cold spots, bumps or dry skin. Look for sores, cuts or breaks in the skin. Also check for corns, calluses, blisters, red areas, swelling, ingrown toenails and toenail infections. If it's hard for you to see or reach your feet, get help from a family member or foot doctor.



Protect your feet. If your feet are dry, use a lotion on your skin but not between your toes. Wear shoes and socks that fit well and wear them all the time. Use warm water to wash your feet, and dry them carefully afterward.



Get special shoes if needed. If you have foot problems, Medicare may pay for shoes. Ask your health care team about it.



Be careful with exercising. Some physical activities are not safe for people with neuropathy. Talk with a diabetes clinical exercise expert who can guide you.
Related Links


Amputee Coalition of America

[sheila32]

I think all sisters with IR and without should be aware of diabetic neuropathy.

[Saille]

Have you tried ALA for your neuropathy? Alpha Lipoic Acid? A lot of the folks on the Type 2 board at the American Diabetes Association's website have used it with high success rates.

I have no input on the rest.....

[sheila32]

I am going to look into Alpha Lipoic Acid and check out the ADA message boards, thanks!

[Iluvthesun]

Geez, it seems like I learn something new about PCOS everyday.