Hi everyone, my partner has recently started on insulin novo rapid and levemir, first few weeks he’s was starting to feel better but now his hands feet and legs ache constantly, the doctor has prescribed amitriptiline (not sure how you spell that) but it’s made him feel so much worse, we saw a consultant on last Tuesday who has prescribed duloxetine, currently the pain seems to be getting worse, he can hardly sleep because of it, his legs are also very swollen, he’s struggling to wee and now tells me he no longer wants to live. He has become so much worse since starting insulin I am getting seriously worried but I can’t seem to get any help from the GP or the diabetic nurse. Any suggestions or advice? Is this just him getting used to all the meds? Is it a side effect and the insulin needs changed? Anyone gone through the same and come out the other side? Sorry this is so long.
Constant pain
- Thread starter Emshore
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- Type of diabetes
- LADA
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Hi @Emshore , welcome to the forum.
I'm sorry to hear your partner is struggling so much.
Those pains and swollen legs are not usual side effects of insulin, please push his GP to do some more investigation.
Wish you both all the best!
I'm sorry to hear your partner is struggling so much.
Those pains and swollen legs are not usual side effects of insulin, please push his GP to do some more investigation.
Wish you both all the best!
hyponilla
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
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Hi Emshore, reading your post reminded me of my experience when I was diagnosed with type 1 four years and a bit ago. I dropped by blood sugars quickly and went from an hba1c of 91 to 42 in a couple of months but developed treatment induced neuropathy from it. It left me with excruciating pain in my feet, hands and legs for quite some time. Treatment induced neuropathy is not that common but if your partner has lowered his blood sugars over a short period of time that could be the problem. I also had swelling in my legs. You should definitely investigate it with a doctor because it could be something else, but I just wanted to offer some hope because although it's hell on earth for a while treatment induced neuropathy normally resolves itself. In my case it passed after about a month and a half. Diabetes is the worst in the beginning, but with time you get used to it and learn to manage it. Hopefully your partner will feel better soon.
Aw thanks for that. I am calling the gp again this morning but he has had a LOT of blood tests this last week still waiting for the results. His blood sugars have dropped a lot within 6 weeks and the consultant did mention neuropathy and prescribed him some duloxetine as of yet not helping currently he can barely walk from the pain, we are hoping it’s something that will get better as his bloods get under control more or maybe it’s just taking a while for the meds to have any effect? but it is rough and I am concerned about his mental state
MissMuffett
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I don’t usually encourage people to go to a&e but if it’s constant pain and swollen legs I’d be inclined to take him, along with ALL the medication he’s been given. There may be a contraindication with the drugs that the gp or nurse has missed.
Oh really? I know what you mean about a&e to be fair neither of us go to GP or a&e unless we are desperate but I have never seen him like this he very rarely takes painkillers but he is living on them at the moment. I will suggest this to him see if I can persuade him to go! Thank you
Theee have been a few similar threads to this. Sounds like Insulin Neuritis or TIND. Happens when blood sugar is corrected in short space of time. For what’s it’s worth I suffer from this although I am type 2 but I dropped my blood sugars by around 30 points in a short space of time and get terrible leg arms and sometimes hand aches. It’s getting better but neurologists days can last for 6 months. However it mainly happens to a insulin medicated people so if his bloods have dropped in a short space of time,it could be this.
Not really. My neuro says it’s self l’incitons mean it corrects itself. It’s largely dependent on the size of the drop. How much has his sugar come down. Anything more than 2 % of nmol increases the risk….
I don’t know the actual figures, he was told but can’t remember
all he said was it had dropped substantially in the last 6 weeks since starting the insulin. Hopefully I can find out more when I go with him next time this was the first appointment he asked me to go with him to so until now I have been getting all second handHow’s everything going now? I’m 10 months in and it’s getting better slowly.I don’t know the actual figures, he was told but can’t remember
It’s still not great he’s currently been prescribed pregablin which is now making him constantly tired so plus side he sleeping downside still no pain relief! His consultant has said it does usually resolve itself within a year to 18 months but that’s a long time to be in constant pain! Another appointment next week so will see what he says this time. Hope you are better soon too x
How many months has it been? I highly suggest to watch Dr. Bernstein’s video on neuropathy. Now keep in mind, it’s not about TIND, which is different, but it’s more about taking pain meds with regular PN, which is also reversible. I understand fully what it’s like to NOT take pain meds and deal with it, but with the mindset it will resolve, that helped. And yes, 12-18 months seems to be the norm. I’ve read studies could take 24 and could take 6. Everyone is different. I get small flare ups here and there but when I first had it, I was **** near suicidal. It was only after I was diagnosed that it helped my mentally. Even with the pain. Hope he feels better soon.
oldgreymare
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@Emshore,
I had been very chronically dehydrated for awhile when first diagnosed with diabetes, and a shocking side-effect of going onto insulin therapy that no one explained to me was the possibility of acute oedema (swelling) in my legs - my ankles were bigger than my thighs after a week on insulin - I was abroad at the time and just panicked thinking I had end stage renal failure and was losing the will to live. But this turned out to be a transient phase and my hydration and circulation did gradually return to normal.
Also I've had PN symptoms in my feet from the beginning, mostly numbness but sometimes painful. Still occasional pain flare ups but definitely better the tighter I manage to keep my BG control. Do not lose hope.
I had been very chronically dehydrated for awhile when first diagnosed with diabetes, and a shocking side-effect of going onto insulin therapy that no one explained to me was the possibility of acute oedema (swelling) in my legs - my ankles were bigger than my thighs after a week on insulin - I was abroad at the time and just panicked thinking I had end stage renal failure and was losing the will to live. But this turned out to be a transient phase and my hydration and circulation did gradually return to normal.
Also I've had PN symptoms in my feet from the beginning, mostly numbness but sometimes painful. Still occasional pain flare ups but definitely better the tighter I manage to keep my BG control. Do not lose hope.
