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Just Been Diagnosed. I have some questions

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kaazoom

Active Member
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Hi everyone,

My name is Paul. I am 50 years old have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This is just one of my many health problems. I also have asthma, hypertension and neurological problems.

I developed my neurological problems back in 2005. I was diagnosed as having hypertension a few months early. Many of my neurological symptoms, including autonomic symptoms, seem to fit the little I know about diabetic neuropathy apart from the myoclonic and dystonic movements I have. I have seen numerous neurlogists, none of them seemed to know what is going on. All my scans were clears so were most of the other tests they did. I ended up with a diagnosis of having a 'functional' neurological problem. One thing that was found in January 2008 is that I had a high level of glucose in my spinal fluid. I did a fasting blood test and the test came back ok. The hospital asked my doctor to do this again, and I assumed it was ok as he never contacted me. I am with a different GP now, it was him who found the diabetes during routine tests. I am waiting to see the diabetes nurse at the moment.

My question are, how long does diabetic neuropathy usually take to develop in untreated type 2 diabetes , and can fasting blood tests indicate you haven't got diabetes when you really have?

I am starting to wonder if my neurological problems are in actual fact related to my diabetes.


Paul
 
Paul,
it is possible that your neurlogical problems are diabetes related.
How long complications take to develop, probably isn't well known( at least I don't know exactly) but it's probably on a scale of years. I do know though that many T2s already have complications when diagnosed.
I also know that careful tight control of T2 can improve and often reverse complications.
By careful control, I mean as close as possible to non diabetic levels, NOT what the medical profession aften call good control.
that means, you aim to keep blood glucose close to 5. DEspite what the medics say, You DO need a meter to monitor this.
Diet is the key
You will need to reduce your total intake of carbohydrates. This can be done in a variety of ways, whichever suits you :) By reducing portion size, going to low GI, or going to a low carb diet. theere's plenty about all of this on this forum. Another useful resource is David Mendosa's website. Be aware though that it's American and so uses different units. ( mg/dl where we use mmol/l) there is a simple conversion. If you are puzzled by this, you can look in our "stickies" threads for information.
 
My question are, how long does diabetic neuropathy usually take to develop in untreated type 2 diabetes , and can fasting blood tests indicate you haven't got diabetes when you really have?

I am starting to wonder if my neurological problems are in actual fact related to my diabetes.
Click to expand...

What Hana said. :D

How long is a question no one can really answer. It depends entirely on the level of your blood glucose thoughout that time. Were you testing regularly.

As for the test indications, yes they can be incorrect. That is why it is usually repeated for confirmation and other tests can be carried out ?

Neuropathy is a problem for anyone, Diabetic or not.
 
Thank you both for answering so quickly. I think it might well be worth investigating the connection. My symptoms are numerous, some loss of some sensation my toes (right side), gait disturbances, blurred eyesight, bladder and bowel disturbances, tremor, dizziness, head aches, muscle twitches etc. Of course all of these may have nothing to do with diabetic neuropathy. I may have something else too! The only good thing about getting diagnosed with diabetes ( not that having diabetes is good!) is I am now being taken seriously again. Hopefully it will lead to a re-evaluation of all my health problems.

I have been unable to work since 2005 and have virtually been abandoned by the medical profession. In fact I had abandoned them as I have been treated very badly by a few. In the end I stopped trying to get answers. Having this diagnosis has changed all of that, not they are asking me to attend appointments! I did ask my GP is this is psychogenic diabetes! I think he got my point.

Paul
 
Hi kaazoom.

Not quite sure what you mean when you say 'investigate the connection ?' :?

There is much already published about Diabetic Neuropathy. The probable causes, the symptoms and treatment options etc. Here is a link to a website which gives much information which may help to answer some of your questions ?
http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetic_neu ... rticle.htm

An extract:
Diabetic neuropathy, a common complication of diabetes, is damage to the nerves that allow you to feel sensations such as pain. There are a number of ways that diabetes damages the nerves, but they all seem related to blood glucose being too high for a long period of time. (end)

Many of the symptoms you describe could be attributed to high blood glucose levels as well as other things. Elevated Bg levels are the primary cause of Diabetic Neuropathy. I would say you need a referral to a specialist to get a better undertsanding and treatment of your condition/s.
 
cugila said:
Hi kaazoom.

Not quite sure what you mean when you say 'investigate the connection ?' :?
Click to expand...

Hi Cugila,

What I meant was I shall have to bring this up at my next appointment. I have looked at the article you gave me the link to, and so many of those symptoms are like mine. I guess a specialist will be able to figure out if any of them are related to my diabetes.

Best Wishes,

Paul
 
I just found this article on diabetic neuropathy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_neuropathy

It covers quite a lot of disorders.

Paul
 
Hi Paul
I think you'll find it diffiult to get any medic to assign the cause of your symptoms. However, if you get your Bg down to normal for a couple of months and everything starts to get better, you'll have some kind of answer.
Hana
Ps, sometime neuropathy gives a bit of trouble during the healing process. eg Pain nerves become overactive
 
hanadr said:
Hi Paul
I think you'll find it diffiult to get any medic to assign the cause of your symptoms. However, if you get your Bg down to normal for a couple of months and everything starts to get better, you'll have some kind of answer.
Hana
Ps, sometime neuropathy gives a bit of trouble during the healing process. eg Pain nerves become overactive
Click to expand...


Hi Hana,

That would certainly be worth trying. In fact I have to get my Bg down now if I don't want my diabetes to get worse. Any decrease in my symptoms would be a great relief.


Paul


Paul
 
cugila said:
Paul. What exactly are your BG levels at the moment. Are you testing ? I have asked you before and had no answer.... :(
Click to expand...

Hi Cugila,

I have no idea. I was just told on Monday that I have diabetes.I had 2 fasting blood tests that were high. I am having another blood test (not fasting) and a urine test on Monday, I think this is to establish a baseline? I am seeing the diabetes nurse in two weeks time. So I know nothing about testing yet or about changes I need to make in my diet. At the moment I am in the dark.

He gave me a leaflet but that only explained what type 2 diabetes is. The doctor may have said more but I cannot remember. My concentration and memory can be bad at times.

Paul
 
Thanks Paul.

So, at the moment you are totally in the dark. You need to get yourself a blood glucose meter and test strips from somewhere. You might have to buy one if the GP hasn't given you one. You need to know what is going on to have any hope of controlling your Bg levels and MAYBE reversing the Neuropathy that you have at present.

When you say your diagnosis reading was high do you know what it was exactly, a number. That could help us help you ? We can tell you the sort of numbers you should be aiming for and advise you how to get the numbers down. All this will help. As stated before BG levels are critical in treating Neuropathy.

If there is anything not clear to you please ask again.
 
I have no idea how high they are. He didn't give me a figure. I am seeing the practice nurse next Tuesday regarding my hypertension and asthma, I'll ask her to have a look and tell me what the readings were. Otherwise I'll have to wait until the following week.

Paul
 
Hi there
Sorry your having a rotten time. I assume they have ruled out all the 'usual' neurological nasties if youve had CSF taken?

Hope controlling your bg resolves some of this-dont be fobbed off with rubbish about not needing to test etc by your GP- you DO need to test , particularly in the early days to find out what and how food effects you

Have you had the usual stuff tested too- thyroid, iron levels, B12 levels (which often mimic neuro problems if you are deficient). There is some suggestiong that Alpha Lipoic Acid and Benfotiamine (derivative of B vitamins) helps with neuropathic symptoms

Hope you see improvement soon
 
kaazoom said:
........and can fasting blood tests indicate you haven't got diabetes when you really have?
Click to expand...
Hi Paul,

You've had some very good advice from Hana and Ken.

Yes - it is possible to be daibetic and have normal fasting blood glucose levels and even normal HbA1c results. I've been a Type 2 for nearly nine years but these days since I took control of my situation through diet, my fasting levels and my HbA1c results are now always in the normal range. Health professionals wouldn't realise that I was diabetic if I didn't tell them - or unless they carried out some sort of glucose tolerance test.

Best wishes - John
 
lilibet said:
Hope you see improvement soon
Click to expand...

Thank you Lilibet,

II have numerous neurological tests, EEG, MRI, lumbar puncture etc. The only thing that showed up in my last lumbar puncture in January 2008, was high glucose. They did a fasting blood tests,a and although it was still high it wasn't high enough to be diabetes. They asked my GP to repeat the test. As far as I know this one was OK. At least he never contacted me to say it wasn't.


Paul
 
wallycorker said:
kaazoom said:
........and can fasting blood tests indicate you haven't got diabetes when you really have?
Click to expand...
Yes - it is possible to be daibetic and have normal fasting blood glucose levels and even normal HbA1c results. I've been a Type 2 for nearly nine years but these days since I took control of my situation through diet, my fasting levels and my HbA1c results are now always in the normal range. Health professionals wouldn't realise that I was diabetic if I didn't tell them - or unless they carried out some sort of glucose tolerance test.
Click to expand...


Hi John,

I contacted the diabetes UK helpline yesterday. I told them about what has happened. I was told that if my fasting blood sugar was ok when it was tested before it isn't possible that I had diabetes then. They said the fasting test was completely reliable. Then I read this article;

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14046782.php

I do not know if this only applies to the tests done in the USA or if it is the same here.

I guess I'll have to bring this up with the diabetes nurse when I see her. Nearly all my symptoms, apart from the myoclonus could be caused by diabetic neuropathy ( at least from the articles I have read) but I would have thought I would have had to have been diabetic for years before I got ill in 2005. My diabetes may just be yet another condition I have to deal with.

Best Wishes,

Paul
 
kaazoom said:
sugarless sue said:
Confused , Paul, are you diabetic or not then ?
Click to expand...

Apparently I am now. What is in doubt in my mind is if I have been for a long time and it has been missed.

Paul
Click to expand...

When were you given the diagnosis and what was the actual level Paul ?
 
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