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Feet neuropathy

Biker

Biker

Active Member
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Is there anything that can help? It's getting to the point that even my bed sheets touching my feet causes pain. I wondered about compression socks, but worry they will be TOO tight. It's really getting me down. My control isn't great at the minute as stopped Metformin due to nasty side affects.
 
Sorry to read you’re suffering, I’ve not experienced neuropathy but I know one of my fellow mods @KennyA has some experience so have tagged him for you
 
Biker said:
Is there anything that can help? It's getting to the point that even my bed sheets touching my feet causes pain. I wondered about compression socks, but worry they will be TOO tight. It's really getting me down. My control isn't great at the minute as stopped Metformin due to nasty side affects.
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Hi, and welcome. I had (and have) neuropathy. It started around 2014 with my BG at around 43 or 44. At its worst it was unbearable - burning feet particularly in the middle of the night, extreme stabbing pains, painful pins and needles, etc. I also had quite a bit of oedema at the same time in my lower legs and feet, and I thought the two things were linked. They were, but not in the way I'd thought.

I found some relief by getting up and walking around, but that's not really sustainable when it happens every night. I was taking anti-inflammatories for other reasons, so it's possible they suppressed it a little, but not so you'd notice. I tried any number of things - heat/cold, socks (loose and compression), codeine, tiger balm, elevation, topical pain relief, you name it. At the time I was firmly told by my doctor that I wasn't diabetic as my blood sugar was too low, so it couldn't possibly be a diabetic symptom.

The thing that worked for me (very quickly in 2020) was reducing my blood glucose levels, once they'd decided I was diabetic (after ten years of diabetic symptoms). As they came back to normal the worst of the neuropathy went. I do still have a residual pins and needles tingle (could not in any way call it pain) and after nearly four years I guess that's permanent damage. I haven't to the best of my knowledge been kept awake or woken by the neuropathy in that time.

So if my experience is anything to go by, I'd recommend getting your BG under control. I don't know of anything that will actually deal with the condition in any other way.
 
KennyA said:
Hi, and welcome. I had (and have) neuropathy. It started around 2014 with my BG at around 43 or 44. At its worst it was unbearable - burning feet particularly in the middle of the night, extreme stabbing pains, painful pins and needles, etc. I also had quite a bit of oedema at the same time in my lower legs and feet, and I thought the two things were linked. They were, but not in the way I'd thought.

I found some relief by getting up and walking around, but that's not really sustainable when it happens every night. I was taking anti-inflammatories for other reasons, so it's possible they suppressed it a little, but not so you'd notice. I tried any number of things - heat/cold, socks (loose and compression), codeine, tiger balm, elevation, topical pain relief, you name it. At the time I was firmly told by my doctor that I wasn't diabetic as my blood sugar was too low, so it couldn't possibly be a diabetic symptom.

The thing that worked for me (very quickly in 2020) was reducing my blood glucose levels, once they'd decided I was diabetic (after ten years of diabetic symptoms). As they came back to normal the worst of the neuropathy went. I do still have a residual pins and needles tingle (could not in any way call it pain) and after nearly four years I guess that's permanent damage. I haven't to the best of my knowledge been kept awake or woken by the neuropathy in that time.

So if my experience is anything to go by, I'd recommend getting your BG under control. I don't know of anything that will actually deal with the condition in any other way.
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Thanks for taking the time to give such a helpful reply. Much appreciated. I'll just need to get my head down and get my BG down.
 
There may be meds that help as well. A low dose of Amitriptyline took the neuropathy pain away completely for me.

Similar to @KennyA, I no longer have the pain since getting my bg under control. Still have a slight tingling (and overly sensitive feet)! But I no longer take any meds.

Can't tell you how many months of controlled bg it took for the pain to go. Because I couldn't feel any neuropathy pain anyway on the Amitriptyline.
 
To be honest, whilst diabetes is the likely culprit with your neuropathy, it isn't the only cause. I had it for some time after a surgical procedure - even though my HbA1cs have all been in the low 30s, so not likely to be in play.

For me, as well as healing time, taking R-ALA helped. R-ALA (Alpha Lipioc Acid) is a supplement, prescribed in other countries (including European ones) for neuropathy.
If you decide to try it, it has to be R-ALA, not just ALA. ALA is considered to be less effective.

For me, that neuropathy subsided over a few months, although it could be the extended healing time for my bones also helped.

I'd wholeheartedly agree that improving your control will be critical in your outcomes. Any treatment of symptoms is just that; like puting an Elastoplast on a bleeding would. It doesn't heal the wound, but puts it out of sight.

If you need any help bringing your blood glucose into better control, there are lots on here who have walked your path and would be happy to help.
 
I have had neuoropathy for the last 4 years, in fact, it's how i was discovered to be diabtetic. Unfortunately, my pain has risen to the point of being unbearable in the last 4 months. I'm on 1200mg of Gabapentin a day and it barely scrapes the surface. I have recently bought a pair of compression socks to wear in bed at night and i must admit they do help. I'm wondering though, if there is a medication connection. I was discovered 4 months ago to have pretty serious heart failure. I was put on a list of drugs that i'm not even going to attempt to type. In November i was fitted with an ICD (pacemaker & defibrillator). It seems too much of a coincidence that my neuropathy went crazy around the same time as i started the meds. Are you on anything other than diabetes meds?
 
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Try a cream called capsaicin defo works and I’m on 2.000 mg of pre gablin I do have severe peripheral neuropathy in legs feet and hands horrible so I know what you are going through hope this helps for you
 
I have it in my feet.
It's horrible, I got permanent numbness and occasional shooting games pains that fortunately
only last a few seconds, plus the numbness and lack of ability to move my feet much makes putting on shoes and socks a long term project, and walking on uneven ground precarious.
Firstly you must get your blood glucose under control.
This is a priority.
Secondly look on you tube for anti inflammatory diets.
I think they help a lot.
Mines improved and doesn't seem to progressing as it once was.
The pains more infrequent and maybe a little more mobility.
But alas the damage already done could be permanent or perhaps take a long time to repair.
 
Mine has almost gone but it can come back with a vengeance under stressful circumstances e.g. at the eye clinic when being scanned .
Carol
 
It can also be other things causing as when my blood was too thick very low INR plus low BP was 90//60 with a very slow HR and have Fibro plus Raynauds type issues.
Had them giving me hell and if on my feet too long was torture! often getting the feelings they was under a attack by a pack of ravenous wolves biting my feet.
Then after they found the clot in my right lung as missed the one in other one before! plus one in leg that person doing ultra sound gave up!.
Clotting was so bad that it clotted before lab could test it.
Then once they had got there hats on! i got put on inoxparine injections and the feet improved like night and day.
Plus type 2 allows your blood to pool in your feet as circulation is compromised.
 
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