• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Back Pain/Medication and Diabetes.

Hi @Charliek3 - Sorry for delay, had to flip back and forth between this Thread and Type 2 Thread. Right, so you have only been diagnosed for 5 weeks with Type 2, and you are taking 500mg Metformin twice daily. Do you test your blood sugars? And do you know what your HBA1C was? What is your diet like? Getting your Diabetes controlled may well help to improve the Neuropathy.
 
Yes @liam1955, I have only been recently diagnosed with Type 2. 3 years ago I had a Heart scare and ended up being put on Simvastatin at the hospital and then changed a week later to Atorvastatin. After 9 months of Hell on Atorvastatin I stopped it altogether. I went back to my GP who poo poohed my dislike & worry about Atorvastatin and told me to keep taking it. I refused point blank and have been on nothing from then until 5 weeks ago having been put on Metformin & Simvastatin.
I was given a Locum GP although he may be staying with us at that Surgery & he absolutely flew threw my first visit, explaining nothing other than these drugs would give me 20 more years added onto my life!! I explained my chronic pain as well as I could but I don't think the guy took me seriously. I was against going back to Docs as I genuinely fear Surgeries etc but my wife begged me to go after the desperate sweats I was having. Now when I say sweat I mean t-shirt soaking wet in 10 minutes. Anything I tried to do like cutting the grass or any physical stuff had me soaking wet and a strange pain directly in the center of my stomach?!
I do not nor even know how to test my own Blood Sugars nor do I know my HBA1C, ( I am embarrassed to admit I don't even know what that stands for ), but as I say my Locum just told me that something was 63!! He seemed as if this was shocking to him. I don't even know what my cholesterol is either!! Shocking I know...I did try and get everything across to him regarding my pain but it was as if he was programmed to say what he did to me which did not help me in any way. I suppose he just thought I am a typical countryman and that I would take the pills and that would be it. I may be a country lad alright but I would like to know where I stand with Docs and helping myself as much as I can.
My diet has been atrocious in the past as I mentioned earlier. I am a Cabby and I have eaten on the run now for over 25 years. I do not take alcohol but I do smoke, unfortunately, ( My last Vice lol ). But I am well fit and able to cook and prepare food...as have all the men in my family so I am willing to follow this diet you have all been suggesting.
The Diabetes drugs I am on are : Metformin 1,000mg twice daily & Simvastatin 40mg X 1 at night.
Pain Medication : Dihydracodeine 60mg SR 2 pills twice daily
Naproxene 500mg pill twice daily.
Omeprazole 1 daily

I hope you can make out what I am saying...I am not against any medication's such as Statins or Pain Killers but I would like to know would my weird pain & Freezing feet & hands get any better just by taking Metformin? I have never heard that said apart from that young Doctor saying it to me at my last visit. My wife has a Meds Bag full of pain relief but I certainly do not want to be using stuff prescribed to her only although I could do that if I wanted. I want my own Doctor to prescribe me Pain Relief and medication for me and me only. It has got to the point that I have gone to the Doctors but I haven't got anything that helps with my stocking & glove type pain...My back from just above my Bum right down both thighs is painful and itchy. This is a different pain from any I have had relating to my Spinal Injury. This is weird stuff man...like an electric shock that sometimes is there all the time...especially at night in my feet. That is when it is atrocious and no matter what I try I get no relief from it. My pain killers that were given to me for back pain do not even touch this kind of pain. My wife gave me a Pregabalin and that gave me the best nights sleep since I was 16 years old lol...but I never told the Doctor that...Maybe it is just too early in my case to expect pain relief but I don't want to have to continue with this pain for much longer.

Thank you again @liam1955, for starting this Thread and I really hope more folk come along and maybe pool their pain solutions.
 
Go back to your doctors!!!!
Write all your issues down, all your questions etc and don't move until you get answers!!!!

I personally take very high doses of pain relief and have to be very aware of drug interactions. I get massive sweats when my BS are high and out of control.

Hope this helps!!!!
 
Hi @Charliek3 and @liam1955 can I stick my nose in? I haven't experienced anything like the extent of pain that you two fellows have to bear but I had to take dihydrocodeine for 15 months until an operation fixed the problem. Like William I didn't have a full night's sleep for that entire time because of the pain so I understand a little bit of what you are going through and wanted to say to you both that I sincerely hope that you'll find a way out.
 
@Charliek3 - What you described sounds like Sciatica to me, and I suffer with it quite bad some days and nights. I have been taking Atorvastatin for almost 14 years and never had any problems with it - it keeps my Cholesterol at 3.4. I went to bed at 2am this morning and was up and dressed at 7.30am, like you I find the sofa more comfortable to sleep on, but I have to sleep in the sitting up position!
I think you may well need to ask for a referral to see a specialist or even have a Scan to investigate what the cause is? I think the 63 would be your HBA1C and over 48 is considered Diabetic and needs to be much lower. Mine was 59 a few weeks ago but it has come down a great deal since last year = 81 it was.
 
@liam1955, Can I ask if you ever suffered real bad pain after breaking the Vertebrae in your Lumbar region?? I was with an extremely nice Podiatrist just after I saw that Doctor and she suggested I get my Spine looked at again. I really did damage my back badly back in 1983-84. I crushed 2 of the vertebrae & fractured another 4 along with breaking my chest bone. On and off over the years I have had extreme pain laying me up for a few days. The only real bad times were just before my 21st Birthday & for 6 months before & after the Twin Towers attack in New York. I remember the latter as I was lying flat on a mattress on the floor of our livingroom to try and get ease! I can laugh now at the things I have tried and the days and weeks I have laid on boards and on the floor. I was also told by the Consultant that looked after me when I was 16 and had just broke my back that I would have severe trouble with my back in later life. I just didn't think it would have been as early as 45 years old.
My kid's, ( two boys aged 14 & 10 ), are missing out as I simply am not able to take them anywhere that is going to require physical effort...even out on the bikes has stopped as the pain I have to endure during & after literally has me floored. I agree with you all on the Scan being needed & I am terrified they will want to operate as the odds in that area are not very promising. I have neighbor's that were given 70-30% odds of complete recovery...one is now in a wheelchair, ( although she is very happy to be pain free completely ), & the other is in constant agony and is so spaced out on pain killers she is barely intelligible. I guess this is the life we are given and simply have to endure. It's just I am too young to be feeling this way and much too young to even consider an operation so serious as it would be.
I am glad the Atorvastatin agrees with you @liam1955 & I think you are right about the HBA1C being the 63. When I was with my first Doctor, the guy that has retired he told me it wasn't Sciatica I was having but something right at the base of my spine, where I had crushed the vertebrae at 16. This pain I get now is not as extreme as the back pain I normally get. This is like Sunburn with an electric shock yet my feet are so cold & I genuinely could stand on glass and not feel it they are that cold! Socks in bed...Slapping the soles of my feet...holding them against the radiators full on...nothing seems to touch them. I lie flat on the 2 seater with my legs supported by pillows and my legs and feet are above my heart level & Head level and dangle in front of a small slacked fire LOL...If anyone saw me they would have a quare laugh alright but I am beyond caring now...except that my wife is missing me in the bed with her at night.
I would dread if it were Sciatica too as I know that is chronic pain also and no tablets ever relieve that. I sound like an old fart here for God sake LOL...I just hope I can improve a lot more over the coming weeks. I am indeed going to write down all of my problems just to have on hand as I am useless at remembering things on the day. I have no one to blame but myself really and I need to take much better care of myself than I have been doing this past 25 years. @13lizanne & @Cat0409_ , I am Happy to see everyone taking part in the conversations here. This forum has taught me more in a few days than I could have imagined or hoped for & I am truly grateful for everyone's input & in particular @liam1955, for starting it in the first place.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@Charliek3 - There is also a condition called Anklylosing Spondylitis that is fusion of the pelvis and lower spine which is also very painful and strong pain killing tablets are required. This is why the Forum is so popular because others can join in on discussions to offer help, support and give useful information. As @Cat0409_ has already said: write it all down and go see your GP and ask if you can have a referral and find out what is wrong and if a treatment programme is available.
 
I'm surprised that your wife's pregablin enabled you to get to sleep, it doesn't usually work as instant pain relief, it takes a week or 2 for your body to get any benefit from it as it makes brain bypass nerve pain signals and needs time to adjust your brain signals. Also it is usually given with other pain meds
You need to ask GP to refer you to a pain specialist, they can prescribe stronger pain meds or offer other solutions not necessarily surgery.
Never under estimate the power of paracetamol, I take the max allowed every day, people say they don't work but don't take them for long enough.
 

The pain you mentioned sounds a bit like mine; I got diagnosed with sciatica, a smushed disc & scoliosis a while back & am now on tramadol hydrochloride a few times a day. It helps a little bit, but I don't think pain ever gets removed completely. That said, I was on codeine and naproxen for ages which were no use, that's when I got switched on to the tramadol.
 
I have had similar pain over many years, but mine is in the neck. I have crumbled discs. I have taken paracetamol max dose for many months but recently have stopped with no increase in pain. I can barely turn my head to the left and the left side of my face and ear are partialy numb. But life goes on. If you dont live it, it passes you by. But then, I have a wonderful wife and family to see me through. You can't have every thing, although I do feel that I have a fair proportion of the better part.
As they say "Keep taking the tablets" I do hope you have a good supporting family to help you through.. This forum will help.
 
I hope not as I have severe scatica and back muscular spasms. Horrific pain in movement.
Like someone using their fist to put pressure hard on one side of the rear of my pelvis.
Ive had pregabalin just introduced but has removed my numb toe feeling until tablet is due again but scatica pain isn't as tearful as without tramadol, paracetamol and ibuprofen. For me. Pregabalin doesn't remove back pain nor weakness to walk.
 
Having back assessment tomorrow. Worried about it as back bodily functions are numb.
Saw relation yesterday and had to have op but not diabetic. Had her nerve cut or something. She had her numbness correct itself afterwards.
I'm worried about what they may find. My body feels twisted.
 
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.…