Can Diabetes Lead to Arthritis???

[Richard157]

I could not find a forum for diabetes complications except the one for eyes. There should be one for kidneys, and one for "Other Complications".

Twenty years ago I was told by an arthritis specialist that my newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was caused by my diabetes. I had had Type 1 for over 40 years at that time. I wonder if doctors would still say this now. Here is a site I have been reading:

NFB - Arthritis and Diabetes: A Common Association (http://www.nfb.org/nfb/arthritis_and_diabetes.asp?SnID=633617762)

Have any of you who have both diabetes and arthritis been told that your diabetes caused your arthritis?

Richard

[Jan B]

Hi Richard,

My doctor told me the diabetes likely made my arthritis worse than it would have been. I'm not so sure mine is due to the diabetes because my maternal grandfather was so severly afflicted -- he had to retire from farming at age 40. My mother has OA and RA. Neither of them are/were diabetic.

I just started using a specially formulated compound called Trigger Gel. My doctor is hoping it works well enough I can come off, or at least minimize the 1000mg/day of Naproxen.

[Mich]

Hi Richard,

Some observations I've made over the years:

Diabetes and some forms of Arthritis are both caused by auto immune problems. They don't know how to fix those yet without serious side effects.

Glycated tendons, caused by running high sugars over a long period of time causes symptoms that resemble arthritis. It can be reversed or lessened by being in control.

Running high sugars can cause nearly any pain I encounter to be more severe. Some kind of nerve thing? Who knows, it's one of those things they don't know for sure YET.

If they don't know the exact mechanism of joint or muscle pain , they call it fibromyalgia. There are a myriad of suggested medications prescribed for this. As far as I am concerned, this is a non-diagnosis that means basically "You hurt."

Any medication or combination of medications that work for you for any of the above conditions are the right ones for you.

Not much help, I know. My main point is that sometimes there are no known and sure answers. Even highly educated guesses provided by doctors are just that--highly educated guesses.

Who is it on this board that says his life is an ongoing science experiment? Mine has been too. It's the nature of Diabetes and a smart diabetic keeps learning and trying.

Some day they'll know it all. Just not yet. Think of yourself as a pioneer. ;) Mich

[caswellhb]

Actually, this a field I have worked in. Yes, there is a link and more so with those who do not look after their joints.
I tried to warn a friend recently but these things often fall on deaf ears. The genetic links between Diabetes and Arthritis are surprisingly close.
Strange locking of bone structures/joints should not be ignored. If you have a condition that needs to be "crunched" back into place, see a chiropractor. I cannot stress this enough.

Heather.

[karlf]

I have today been told that I have "A", dd not say what type and I was in to much shock to ask

From readng on this forum it does seem common

[caswellhb]

There is much that can be done now. Don't give in. Medicine has come a long way. Honestly, there really are some great solutions out there.

Heather.

[condensr]

Wow, you've had T1 for 60 years? Good job, always nice to read things like that (i.e., of others that are living long lives despite diabetes).

Regarding fibromyalgia, it isn't just a designer diagnosis for unspecified muscle pain. There are more diagnostic criteria than that now, like sensitivity at certain pressure points, specific sleep pattern disruptions, often GI complications, etc. No, there is no definite, specific diagnostic test for FMS, but it is more defined than it has been in years past. I used to think it was just a bs diagnosis as well. The wife was diagnosed with it, so I started reading up and studying more about it, as well as attending doctors appointments with her to rheumatologists, sleep specialists, and others. I now beleive that it is a real condition. The probability of there being a confluence of so many different symptoms in many different people seems to me unlikely to be chance alone.

So, Heather, just how does one care for their joints?

[lancymoor102]

I am 50 years old. I feel so much pain on both areas around my uppermost end of the limbs the curve where connects the joints to my inner thigh and find it very difficult walking. Would this pain be due to exhaustion? This happen everyday after work. Is it because due to age that I have lost the flexibility of tendons around this area? Is there anything I can do to avoid this pain?

[KickStart101]

I am 50 years old. I feel so much pain on both areas around my uppermost end of the limbs the curve where connects the joints to my inner thigh and find it very difficult walking. Would this pain be due to exhaustion? This happen everyday after work. Is it because due to age that I have lost the flexibility of tendons around this area? Is there anything I can do to avoid this pain?


Hi Lancy, Welcome Aboard.

Sorry to hear that you are in pain. It could be
many things that you are suffering from. Coincidently,
that is the exact area that I experienced my first pain
of RA. We were coming out of Crappy Tire and I was
getting into the cougar when the pain hit. It was so
severe that I couldn't support my weight(102 lbs., I
had also lost 17 lbs. that month, another symptom of
RA when out of control). Luckily a Friend of ours was
standing behind me and caught me. I was still into
Yoga at that time but I sure couldn't do the medium
positions and definitely not the advanced positions,
like I used to after that.

At the beginning, I didn't have pain all the time though,
like I do now. It was maybe every second month or so.
By the 2nd year, it was more often and if I had the pain
in one knee then it would also be in the other knee, etc.
The second place I got the pain was in some of my fingers
and then the side of my hit joint.

Anyways, I hope that you don't have it but I would
suggest that you get a referral to a Rheumatologist to
get tested asap. Aggressive treatment is all that may
save your joints for years so you don't get crippled.
The inflammation can also attack the heart and lungs.
I've been on 14 different drugs so far. I'm on the 2nd
type of biologic injections right now, plus Prednisone
and Indo. Not impressed with it so far.

I asked my Rheumy on Tuesday when I went for my
6 week blood tests and he said it definitely is connected
with Diabetes. Oh BTW, RA comes in mild, moderate and
severe. I have the last one, of course. ;) I was dxd. at
age 25. In 20% of RA Patients, it doesn't show up in the
tests even though the Person has it. It usually shows up
in tests later.

In the beginning, my GP didn't know I had RA so he
prescribed Entrophen 10. He said it would work. It didn't.
I ended up over-dosing since it wasn't working. Luckily
my Endo happened to call to see how I was doing and
noticed my breathing was laboured and I could barely talk.
So she sent an ambulance to pick up me and my Baby Son.

A Person with RA, needs the correct anti-inflammatory and
a strongpain-killer depending on which type they have.
Everyone is different. (Extreme fatigue and depression are
other symptoms of RA).

Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free. Good Luck,
Take Care, Get Tested. :)

[KickStart101]

NFB - Arthritis and Diabetes: A Common Association (http://www.nfb.org/nfb/arthritis_and_diabetes.asp?SnID=633617762)

There you go Richard(if you are still around).
I forgot I had this in my "favourites" section.
There are many articles about the same topic
from other reputable websites but this one
will do.

Good topic btw...People with Diabetes need
to know this stuff in case they have some of
the symptoms and don't have a clue what the
symptoms are from. I had NO idea since I was
"too young" to get Arthritis and the symptoms
for the 1st year were intermittent, etc. We
are quite vulnerable to so many diseases/conditions.

Features of rheumatoid arthritis include:


-tender, warm, swollen joints
-symmetrical pattern of affected joints
-joint inflammation often affecting the wrist and
finger joints closest to the hand
-joint inflammation sometimes affecting other joints,
including the:

neck
shoulders
elbows
hips
knees
ankles
feet

-high fatigue, occasional fevers, a general sense
of not feeling well
-depression is common
-pain and stiffness lasting for more than 30 minutes
in the morning or after a long rest
-symptoms that last for many years
-variability of symptoms among people with the disease


You and I are both Type 1 and I believe you
said that you had mild RA while I have the
severe form. Both diseases are auto-immune.
Sometimes(not always)if a Person has one auto-
immune disease, chances are they will get
another one or two. Luck of the draw I guess.
Ya okay, I know it's more complicated than that. :D