autonomic neuropathy

anyone know if this can this develop without any other type of neuropathy?

i've been t1 12 years & have taken my eye off the diabetic ball at times, but not that much (or so i thought) hbA1c's always been ok (apart from one at 9 and one at 8 something, the rest have always been 5-7 point something) - this has lulled me into a false sense of 'oh i'm doing ok then', i've even managed to ignore background retinopathy of 2 years as it only came on after my last pregnancy so thought that was to blame.

anyway, since my baby came along in dec 2009 i have never really felt back to normal. i was worried about a numb toe after wearing high shoes...was numb for few days, but doc checked it all & declared me neuropathy free. i can feel the lightest touch & the tuning fork etc, so again, thought well thats fine.

i did think maybe my thyroid was off..tested, in 'normal' range (although above normal range according to american 'in range' numbers but hey), i thought i'm heading towards menopause, maybe this is affecting how i feel, but all hormones 'in range'. just before christmas without going into too much detail, my 'sexual function' has, erm, slightly changed - happened very suddenly and didn't come on gradually, again...menopausal? (4 years ago i saw a fertility expert who said i was near peri-menopause because my egg reserve was dwindling, and a certain hormone (FSH) which should've been under 9 was 15 so 4 years later it is probable i'm on the road to menopause).

anyway, i am wondering if these little things are an indication damage has occured in my body? my heart regularly skips beats and sometimes races (menopausal? anxiety? i am huge hypochondriac!) but have had ECG & doc has reassured me skipped beats are completely normal. i feel quite breathless sometimes, but am overweight (put 5 stone on in pregnancy, half off, rest to come off...) & not that fit (got a bit fitter after joining gym last year, but dec/jan was full of illness...me/2 kids = no gym!) - i built up my fitness and did start to feel bit better (i was doing 2 spin classes a week & even started running) but feel like i'm at square one again.

any advice? i'm wondering if this is more in my head than a reality? one thing i know, it's scaring me to pieces and am testing about 10 times a day to stay on top of levels, i used to see 11/12's and think "not too bad" because could pop a couple of units in and sort it (yeh, like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted i know) but i am striving to never be above 9 if humanly possible.

wow, yet again, i have used 1000 words when 100 would've probably done. many apologies, but if you are still reading thanks!!!

thanks catherinecherub

good explanation of neuropathies. i honestly am one of those people who can find a symptom that i have.

anyone out there know if one can get autonomic neuropathy without any other type of neuropathy?

mainly, i'm wondering if T1's get 'heart damage' through high BS, that is my current worry. i went to the gym twice last week and the skippety kerplunkety heart missed beats thing happened both times, when i got hot & sweaty & was going for it. (2nd one was in a spin class, scary). i'm used to the odd missed beat and nothing bad happens, so not that worried, but these have started missing a few before returning to normal. it also happened on sat night when i was very happy & relaxed and had just got into bed. heart was kinda racing/pounding, then did it's skippy thing...did it a few times until i had to get up because it had scared me so much it turned on my anxiety switch which made me v panicy & wide awake.

i know anxiety & panic attacks cause racing heart etc, but what about these skipping beats?

anyone had this? going to docs later today (inclined to ease off the anxiety angle coz worried they'll attribute all this to that)

i am so 'on' it at the mo, testing about 8-10 times a day, but have a sinking feeling i've shut the stable door after the horse has got out

just thought i'd bump this...in case ANYONE could help. since posting this, my anxiety has been horrid. the odd day i feel ok, but most days, i really don't. i am consumed with worry.

seen a doc, who ordered another ecg to check nothing wrong before going further. had one yest, was clear (apart from a few 'bumps that are quite close together' - docs words. said he'd look at this but not to worry, it wasn't related to my health/funny skipping, sometimes racing heart). he gave me a slow release beta blocker so i could just pop one per day and hopefully would ease the symptoms.

i took one at lunchtime, forgot about it. my hubby was off so we took my little girl to the beach before big brother school pikup, i was driving...my heart (maybe it wasn't but that's where i felt it) started hurting. sounds dramatic, but it did. i tried to ignore, but by time we parked, it was really hurting. thinking i just needed to straighten up and take a deep breath i got out...as we were walking along the pain was much worse. wasn't an overall chest pain or tight feeling, just 'pain' in my heart. ended up being driven back home by hubby (nearly went straight to hosp but didn't), i phoned surgery who got dr 2 ring. i thought it was a reaction to medication, he said he really didn't think it was, to miss out today's dose and take again wed to see if it occurred. the pain subsided, came back a bit, then went.

i've had a dull version of this pain before. hence my pestering for all the heart checks etc. but yest was frightening & hurt quite a bit. doc had seen ecg so really didn't think was a prob.

so why oh why can't i relax? i feel so on edge. pain is there intermmitently but not v strong, just bit 'achey'.

think i'm on wrong forum, need to go chat to other anxiety ridden panic stricken people, but thought it was worth asking, in case anyone out there knows what the hell i'm going on about? if there is anyone, and you'd rather not publicly share experience or thoughts, please feel free to PM. i feel like i'm a freaky nutjob right now. and its very scary & lonely. i am petrified of going back to docs (yet AGAIN) and admitting this severe anxiety, i will be offered ADs etc. and any 'heart' worries will be put under the anxiety umbrella.

doc did say to take my other diabetic 'concerns' (see above) to clinic which is 4 weeks from today. i will, but feel like i can't possibly get thru next 4 weeks without having a blummin nervous breakdown. can't have one of those before i get my 'concerns' looked at! so will have to hold on.

this is how silly it's getting, my 2 year who should be asleep after lunch is still playing coz i can't bear to be alone! she has to put up with a weird mummy who is very short with her and doesn't take her out to the park coz she's worried she'll have an 'attack' of pain or just plain ol panic. i cannot go on like this :cry: