- Messages
- 3,844
- Type of diabetes
- Don't have diabetes
- Treatment type
- I do not have diabetes
Have been wondering for a while how autonomic neuropathy is diagnosed….other types of complications have specific tests…retinopathy through eye screening; nephropathy through blood tests / urine samples etc….but from what I have read so far I can’t see any specific test that will say if someone has autonomic neuropathy or not..
For example if someone has been ‘diagnosed’ with irritable bowel syndrome could this in fact be autonomic neuropathy in a poorly controlled diabetic…..and how would you know which it was….IBS or neuropathy
Another example…if someone had a long term problem with choking when eating…could this potentially be down to nerve damage in the throat… assuming no other cause is identified… (has recently been referred to ENT for tests / awaiting appointment)
Are there separate or specific tests that would indicate if autonomic neuropathy was present in the different organs that it can affect….is it dealt with on an ‘organ by organ basis’ for want of a better term …or is a more general diagnosis given….
I certainly don’t want to end up putting everything down to diabetes in case there are other explanations that would account for these symptoms…but clearly poorly controlled diabetes can and does have far reaching effects...
....and, a final thought, in the case of something like constipation, how do you know that it is not just the side effect of a particular medication…
…feeling a bit confused….
For example if someone has been ‘diagnosed’ with irritable bowel syndrome could this in fact be autonomic neuropathy in a poorly controlled diabetic…..and how would you know which it was….IBS or neuropathy
Another example…if someone had a long term problem with choking when eating…could this potentially be down to nerve damage in the throat… assuming no other cause is identified… (has recently been referred to ENT for tests / awaiting appointment)
Are there separate or specific tests that would indicate if autonomic neuropathy was present in the different organs that it can affect….is it dealt with on an ‘organ by organ basis’ for want of a better term …or is a more general diagnosis given….
I certainly don’t want to end up putting everything down to diabetes in case there are other explanations that would account for these symptoms…but clearly poorly controlled diabetes can and does have far reaching effects...
....and, a final thought, in the case of something like constipation, how do you know that it is not just the side effect of a particular medication…
…feeling a bit confused….