Panicking

[Solarismach5]

Hi, I can't sleep, its just past 4 am here, Im starting to panic quite a lot. Ive had pins and needles and burning since yesterday morning iin my left arm/handand its still here and I can't get to sleep but now Im lying awake and I keep seeing flashes of light outside my door like a bulb exploding, yesterday I was in my room and I looked at my bedroom light and it flashed once, im having a pcnic attack. im reading thus might be because f visuaul detachement, its christmas so no doctors will be around and its the middle of the night...dont know what to do

[caswellhb]

Ok sweetie, first of all, take some deep breaths. Get a cup of tea and calm down a wee bit.
Do you think your arm thing could be RSI? Any pain anywhere?
I am in England and not sleeping either so just keep talking sweetie.
If your eyes are playing up then just get yourself along to have them checked in the morning. If the retina has become detached it can be treated. It doesn't sound like that to me though. When did you last sleep? Have you been working flat out?

Heather.

[caswellhb]

You could call NHS Direct if you need to talk to a nurse or doc.
How are you doing?

Heather.

[lgvincent]

Flashes are a sign of retinal detachment and if that is what is happening it needs to be treated quickly. However, I have flashes quite often and so far haven't had that to happen. Can you not go to an emergency room at a hospital?

[Solarismach5]

Hey

Thanks for the advice, I woke my parents up and told them about what was happening and I thought it might be retinal deteachment but my dad checked some websites and said I was probably overexagerating and told me to try and go to sleep. I managed to get to sleep about 10am and I'm awake now but feel quite tired and ill.

The opticians is open on Monday so I might go then, he's quite a good optician who knows what hes doing, the flashes haven't been happening much and I've not seen one in the day yet, it just seems to be at night when I have my eyes open, i've seen about 3-4 so far, one 2 days ago and the rest last night....at first I thought I was imagining it and then I thought it was a white noise 2 scenario where the dead were trying to contact me through electrical devices :P

I've just read about Posterior vitreous detachment and I have the flashing lights and before I managed to get to sleep my right eye felt heavier than normal...My parents keep telling me i'm being stupid but I'm going to go to casualty now because its worrying me.

I dont think it will be RSI in my left hand, im right handed and use that for the majority of things, I've not slept that well the past few days because of my arm :(

Anyway thanks for helping, I'll see what casualty say

[caswellhb]

Please let us know how you get on.
You are in my thoughts.

Heather.

[Cyborg]

I can only imagine how you must feel. Try to relax and best wishes with the doctor appt. on Monday.

How's your bg been? Are you taking your insulin? Keep the bg down and this can help reduce your chances for complications. Some neuropathy is reversible and there is treatment for diabetic eye issues.

[Maddogg]

Flashes are a sign of retinal detachment and if that is what is happening it needs to be treated quickly. However, I have flashes quite often and so far haven't had that to happen. Can you not go to an emergency room at a hospital?

Yes I get flashes and ghosting (ghost images) every couple of days, and I usually notice it when its dark but my last opthamologist appointment (just over 1 month ago) went very well. The doc spent about 10 minutes taking a good close look at the inside of my eye and my retina and said she couldn't see any problems and that everything looked fine. She was pleasently surprised at how large my pupils were after they gave me the drops, my eyes were completely black! lol

[Solarismach5]

Thanks for all the help everyone :)

I went to casualty, It took 8 hours and they did a ECG, bloodtest, blood pressure, keytone bloodtest (from my wrist, it hurt!!) urine sample, checked my eyes, temperature.

They didn't find anything wrong with my eyes but im going to my optician tomorrow for him to check but I'm quite relieved.

They think my arm/hand problems are diabetic neuropathy and they've arranged someone to contact me to set up an appointment with the diabetic clinic

I was reading another recent post and im having the same problems as Pixelgirl in this thread:

http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/type-1/24587-lantus-not-lasting-full.html

High bloodsugar in the morning, good bloodsugar before bed, too high and too low bloodsugars randomly throughout the day even though i'm trying really hard, im going to take the advice from there and ask next appointment what amounts they think and for some advice about it.

I'm also going to get some alpha lipoic acid and Benfotiamine

Hopefully this will help lesson the impact of the neuropathy while its just started

[Solarismach5]

Sorry to bump this thread

I can't sleep again....Now all my limbs are tingling not just my left arm, I could deal with losing one of my arms but now everything is just so messed up, I'm going to lose my arms and legs and end up with no life.

I'm only 24, I'm trying so hard to fix things but nothings working, I'm glad im not blind but this is so unbearable. I'm going to have to keep trying, im just so depressed.

Sorry for whining, I don't really have many friends I can talk to about this

[soso]

Hey Girl...
you are not going to lose your arms or your sight! You are very young and will get this sorted. It's a bloody depressing condition, but not insurmountable.. you are not whining, it can be very scary to have symptoms such as you are experiencing, but keep some perspective. First of all is the tingling only when you lie down? It could be a pulled muscle pressing on a nerve in the neck... don't jump to conclusions, I don't believe catastrophic complications come on so suddenly and fast...
Go see your Dr as soon as possible.. make a list of ALL of your concerns and don't leave until you have had them dealt with.
As far as bg levels.. are you counting carbs and on modern insulins? if not, take this up with your Dr.. Demand good care.. you deserve it.

[Solarismach5]

I wish I could get some sleep, I'm just so tired :(

I didn't think I'd get this and not this fast, I have it most of the time whatever im doing with my arm its just there, it feels like electricity is building up in my hand. I've only had the tingling in legs/feet starting tonight when I got home from casualty. They've stopped for now.

Casualty didn't actually do any nerve tests but said it sounded like it from the symptoms. I want to see my diabetic consultant as soon as possible and have these tests. I've just moved to a new clinic so I dont know who it is yet but I really need to fix this as soon asap.

I'm counting carbs and on modern insulins, my old clinic didn't help me at all and blew off my concerns..I got angry and left to this new clinic, they are still doing tests on me, i've got a brain scan soon because I have bouts of zoning out/light headedness/floating and not knowing whats real/slurred speech/memory loss/confusion/shaking and rocking back and forth.

When I was in the waiting room today this happened and I could barely form a sentence, I just kept staring at the floor and wondering where I was.......my bloodsugar was 10mmol/L (180mg/dL) when it happened, I waited 2 hours and it was still around 10mmol/L (180mg/dL), I ate some food (70.5 carbs for dinner) and I felt much better and it instanly dropped to 8mmol/L without taking any insulin.. (144mg/dL)....I think my Lantus should be split into 2 doses to help me better, my morning readings are usually quite high and my sugars are up and down all day......I need to do a basal rate test very very soon.

Thats the main reason I left the old clinic, they just ignored everything and told me to guess myself. I didn't think i'd develop anything like this so quickly :(

[mzteacher]

dear solaris,
it sounds like you are really stressed and in a scary place....i am glad you went to the dr.'s....i hope you get some rest and feel some peace soon....at times i like relaxation tapes (cd's) by steven halpern....my favorite is "letting go of stress".....amazon should have them or you can google him....even if they don't put you to sleep you will feel better while awake....long hot baths help me also....
i wish i could offer more....sending good thoughts your way...
susan

[Cyborg]

Hope you were able to get some sleep. Good luck with your appointment today. You may want to ask your endocrinologist or Internist about Cymbalta. It has two benefits, it helps with diabetic neuropathy and it's also an anti-depressant. Worth trying at least. Let us know how the eye appt. goes today.

[DanG]

Thats the main reason I left the old clinic, they just ignored everything and told me to guess myself. I didn't think i'd develop anything like this so quickly :(

Well... that wasn't a very nice way to say things. However, their concern is not wrong. The first doctor I had for diabetes 33 years ago when i was 22 - Dr Livermore, ha!! - told me I would know more about my diabetes than he. I heard him, I live by that even today. You gotta be the one in charge - not some guy who "practices" medicine. Get in touch with how insulin is working in you and what foods you can safely eat, etc. Carb counting works for some - but I just eat a bit, not much - of anything. I can usually be safe that way, and if I feel low, or test low, a bit more and I am fine.

Your worries about tingling arms and other stuff happening cannot be made better by being so concerned about them. Relax is usually better medicine than the pokes and chemicals that casualty or the doc will do. Drink more water, eat less stuff that makes bloodsugar rise, maybe you need some strenuous exercise - careful - you don't want a hypo while out on a run without anything to eat.

You will be fine, I suspect.

[soso]

Hi Albi
Just visited your homepage, so sorry to call you girl before—it was the gorgeous long blond hair in a tiny thumbnail that threw me! I see you like some of the same things I do... I love flight of the Conchords too....
BTW have you ever read "The Road to Wigan Pier' by George Orwell? I found my interest waned a bit later in the book, but the first third of it and his description of his life in a boardinghouse are riviting....

Hope you are feeling a bit better today... what I meant to get across to you is that you could have a pinched nerve in your neck or back that is causing your tingling sensations...which will be nothing to do with Neuropathy... I sufffer from Neuralgia quite often (which is a similar thing, when something irritates a nerve somewhere) I get it primarily in my head and face, but often on my back or legs and once in a while down my arm.. it is a tingling electric shocky sensation, sometimes it eels as if I have scraped my skin across rough bricks or something, then it does little sharp electric shocks on top of that, esp if I touch the affected part....
It 's not neuropathy though.. mine is always set off by an infection or injury, I have learned to live with it, but I can see how scary it would be if I didn't know what caused it, and that it does go away in about a week or so...

Is it possible your Dr might give you something to help you sleep? Just sleep deprivation may be adding to your woes, esp the zoning out thing...

[Solarismach5]

(Directed at Dan G)

I am trying quite hard to get myself under control, it seems no matter what I do I have these lightheaded/dizzy spells :(

I eat exactly the same meals and same amounts every day at exactly the same times (except Sat/Sun but that's now going to change). I can carb count.....I think its my background insulin and hopefully this new clinic will be useful and help to advise me.

I did have a massive rant here about my old clinic but i've reconsidered...mainly because it was so long and full of profanities :P

The new clinic so far seem to actually care about their patients, I'd like some advice and feedback from them about my questions about possibly splitting my lantus. I'll be taking alpha lipoic acid soon although this will lower my bloodsugar and I want to fix my basal rates first.

Firstly I'm going to do a basal rate test and see how that goes, if things don't improve i'll consider splitting my insulin into 15 morning/15 night and probably ask follow questions on here before I do it :)

I've recently read a book called "Type 1 Diabetes in children, adolescents and young adults" by Dr Ragnar Hanas, its quite informative and seems highly regarded by people who've read it.

I think i'll buy more books and fix myself :)

[Solarismach5]

(Directed at Soso)

Its ok lol, most people don't expect to see a tiny image of a man with long hair trying to look menacing. Bus drivers often call me love ;)

I'll add you on myspace if you've got one? I've never read the book, i'm not really a heavy reader besides graphic novels :) I heard Orwell visited Wigan because it was a typical industrial town and he found it was horrible and full of scummy people who had no teeth because they ate coal and things lol....
Maybe I should read the book.....is there a video or comic of it with explosions? That would be better for me.

My arm/hand pain isn't constant anymore, It comes on and lasts a while and goes, but it comes back for long periods randomly and especially at night. I keep getting very very slight tingling in my legs and sometimes they feel hot on top but I think maybe the room is just hot and i'm just thinking too much :P

I'm going to try and get some sleeping pills and see if that helps

Thanks :)

[soso]

(Directed at Soso)


I'll add you on myspace if you've got one? I've never read the book, i'm not really a heavy reader besides graphic novels :) I heard Orwell visited Wigan because it was a typical industrial town and he found it was horrible and full of scummy people who had no teeth because they ate coal and things lol....
Maybe I should read the book.....is there a video or comic of it with explosions? That would be better for me.

I'm going to try and get some sleeping pills and see if that helps

Thanks :)

LOL!
No doubt that is just what Orwell found.... sure reminds me of my childhood..hahahaha..

Boy, you are gonna need those sleeping pills if you only read graphic novels and exploding comics!

Here's a prescription for you.. go get the book and read it when you can't sleep... nothing lulls me off better than a good book.. give it a try, you might like it...

I do not have a myspace page, but thanks for asking...

It really sounds like you had a pinched nerve with the tingling thing.. remember I am expecting a report back on the first book you have read.... then I will suggest another... don't worry there is plenty of guts and gore and sex and violence in literature!

[JasonJayhawk]

I'm not going to be of much help for your symptoms, but I did want to say that you'll probably be happier splitting your Lantus dose.

My personal experience with it was that I'd go too low after a large amount of it, and then at the tail end, I'd be uncovered.

Just a reminder about your goal for Lantus -- A properly tuned basal (Lantus) should not cause you to drop (or rise). It sometimes needs adjustment.

Experimentation is the key to determining how to split it (50/50 is not always the best way). But to experiment means you need to keep good logs. Personal experience once again tells me that just eyeballing different doses is not the way to do things.

I switched to Levemir because I always had a stinging sensation due to Lantus' low-pH. Levemir is a protein-conjugate as opposed to a the crystalized hexamer structure in a low pH solution that Lantus uses. But a lot of people don't get that burn (wish I didn't--Levemir costs so much more!)