• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

A feeling of sunburn

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Morning lovely people,

Just wanted to ask a slightly obscure question for those of you who have ever suffered with 'skin sensations' connected with T2 diabetes.

Has anyone ever experienced a feeling of sunburn on the back and been told that it's to do with being diabetic ?

As far as I can tell diabetic neuropathy tends to manifest as tingling/numbness/pins and needles/shooting pains in the peripherals- fingers and toes rather than skin hypersensitivity anywhere else.

Ever since his viral infection/shingles back in May Hubby's back has felt like it has been burnt. Consultant still maintains it was shingles. GP says it's connected with high BG (which is half what it was at diagnosis) Have since read that anxiety/high cortisol can also trigger this kind of response (!!)

Have started him on a course of Alpha Lipoeic R supplements to see if that makes any difference . GP just offered him antidepressants ( to take his mind off the feeling) which he declined.

As it's been 5 months now he is feeling a bit fed up.
Thoughts appreciated. x
 
Quite common to get something called post herpetic neuralgia after shingles. Does settle down eventually but can take years. Was the antidepressant on offer called amitriptyline (Its an old.fashioned antidepressant). If so it's quite commonly prescribed for neuralgia so if I were him I would.go back to the gp and see what options are on the table?
 
I had this after shingles - & it was 20 odd years before my diabetes diagnosis. It takes a long while to go and still bothered me on and off for a couple of years after I was ill.

My grandma recently had shingles in her 90s and her GP have her the anti depressants - huge help with her recovery.
 
Hi, my husband had shingles and the effects lasted for ages. I think some people are just unlucky. My elderly aunt also had it and suffered no lasting problems at all.
If the symptoms are very difficult I think that there are some medications that can help.
 
thank you everyone for your replies and yes it was amitriptyline that was offered. I have heard from others that it can take months/years to finally clear up. Pretty sure it is post herpetic neuralgia. I think he is just unlucky as I know quite a few people who have had shingles and didn't suffer with this....it does seem to come and go in it's intensity and whether it bothers him.

thanks again for replying x
 
Where was the shingles and is the sunburn sensation in the same place? If so, sounds like post herpetic neuralgia; there are several drugs to try such as the amitriptylline, antidepressant and the anti epilepsy tablets like gabapentin, and the creams like capsaicin.
Sometimes diabetic folk get a burning in a linear area from the back (painful radiculopathy) often if the glucose levels have just shot up.
It is generally said that most pains are worse if running high glucose levels, but I am not sure if this is true
There is a vaccination against shingles which is being rolled out and which seems very sensible
Best wishes
 
yep
- yep sunburn sensation and shingles in same area so I'm thinking there is a connection. His glucose levels are much lower than they were so I don't think it is connected to diabetes. Thanks for the tip about capsaicin cream, might have a look for that. Yes I'd heard about the shingles vaccine, good idea. x
 
When I ha
d that sunburn feeling on my back it turned out to be shingles. I did not have diabetes then.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…