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Legs on fire

B

BaliRob

Well-Known Member
Messages
596
Location
Bali, Indonesia
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Noisy dogs and loud music especially low-note drumming
Last night this persistent condition was at its worst with the burning feeling on the outer sides of each leg from the hips down feeling very sore yet, to touch, the skin was quite normal. The outer shins to the feet was by far the most painful. I am currently trying to establish whether it is internittent use of 40mg Lasix (water tablet) to reduce foot and ankle oedema or, perhaps, Captopril (Ace Inhibitor to arrest kidney damage) is the cause. Experimenting by leaving one or both off does not come up with definitive answers. I have recently increased Metformin (Glucophage) by 1 x 500mg to a total of 1500mg daily but, as I have been very tolerant with this, feel that it is not the cause. Both Metformin and Simvastatin 10mg have been used constantly for 8 years. The burning is not tingling as often described and has disappeared after a few hours but, nonetheless, makes for sleepless nights. Any other similar sufferers out there please?
 
Can't help sorry. I get itchy when I've had too many carbs.
 
I could not tolerate 10 mg simv - it caused such leg muscle pain that I had to sleep with a pillow under my knees to offset the weight of my legs straightening them. I did not realise it was simv until I read a letter in 'Balance' & stopped at once. The effect cleared in about a week.
 
Have you asked your doctor(s) to look into this for you? I'm unsure whether you have been diagnosed with any diabetic neuropathy already.

There are potentially other neurological causes for the symptoms you describe. Often the first step is to figure out whether a symptom is related to diabetes and/or the meds for it, or something completely unrelated to diabetes.
 
If you are taking Metformin you could be low on vit B12 its worth asking for a blood test as this can cause itchy or burning leg problems
CAROL
 
Dear Ian and Catlady,

As I have been on Simvastatin (Ian) so long and have tried going a week without using it and not being able to decide whether it was associated with the burning sensation or not, I must look for other possible neurological (Catlady) causes. I have 100% sensation but do experience pain in my toes and fingers. Looks like an email to my doctor is called for as my appt is not due til October. Thankyou both for your suggestions - I do hope others may still help me.

Carol - yours came in as I was writing the above - it is certainly worthwhile checking for Vit B12 def. as you have suggested - I am grateful.

Rob
 
Hi Rob

I recently learned the hard way to be careful when changing my medication, eg having a trial period off a drug I had been taking for a long time.

I thought I did everything right, I asked my GP first and he agreed that it was worth a try. However he did not monitor the effects, which were only detected 3 months later at my regular diabetes checkup. (I'm having them 3 monthly until I feel more comfortable about my overall health - I have complex medical conditions).

I stopped taking Accupril, my ACE inhibitor anti-hypertensive, which I had been on for 5 years. I did this because my BP was consistently aorund 105/70 and I thought that was unnecessarily low, could be damaging, and might indicate the 10mg Accupril once daily was too much. In hindsight, I should have dropped it to 5mg and had BP checks at 2 and 4 weeks.

I had a BP check at 3 months and it was 145/80. The stupid nurse said it didn't seem too bad - I politely said nothing to her but thought there's no way in hades I am leaving it at 145/80!

Worse, my microalbumin/creatinine ratio (kidney function), cholesterol, weight, BG, and eye symptoms had all worsened! I had reduced kidney function and raised cholesterol for the first time in my life.

Straight back on the Accupril then. Within a few days BP back under 130/80. Phew.

So, I am never, ever, going off a medication again without doing my homework. And I have learnt that T2 diabetes is a 3-fold disease - BG, BP, and cholesterol. We need to ensure all three are under control.

My recommendation to you is to see your doctor as soon as possible, and keep going with your statin until you've had a neurological all clear, whatever that may involve.
 
Hi Rob

There are many conditions thst can cause the persistent symptoms you describe. You need to find ot the cause so that you get the appropriate care/treatment. It may be that none of your drugs are the cause. Your healthcare provider should be able to investigate.

Take care

Doug
 
Dear Catlady and Doug,

After writing my last post I emailed my doctor (I can do that here as I have to pay for everything) detailing the condition and
asking his opinion re neurological suggestion and Vit B12 and will post his reply when I get it. One further concern is my
BP as, for the whole of my life until a few weeks ago, was always that of a "young horse" quoted one doctor ha ha ha (probably told everyone that) reading 120/90. Since going onto Ace Inhibitor and Lasix it dropped to 90/60 which is obviously too low. Problem is which one (or both) should I stop/change - yes, of course I will ask him.
 
Hi Rob

Looking forward to hearing what your doc has to say about you legs. It must be a difficult condition to live with. Your bp definitely needs rectifying as it is now too low. Treatment for bp is complex but what you have achieved is a lowering of both systolic and diastolic elements which is not what you needed.

Take care

Doug
 
BaliRob said:
Last night this persistent condition was at its worst with the burning feeling on the outer sides of each leg from the hips down feeling very sore yet, to touch, the skin was quite normal. The outer shins to the feet was by far the most painful. I am currently trying to establish whether it is internittent use of 40mg Lasix (water tablet) to reduce foot and ankle oedema or, perhaps, Captopril (Ace Inhibitor to arrest kidney damage) is the cause. Experimenting by leaving one or both off does not come up with definitive answers. I have recently increased Metformin (Glucophage) by 1 x 500mg to a total of 1500mg daily but, as I have been very tolerant with this, feel that it is not the cause. Both Metformin and Simvastatin 10mg have been used constantly for 8 years. The burning is not tingling as often described and has disappeared after a few hours but, nonetheless, makes for sleepless nights. Any other similar sufferers out there please?
Click to expand...
Hi there, I too have the same symtoms as you being burning,itching and sometimes numbness in the legs, but also in the groin which is very sore to the touch. I too seem to suffer more while trying to sleep.I approached my doctor and he prescribed Dermol cream.It has reduced the symtoms by about 50% for me, hope this helps,Kind regards Mick :D
 
Thankyou Mick and Doug - will be back as soon as I know.
 
I am back as promised. My doctor seems to feel that, after 8 years on Metformin (Glucophage), I have become intolerant evidenced by the upset stomach and burning legs sensation even though the dose had only been increased by 1 x 500 after lunch. Also, as my BP was too low and affecting me when standing up (feeling faint) he has considered discontinuing Captiprol for the moment. The situation now is that he has prescribed a half tablet (15mg) Glurenorm (Cliquidone) and taken me off Metformin. The Glurenorm is to be taken once a day before breakfast for one week from tomorrow. I am a little concerned because he has warned me to be on my guard against hypos and this is the first time I have been so advised. I should also mention that he suggested my muscular aches and symptoms of increasing Athritis MAY repeat MAY have been caused by Metformin. So, if my condition improves over the next week I just might have something positive to report. Any helpful experiences would be gratefully acknowledged.
 
Re: Legs on fire change of medication Glurenorm

I have updated my post re: "Legs on fire" and would ask for any advice regarding being taken off Metformin for Glurenorm (Cliquidone) especially with regard to possible hypos
 
Hi Rob

The medication you have been put in was discontinued in the UK In March 2008. I don't know why but guess it may be because newer and better medications had come along.

Regards

Doug
 
Dear Doug,

Thankyou for the hint/warning - I did do a reasonable Google search on respectable sites and did not find any
reason to be concerned. Perhaps I had better word it as to "Why was..........in 200?"

Let you know the outcome - it does occur to me as to how you would have known this.

Regards,

Rob
 
BaliRob said:
I am back as promised. My doctor seems to feel that, after 8 years on Metformin (Glucophage), I have become intolerant evidenced by the upset stomach and burning legs sensation even though the dose had only been increased by 1 x 500 after lunch. Also, as my BP was too low and affecting me when standing up (feeling faint) he has considered discontinuing Captiprol for the moment. The situation now is that he has prescribed a half tablet (15mg) Glurenorm (Cliquidone) and taken me off Metformin. The Glurenorm is to be taken once a day before breakfast for one week from tomorrow. I am a little concerned because he has warned me to be on my guard against hypos and this is the first time I have been so advised. I should also mention that he suggested my muscular aches and symptoms of increasing Athritis MAY repeat MAY have been caused by Metformin. So, if my condition improves over the next week I just might have something positive to report. Any helpful experiences would be gratefully acknowledged.
Click to expand...
Hi there BaliRob, I contacted you with regards to your burning legs on the 30th Aug, Mick Tonks here ! I explained I have similiar problems to yourself with your condition and my doctor prescribed Dermol cream. This cream did help in releiving the itching but not the burning and sore sensistivity to the touch of my legs. I visisted my doctor again and he as prescribed Vitamin B Compound Stong Tablets of which I take two in the morning and two at night. This has helped enormously and I am feeling the benifits, but the down side is that they take up to two to three weeks to take affect but well worth the time to get rid of this annoyance of having the discomfort. Hope this helps Kind regards Mick :D
 
Journal of Pathology 210:94-102, 2006 Draegar A
Statin therapy induces ultrastructural damage in skeletal muscle in almost every patient. The study which compared muscle biopsies from statin treated and non statin treated patients were examined and showed clear evidence of skeletal muscle damage in statin treated patients.

It may not be the answer for you, but after suffering leg pain that kept me awake at night and being prescribed gabapentin for it, I did not want to take another tablet so I stopped the simvastatin I had been on for 6 years. The pain went away.
My cholesterol levels have never been much higher than 5 with a healthy mix of HDLs and LDLs (always worth asking for this). I have no family history of strokes or heart disease (including T1 diabetics) so I am not concerned about being statin free.
 
Dear Mick,

Sorry not to have been back before this but I did not have anything useful to report.

I was too afraid to go onto Cliquidone even as an experiment.

Trying to establish the cause of any persistent, pain, etc., is very difficult when on an established regimen and members will probably agree.

Problem with my legs started after coming off Quinine Sulphate (8 years) which had apparently damaged my kidneys - if the oedema in my legs ankles and feet is anything to go by, the specialist and radiologist were right because my heart is A1.

I use Lasix for six days and then go back on when obviously need some 4/5 days later. It is this which makes determining whether the use (or non-use) of this drug may be the cause. The other morning after 4 days without Lasix I had a repeat attack of 'burning legs' although not so severe. Specialist today offered the suggestion that it may be my tissue filling up with water which cause the pain.

To citari who suggested Simvastatin may be the cause - I thank you. I did stop the statin for some 10 days and, again, I could not come to a conclusion.

I have gone back to 1 x 500 mg twice a day with the statin at night and, after I feel able to experiment again, I will go back onto the additional 500 mg Metformin at lunchtimes - it had reduced my BG's by a respectable amount for the short time I was on the increased dose. I am sure I will be able to tell the difference this time. In any event I will report my findings here.

To Mick again - I know I did not need the cream but, when all has settled down I will ask for the Vitamin B compound you so kindly suggested.

Regards to all,

Rob
 
Hi BaliRob,
As a Jakarta resident (although working in Africa just now), I admire your ability to be able to cope with your diabetes out there! I recently had a few months back home in Scotland (for the first time in years) and spent most of that reviewing my T2 with my GP and being tested for suspected kidney problems and various other complications. One thing that we discussed was the use of statins. I was prescribed Simvastatin around 3 years ago, and first started using it when I was at work in Angola. I had immediate problems with it, ranging from severe neck pain to various muscular seizures which really frightened the life out of me. I sent an email to my UK GP explaining this, and he called me back almost immediately by telephone to get a better discussion on this. He then decided that I was 'Statin Intolerant' and that I should not use them at all. Now, 3 years on, I find that my old GP has retired and been replaced by a young gentleman, fresh and ready to start out on his career. He said that I really needed to be on some form of statins, so I explained what had happened previously. What he said was that Simvastatin was the choice of most prescribers, as it was much cheaper than the other options. As he said that I had to be taking statins, he was going to prescribe a more expensive statin, which would hopefully not have the side effects of Simvastatin. I have now been taking 40 mg daily of Atorvastatin for about 7 months, and my blood has never been as good as it is now for many many years ....and with no side effects. Blood tests were carried out monthly (demanded by my employers and supported by my GP), and I am now back at work, where tests will be conducted 3 monthly.
I hope this information can be of some use to you.
Hati-Hati!
Colin.
 
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