Neuropathic pain

[Tim55]

Hi Susi

Good to hear its working out for you.

Thing continue to improve here too, albeit slowly.

The knee problem I have severely limits my "normal" exercise options (I used to walk a lot) so this weekend we have invested in an exercise bike.

I think that's the element missing from my routine at present.

We'll see....

Hopefully, if you maintaining tight control, your neuropathy will not recur and it may be you don't need all the supplements, I would guess B12 is the one most likely to help with that.

Can't take any credit for advice really though - all the work was done by Omnipod and Winnie53!

 

[Susikav]

Hi Susi

Good to hear its working out for you.

Thing continue to improve here too, albeit slowly.

The knee problem I have severely limits my "normal" exercise options (I used to walk a lot) so this weekend we have invested in an exercise bike.

I think thats the element missing from my routine at present.

We'll see....

Hopefully, if you maintaing tight cntrol, your neuropathy will not recur and it may be you don't need all the supplemets, I would gues B12 is the one most likely to help with that.

Can't take any credit for advice really though - all the work was done my Omnipod and Winnie53!

Thank you Omnipod and Winnie53... What is wrong with your knee? Is it cartilage? Or arthritis? Such a restrictive pain... my sister has a bad knee too - crumbling cartilage I believe... she had keyhole surgery on it to remove the 'crumbs' and it was much better, but now the other one is playing up... she hates not being able to move the way she wants to... We are very different and I have no skeletal problems, but I can sympathise... The exercise bike sounds great - I have a treadmill in my bedroom but no room for a bike, alas... I'd love one... it's too hot to ride a bike here most of the time so indoors would be brilliant... How does it affect your knee - have you tried it yet?

 

[Tim55]

Hi Susi

Don't really know whats wrong with my knee. X-ray showed mild arthritis but doc said its not bad for my age and shouldn't be causing me as much trouble as it is.

Since I got some improvement with the supplements I suspect it is related to nerve damage, but I might be wrong.

Steroid injections help a little, but mess up my FBG levels for a few days.

Its permanently swollen, stiff and weak. I strap it up when I go to work and of course the neuropathy in my feet means I can't always tell where I'm putting them, which doesn't help with walking either.

I have had a few goes on the exercise bike and so far I have realised just how unfit I had become - early signs though were encouraging and I doubt It can do any harm.

Too hot sounds wonderful - its very grey, cold and wet here, which does not help!

 

[Susikav]

When the doc said it shouldn't be causing you so much trouble, didn't he say that you needed to investigate further? I despair sometimes, really.... You shouldn't be suffering like that with mild arthritis... Could you not go to another doctor and start again? You might get a bit further... And any injection that hurts as much as it probably does, and only helps a little isn't the answer either, is it? I am so sorry you are in pain all the time... I wish I could send you some of our late summer warmth - it would help no end I suspect! We are all just waiting for winter to finally begin... I am home for Christmas on 20th... My house is a building site and the family is coming the day after Boxing Day... I will be a whirling dervish for a few days...

 

[Tim55]

Thanks for the warm words.

My Doc did suggest he could investigate further, but I didn't like where that was heading.

I am in fact very happy with the service my m GP provides, perhaps unusually on here, I trust his advice.

But surgery really doesn't appeal to me, and I think before I go down that road I want to understand what the basic causes of my problems are.

And don't get me wrong here, I hate needles with a passion, but the steroid jabs he has administered have been total non-events.

Managed 1.5 times the distance I did yesterday on the bike today, and recovered quicker as well, so looks like a good move to me.

FBG levels seem to be less volatile, and my 16 day rolling average is around 5.3 since I dropped to half the prescribed metformin dose, intend to carry on like this for a while.

Be well and prosper!

 

[Tim55]

Hi Susi

Perhaps I should add to the comments I made earlier about vitamin B defficiency leading to insulin resistance.

What I didn't mention at the time was that Metformin is known to inhibit the metabolism of B12, so If that is your root problem, Metformin may not be ideal.

I am attributing that fact to my continued good control with the supplements, even after halving my Metformin dose. Since halving it I have seen an increase in the percentage figures of the numbers I am getting in the 4. something range from 12.5 to 14.4, a slight decrease in the 5 to 5.9 range from 74% to 73.2% and slight decreases in the numbers greater than 6.0, so I am encouraged to go for a further reduction, or even try med free, relying on the supplements, as a next step.

I had not picked up you are achieving similar levels, and of course similar symptoms without any meds, so I guess that is further encouragement for me to go down that route.

Cheers

Tim

 

[connie104]

Hi Tim, I hope you don't mind me commenting on your knee problem as it seems identical to what I have been suffering for the last 5 years ! I went to the doctors complaining of pain in my knee and she sent me for full X-ray of knee and hip and on looking at results decided I needed a hip replacement and my knee was painful as it was taking the strain of my hip and assured me once hip was done knee would be back to normal ( by the way had hip done August 2014) since then my knee has got gradually worse. I have had a cortisone jab which did not do anything so referred back to hospital again and surgeon said on taking a further look at my X-ray he could see lots of debris in my knee and sent me for an MRI scan . This confirmed I had a torn meniscus cartilage and lots of debris in my knee and am now booked in for keyhole surgery in the new year . It seems a long journey to have finally got to this point I only wish he had look more carefully at my X-ray in the beginning so after 5 years I am looking forward to being pain free I hope !

 

[Chubster]

Hi

 

[Chubster]

Hi

 

[Chubster]

Have you tried Gabapentin, I'm on 2700mg a day. This has been a lifesaver for me when I started getting neuropathic pain in my feet. I have been on this now for about 4 years.
Let my know how you get on. My thoughts are with you hope you get the relief you need

 

[Tim55]

Hi Connie and chubster.

I appreciate any input into this discussion, feel free to contribute anything you have found helpful,

I am in a far better place now than is was 15 months ago, purely thanks to people sharing their experiences and being able to learn from them.

If people can learn from mine, then maybe I can feel I have given a bit back.

And really, that's whats this forum is about, isn't it ?

 

[connie104]

Just a quick update , had hospital on the phone asking if I could make the 22 nd December for my knee surgery which I said I could . Double whammy as I get my knee fixed and get waited on hand and foot over Christmas so a great result !!

 

[Omnipod]

In Germany doctors prescribe Alpha Lipoic and Vit B12 for Neuropathy. It certainly helped me. Try get your post prandial BG below 7.7. That definately helps

 

[Susikav]

Hi Susi

Perhaps I should add to the comments I made earlier about vitamin B defficiency leading to insulin resistance.

What I didn't mention at the time was that Metformin is known to inhibit the metabolism of B12, so If that is your root problem, Metformin may not be ideal.

I am attributing that fact to my continued good control with the supplements, even after halving my Metformin dose. Since halving it I have seen an increase in the percentage figures of the numbers I am getting in the 4. something range from 12.5 to 14.4, a slight decrease in the 5 to 5.9 range from 74% to 73.2% and slight decreases in the numbers greater than 6.0, so I am encouraged to go for a further reduction, or even try med free, relying on the supplements, as a next step.

I had not picked up you are achieving similar levels, and of course similar symptoms without any meds, so I guess that is further encouragement for me to go down that route.

Cheers

Tim

Hi Tim.... How are you doing? Your numbers sound great - very gratifying, isn't it? How is the neuropathy? After taking your advice - via everyone else! - I only have a couple of little numb patches left, so I am still taking the B12, and will add the rest when I get back to the UK... It's difficult for me to import tablets into the ME... I am still managing to keep my numbers between 4.8 and 7 generally, still with no meds... Sometimes I would love to eat pastry, but it doesn't bother me at all really to go without... I make it from nuts and seeds, and 'bread' too.... I make cakes and fat-bombs, which are delicious... just different! I cannot reverse the diabetes though - the one time I tried puff pastry on a pot pie I made for my husband, it spiked me to about 9.5.... I have never seen that number from the day I began low-carbing, and it scared me! I assume that means that I will never be able to eat carbs... I might be wrong of course...

That was interesting, what Connie said about the debris in her knee... that's what my sister had - they used keyhole to 'hoover' it out apparently, and it was heaps better... she has to have the other one done now really.... Will you speak to your doctor about it? Could it be your problem? Let me know how you get on...

I am flying home for Christmas next weekend and cannot wait... I have ordered everything from M&S, so no prep to do, just cooking.. what bliss... My poor husband will not be home till early Christmas Day... Have a lovely Christmas and a very interesting
New Year... Susi...

 

[Tim55]

Hi Suzi

Sorry I missed your last post or I would have replied sooner, hope you had a good trip home and enjoyed the Christmas Festivities.

My numbers continue to be acceptable but I have not dared dropping the Metformin further, while I am continuing with the supplements.

I have done nothing with my knee, TBH, a colleague had debris removed from his knee a few years ago in what I believe was a similar procedure to the ones you describe. He was in a bit of a state for quite a while, and while it helped for a while it didn't seem to last.

Mine is not liking this damp weather much, and i doubt this afternoons job will help, as it involves what I believe to be a graveside service in a famously exposed cemetery, knwon locally as "Heights", high above the quaint little village of Delph, where we are starting from. You might not get Northern TV down there, but the flooding in Delph on boxing day made it onto local TV....

To say I am not looking forward to it is a bit of an understatement, particularly as storm Frank seems to have arrived!

 

[Angela_T]

It is 04.57 and I have been awake all night due to extreme stabbing pain in my foot due to diabetic neuropathy. IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS AND HURTS LIKE BLAZES! NSAID's don't help nor does capsaicin cream. Doc prescribed dulooxetine but I had an adverse reaction does anybody have any ideas?
.

I have been taking Gabapentin for mine. Angela T

 

[Angela_T]

Hi Mike... long time... how are you doing? I imagine it's starting to warm up a bit for summer now over there - or are you down there? I hope you are staying well.... I am tightly controlling still, a year later, and keep my numbers better than normal most of the time... I tried two small roast potatoes the other day - no spike! Thank you low-carb-high-fat! I am getting good results for my neuropathy too... my son's brother-in-law is a diabetic surgeon and he told me the numb patches on my feet were probably neuropathy from B12 deficiency... fixing it with B12 and I will start ALA and Benfothyamine next week.... Can't believe you can reverse the damage to the nerves... I gather the guys that have been getting results also feel pain - they say it must be the nerves regenerating... So, it's all good...

I have problems as I love carbs but hate fats. I've been trying the diet but finding it hard just makes me feel sick thinking of foods with fat. Angela T

 

[ramsell001]

I have taken neurontin also known as gabapentin for ten years now and works a treat. It's an anti epileptic drug but works on nerve pain too. It's so good, I'm on the highest dose but I know others who find just a low dose a relief.

I take 600mg 3
Times a day and it does help along with zomorth 30mg twice a day.