Diabetic symptoms in feet and hands?

[TheDude80]

Hi all. I was diagnosed diabetic a while back, but then I lost a couple of stone and based on my Hba1c(?) being low, the doctor perhaps irresponsibly told me I don't have it any more and took me off medication. Although I never put back on all the weight I lost, I drifted back into old habits somewhat. And now I'm getting some symptoms I think are probably diabetes related. Fasting blood sugars have been ok and I get a result on a new Hba1c test tomorrow but still, I'm very worried and scared about these symptoms.

They are quite different in my hands and feet. My feet have very small muscle spasms going on almost continually. These are not really painful, just irritating. I went for a 3 mile run today and afterwards my left heel is a bit sore, and this has been happening before. There can also be some very low intensity-pain 'spikes' in my feet occasionally.

My hands, well, it only tends to happen when I sleep, but a tingling starts coming up from the wrist. Sometimes this wakes me up, and I can relieve it by flexing my hands. It seems that if I do not wake up, this tingling progresses to numbness, which is relieved in the same way (without going back through the tingling stage though, I just move my numb hands/fingers and the feeling returns). A couple of nights ago it was quite scary, it had progressed to the numbness stage but there was also a very deep and fairly painful throbbing in my hand. It took a ilttle while but I eventually relieved it through flexing my hand again.

I will also mention here that I am getting the muscle twitches under my right eye, and I sometimes feel like I am experiencing the tiny little 'spikes' IN my eye, which is obviously very worrying.

I mean I have half a mind to keep Dignitas on speed-dial here. I'm really worried about my health. One other thing is that after the pulsing numbness that one time, I am sure there was some discoloured skin along the side of one of my fingers on that hand, which I picked off (sorry to be gross). I don't know if that is directly related. I'm doing quite a lot to change my lifestyle to try to limit complications, but I was operating under the assumption I'd beaten diabetes for a little while and now worry that has set me back. These symptoms have come on so suddenly. Anyway, I'm not suffering terrible pain or anything like I have heard described here (and beaten by some people, I'm relieved to say), but I'm scared this is the start of something leading to that.

Anyway like I say I'm off to the doctor tomorrow, and I intend to book another eye appointment, and I also have an appointment with a nerve specialist to see if I have carpal tunnel (referred by the Doctor who said I 'didn't have' diabetes any more) but I thought I'd drop by here to see what the community thinks of all this. Is it diabetes? I'm only 35 and I really miss the carefree approach to health I had up until my original diagnosis. Finding it very hard to deal with all of this psychologically.

 

[noblehead]

Impossible to say if its diabetes related, but your doing the right thing getting the symptoms investigated.

 

[AcrossThePond]

Do you check your blood glucose levels at bedtime? The bedtime readings are often more indicative of potential complications since those levels may remain high through much of the night until your pancreas is finally able to "catch up" and lower fasting sugars to more normal levels. It is during this extended period of elevated blood sugars that damage to one's system can occur. Of course, a significant problem with the medical community in general is that many of the practitioners (at least here in the States) go by the protocols that the A.D.A. (and probably the N.H.S.) recommends. However, those guidelines are much too high for many of us and we have to become our own guardians in determining what works for us. In my case, for example, I experienced fairly severe neuropathy that resulted in foot drop and the inability to walk normally. Yet my A1c has never tested higher than 6.1%. So here I was, being told that I was not diabetic, to go see a neurologist, and then told that I had to undergo physical therapy. Fortunately, I found an endocrinologist who confirmed that I was diabetic. After normalizing my blood sugars (to Dr. Bernstein-protocols), my foot drop began to fade and healed after about 90 days. The neuropathy itself, however, took almost 2 years to fully heal. If you have a blood glucose meter and testing strips, perhaps checking your blood sugar levels 1 to 2 hours afer meals and at bedtime may provide a better indication as to whether your problems are due to diabetes or something else. And don't go by the protocols of the A.D.A. Instead, compare your results with those of a normal, non-diabetic person.

 

[TheDude80]

Thankyou for the advice. I've been a bit of a coward about testing. I used to test fasting pretty regularly, but not after meals (despite similar advice when I first found this place). I need to get very serious on this. I'm assuming it is diabetes at this point tbh. If it is something else then it could be worse anyway!

I guess the important thing is not to go back into relaxed mode if my Hba1c is pretty good. I mean my fasting this morning was 3.8(!) but an hour and a half after a breakfast bar and coffee it was 6. I mean these seem pretty good. Iwas really operating under the Newcastle Uni weight-based hypothesis, and almost wanted to try my luck, seeing Iif I could Iidentify exactly what my 'diabetic weight' is.

These symptoms are just such a shocker. The muscle twitches in my feet are clearly motor nerve related. And my hands well I just don't know. Goddamn this mortal flesh!!!

Thanks again, I'm a person who struggles with life at the best of times so this is all feeling a bit overwhelming after 34 years of essentially good health. I'll check my bloods tonight (I dohave a meter) although Im not eating much atm due to fear.

 

[Brunneria]

Do you check your blood glucose levels at bedtime? The bedtime readings are often more indicative of potential complications since those levels may remain high through much of the night until your pancreas is finally able to "catch up" and lower fasting sugars to more normal levels. It is during this extended period of elevated blood sugars that damage to one's system can occur. Of course, a significant problem with the medical community in general is that many of the practitioners (at least here in the States) go by the protocols that the A.D.A. (and probably the N.H.S.) recommends. However, those guidelines are much too high for many of us and we have to become our own guardians in determining what works for us. In my case, for example, I experienced fairly severe neuropathy that resulted in foot drop and the inability to walk normally. Yet my A1c has never tested higher than 6.1%. So here I was, being told that I was not diabetic, to go see a neurologist, and then told that I had to undergo physical therapy. Fortunately, I found an endocrinologist who confirmed that I was diabetic. After normalizing my blood sugars (to Dr. Bernstein-protocols), my foot drop began to fade and healed after about 90 days. The neuropathy itself, however, took almost 2 years to fully heal. If you have a blood glucose meter and testing strips, perhaps checking your blood sugar levels 1 to 2 hours afer meals and at bedtime may provide a better indication as to whether your problems are due to diabetes or something else. And don't go by the protocols of the A.D.A. Instead, compare your results with those of a normal, non-diabetic person.

Awesome post!

@TheDude80
Definitely get it checked out.

If your doc says it IS diabetes related, then early treatment and lowering your blood glucose by diet and possibly medication may well slow, halt or even reverse the symptoms.

If it isn't D related, then there are many avenues to pursue - carpel tunnel, vit b12 deficiency and probably many others.

In a week or two, hopefully, you will be looking back at this as a very valuable wake up call to get things back under control.

Have you read Bernstein? And the bloodsugar101 website (see link in my sig)?
They give really inspiring info on why it is better to aim for consistently lower BG levels than the NHS consider acceptable.

 

[Mike d]

Are you on statins at all? I had those annoying hand / wrist trembling and pains and they have all gone. That said, please consult your GP

 

[himtoo]

good on you dude for grabbing the bull by the horns so to speak.
glad you got your doc visit too !!

 

[ragingrichard]

Hi I have been type 1 diabetic for nearly 20 years and have been getting similar symptoms as you describe. The primary symptom for me is muscle twitches in the sole of my feet that then move my toes. Ive had a nerve test which came back negative but I still have it. Just wanted to find out what your current situation is and whether you managed to find out what it was?

Hi all. I was diagnosed diabetic a while back, but then I lost a couple of stone and based on my Hba1c(?) being low, the doctor perhaps irresponsibly told me I don't have it any more and took me off medication. Although I never put back on all the weight I lost, I drifted back into old habits somewhat. And now I'm getting some symptoms I think are probably diabetes related. Fasting blood sugars have been ok and I get a result on a new Hba1c test tomorrow but still, I'm very worried and scared about these symptoms.

They are quite different in my hands and feet. My feet have very small muscle spasms going on almost continually. These are not really painful, just irritating. I went for a 3 mile run today and afterwards my left heel is a bit sore, and this has been happening before. There can also be some very low intensity-pain 'spikes' in my feet occasionally.

My hands, well, it only tends to happen when I sleep, but a tingling starts coming up from the wrist. Sometimes this wakes me up, and I can relieve it by flexing my hands. It seems that if I do not wake up, this tingling progresses to numbness, which is relieved in the same way (without going back through the tingling stage though, I just move my numb hands/fingers and the feeling returns). A couple of nights ago it was quite scary, it had progressed to the numbness stage but there was also a very deep and fairly painful throbbing in my hand. It took a ilttle while but I eventually relieved it through flexing my hand again.

I will also mention here that I am getting the muscle twitches under my right eye, and I sometimes feel like I am experiencing the tiny little 'spikes' IN my eye, which is obviously very worrying.

I mean I have half a mind to keep Dignitas on speed-dial here. I'm really worried about my health. One other thing is that after the pulsing numbness that one time, I am sure there was some discoloured skin along the side of one of my fingers on that hand, which I picked off (sorry to be gross). I don't know if that is directly related. I'm doing quite a lot to change my lifestyle to try to limit complications, but I was operating under the assumption I'd beaten diabetes for a little while and now worry that has set me back. These symptoms have come on so suddenly. Anyway, I'm not suffering terrible pain or anything like I have heard described here (and beaten by some people, I'm relieved to say), but I'm scared this is the start of something leading to that.

Anyway like I say I'm off to the doctor tomorrow, and I intend to book another eye appointment, and I also have an appointment with a nerve specialist to see if I have carpal tunnel (referred by the Doctor who said I 'didn't have' diabetes any more) but I thought I'd drop by here to see what the community thinks of all this. Is it diabetes? I'm only 35 and I really miss the carefree approach to health I had up until my original diagnosis. Finding it very hard to deal with all of this psychologically.

good on you dude for grabbing the bull by the horns so to speak.
glad you got your doc visit too !!

 

[first14808]

Get thee to the doctor, and good luck!

And also ask about podiatry if you've not had a referal. As well as a pedicure and advice, there were also a bunch of booklets explaining what to watch out for. Also check your diet's giving you enough calcium, sodium, potassium, iron etc and your doc may request bloods to check they're ok.

And as the good book said, Don't Panic!