Told today I have Neuropathy

[mike9876]

I have been told today that I have Neuropathy in my feet and my Ac1b is 6.3 and the highest its been is 6.6. I am told that my diabetes is well controlled by my nurse so I don't know if if getting it lower will improve it. I was told that with my blood surar levels being well controlled its unsual for Neuropathy to develope. Its not advanced but worrying having a Ac1b of 6.3 for it to develope.

[nantomsuethom]

Sorry to hear about the neuropathy.

Its scarry to know that you can have such good control and good A1cs and still have problems!!

[Eri's mom]

I'm sorry to hear about the neuopathy also :(

Your A1C's sound GREAT too!!!

My dad is T2 and has that...he said it can be quite painful

I tend to worry about Eri...her A1C(last time) was 10...9.9 the time b/f that...we find out on October 21st for her next....I PRAY it's gone down...she's had enough hypo's. She was in hypo shock this morning again...she's just all over again....puberty...stinks!!!

[lgvincent]

I'm having problems with it too and the highest HbA1c I've had is 7.2. Of course, I don't know what it was all those years before it was possible to check blood sugar at home or to check the HbA1c, but the numbness has only started since 1996 and the 7.2 is the highest it ever was and that was 8 years but the numbness is still getting worse.

[stupidme]

how come everyones HBA1C is so low...hmmm. Sorry about the neuropothy i had a scare a couple years ago about that my feet went numb for like a week. I was really scared, but then the feeling came back

[mike9876]

I read on here all the time with good control you won't get complications, but it shows that having only slightly raised BG levels can lead to complications. The only way not to get complications is to have completely normal BG but for us its impossible to do. To get my hba1c down is for me turn into a rabbit and eat carrots all the time.

[HeatherP]

I'm sorry to hear this Mike.

There are no guarantees against developing complications. The DCCT only concluded that the risk of complications was lowered by an adherance to closer to "normal" your blood sugars.

Mike, I know you've worked very hard over the years to keep your sugars in line. Most of us do. If you hadn't, how do you know that the neuropathy wouldn't have set in sooner or been worse? I'm not saying not to worry about it, but it doesn't do you any good to beat yourself up for not being perfect. There may be other factors involved as well. Diabetes is not the only cause of neuropathy. It could be genetic as well as other factors.

Take care of yourself,
HeatherP

[SunniD]

Heather's right.

My dad's never been diabetic but he has a worse
neuropathy than I do and I've had D for 43 yrs. His A1C is 6.5.
He has never even been diagnosed with diabetes but when he
eats carbs his body produces too much insulin and he goes low
and then his body takes awhile longer to come back to a normal
so his bg runs a shade high for a couple of hours and that's all it takes to cause complications.

I wouldn't call dad's lifestyle sedentary as he farms and is active
12 hrs. of the day always doing stuff and walking etc but I guess
you could say you can't count your work and must do exercise
apart from that and it might help his neuropathy a bit.

My two bits worth of advice is to check your BMI and see if you need to adjust your eating habits, incorporate some exercise
almost daily and make sure you are helping your body out by
supplying it with the necessary components for regenerating
healthier cells. Joslin believes one can do this by eating
healthy but I tend to believe a good multi vitamin with extra Vit.C
helps the most. People with diabetes tend to always have a high
sorbitol level which causes all our complications and Vit C is the only way to get rid of it. Antioxiants help us the most with freeing
the body of free radicals and sorbitol so we don't get complications and cancers. Vit E is helpful to keep our vessels from leaking so a good vitamin is worth it's weight in gold.<smile>

Vit. C also lowers ones A1C so that should help a few people also
who can't seem to get their A1C down in the normal range.

Have a nice weekend.

SunniD

[dpav]

Hello all
I developed my neuropathy back in 1977 and had no idea I had it at all. I was a rock climber and it was annoying and dangerous. But I have had my A1C levels under control for many years and I can tell you that there can be a little improvement. But with all I have done I do not expect this to go away. I have the acute painful type and that stuff just won't go away for me. The numbness type has absolutely improved and has improved in me with several years of good control. I do not know if this is true in all of us but it can be a little promising.
I hope everything goes well with your experiences. This particular problem has a mind of its own
Don

[mike9876]

Thanks for the support everybody, just feeling a bit down about it. When you think you are doing well, it was a bit of blow.

[David76]

Mike, sorry to hear about the diagnosis--that must have been a shock b/c your A1c is so good! Did your doctor suggest any ways to treat or potentially reverse it?

SunniD, I'd be interested in hearing more about sorbitol if you wouldn't mind saying a bit more about it or suggesting some books or sites on it.

Best of luck with it Mike, I'm sure a lot of well-wishes are going your way,
David

[mike9876]

David saw the doctor today and he just said the only way to treat it is to get BG down more. Easier said than done. It was a visit to the chiropodist that found it. Went about itchy toes but I have no sign of fungus infection so he checked for feeling and the vibration test and the result was I could hardly feel the vibration. I have to see the doc again once he gets the report from the chiropodist. It really does affect walking and left leg feels weaker than before. Has it affected anybody elses walking. It was hard for me to tell because I have arthritis and put the pain down to that and the sore legs as well. I am 43 and falling to bits.

[KLD]

Mike,

I control my diabetes very tightly with a low carb diet. I realize it's not everybody's cup of tea, but it sure works for me and keeps my blood sugars in a normal range. If you want to know anything more about it, let me know by pm or e-mail, and I'll give you some more information so you can consider it. If not, that's fine too.

Karen

[KickStart101]

:( Hi Mike: Gee Whiz like you need that bad news.
Sorry to hear it(and that includes everyone else who
have that problem).
We all pretty well heard the same forecast, Good
control equals minimal or no complications. I guess the D
just affects people differently.
I definately agree with Heather P, since you have
been in good control it could very well be caused by some-
thing else. You have Arthritis.(I didn't think to ask, is it
Rheumatoid like mine or another type)? Rheumatoid can
be awfully mean in its process of attacking the body.
Well getting your sugars down may help some as
long as you don't go too low. As you know
hypo's aren't good for you either. Take Care....
***Carlie*** :)
P.S. Hum, I wonder if using a massager on warm would
help to stimulate a bit of feeling? Or one of the
electric foot baths if you have one. It certainly can't
hurt. Of course you would have to check the temp-
erture first so's not to burn yourself. Just a thought.

[Lorna]

Sorry to hear that!!!