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Neuropathy and addiction

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siobhan85

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West Midlands
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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diabetes
Im 27 and have had type 1 diabetes for nearly 9 yrs. I got diagnosed with Neuropathy about 2 yrs ago, unfortunately as i dont ever feel ive been properly educated on it this was also the 1st time id ever heard about it as i dont know any1 else who has it and as far as i know, no one in my family has ever had it and if it wasnt for this site or the forums id still have no idea. Im a single parent with 2 young boys and my neuropathy is quickly becoming more unmanagable, what started off with feeling like restless leg sydrome i was given 20mg of amitriptyline by the doc. Because im already on a high dose of setraline for depression that was all i was allowed as amitriptyline is also an anti depressant, I stopped taking it after a few months because it did absolutely nothin for me. Im now in alot of pain also which is getting me really down, i can only describe it as the most disgusting frustrating pain. As i said above i have 2 young boys and im getting to the point that i can hardly leave the house if it wasnt for codiene, which is another problem, as ive become addicted to it but its the only thing that helps a bit. I havent told my doctor about it as im ashamed and afraid that the only thing that does help will be taken away from me, even tho i buy it and dont get it on prescription. My doctor isnt helping with the current pain no matter how many times i go to them, i ended up in tears last time, i need to get off the codiene but i know i wont manage without them without any other help for the way my legs feel now, i feel stuck in a rut and have no idea how to get help, this isnt fair on my children either, i feel rubbish that i cant be how i used to with them and they shudnt see me upset or in pain like this. What can i do to change this? I know there is other meds out there that can help me as i was told by a previous consulant, but i cant remember the name of them and that consultant is no longer in my area. :(
 
Hi Siobhan and welcome to the forum although I see youve been a member for a year but youve not posted much. It must have taken some courage to tell us your story and there is absolutely no need for you to feel any guilt about addiction it is after all an illness and for some can get out of hand very very quickly especially with drugs like Codeine.

The first thing I would do in your position would be to conjure up my courage and go and see my GP and explain everything to him, as a professional I doubt if he will judge you at all, at least he shouldnt his job is to help his patients. If nothing else it will allow you to get your codeine from a reliable source and not from the black market/internet or wherever it is you are buying them from, all sorts of undesirable people are in the business of illegal drugs and you can not be sure what you are buying when getting them from any dubious source.

Secondly I would ask for a referral to someone able to deal with addiction as I think it will need professional help and a lot of your personal will power to wean you off this drug but Im equally sure that it can be done if you really want it :thumbup:

Thirdly perhaps a referral to a pain clinic who will be better placed to prescribe other medication that may help you with your pain management, there are lots of drugs available other than codeine, which my GP was keen to get me off, such as Gabapentin and Pregabalin both often prescribed for neuropathy as well as the Bu Trans patches that I now use which are a slow release synthesised morphine which I personally find much better for pain relief than codeine used to be.

I see from your profile that you are a T1 so a DAFNE course would be another option worth considering assuming youve not been on one already that will help you manage insulin better so reducing your blood glucose levels as it is running high blood glucose levels that is almost always responsible for neuropathy in the first place.

But do see your GP and good luck
 
Hi, there are a few alternative meds for diabetic neuropathy which you might be able to have with a bit of juggling of your meds. One is duloxetine, which is also an antidepressant. You'd have to slowly withdraw from the sertraline before starting it, which you may not want to if the sertraline has worked well for your mood, but it's possible it could treat both problems.
Other possibles are gabapentin & pregabalin, not sure if these interact with sertraline or not (would have to check my BNF) though.
These are all for neuropathy, I'm less sure about restless legs, but there are options for this as well (though some are also addictive so may not be the best if your brain is already "programmed" that way). I don't quite know why your GPs haven't suggested any of these so far - there might be some reason in your other meds or past medical history, but it's worth going back with these names to ask I'd have thought.
Hope you get somewhere.
 
i couldn't agree more with you that neuropathy pain is the worst. I first got it 5 years ago and my doctor did nothing until I finally exploded at him and insisted that he do something or send me to someone who could. It was so bad that I would not sleep at all 3 or 4 nights per week which made me a zomby which was affecting my work and home life.
He sent me to a neurologist who put me on Cymbalta and Lyrica which are both anti depressants. These 2 drugs have been a god send for me. I still have pain, but it is very mild so I don't notice it most times and I sleep very well most nights( maybe 1 night a month) I will have trouble.
I live in Canada so I don't know how your medical system works but I would highly recommend seeing a neurologist. Maybe if you can controll the pain it will help your control the codene.
Good luck
Lynn
 
Definitely go and see your doctor. If you need codeine he'll prescribe it - both my husband and myself have been on co-codamol 30/500 at 8 a day for years and are probably addicted to it - if he can prescribe something else he will and wean you off the codeine. I am on duloxetine and amitryptyline (sp?) as well - you have to watch the duloxetine as it can cause cold feet, due to which I now get chilblains.

You're not alone - that is the main thing to remember - and your doctor will see people with worse addiction problems than you have - and with people with lesser original need for the drugs.

Good luck and keep us informed.

MTT :wave:
 
Hi Siobhan I also have neuropathy and was diagnosed 7 years ago , have been diabetic for 31 years. I was referred by my GP to the neurological hospital in queens square, London. I was under the pain clinic there and was put on amitriptlyene at first and it didn't help after trying a wide range of different tablets they tried me on ketamine injections and although its having to inject myself every night with ketamine it has proven to control the pain and have been on this now 6 years , as far as I know there not many patients with severe neuropathy on ketamine and as you can imagine when seeing new doctors and nurses they are usually shocked that I take it considering it's mainly used as a anasthetic or horse tranquilizer and also on the illegal drug scene which to my surprise found out after googling it lol, but I can honestly say its changed my life as in pain free hope this helps x
 
I've had neuropathy for3 years. I am on a mixof gabapentin, paracetamol, tramadol & MST. as I can't tolerate amytriptiline, Pregabalin or codeine.
Have to say my local pain clinic were no use, I was just told there'sno much canbe done for neuropathic pain and referred back to my endo who has done a good job. The MST is the drug which has sorted me out with tramadol for breakthrough pain
 
I feel your pain. I also have an addiction to painkillers. Which started about 8 years ago. I wad diagnosed with neuropathy 4 years ago and have tried everything. I now take zapain which is co codamol. Tramadol and morphine for breakthrough pain.I refuse to tell my doctor as I don't know how I would cope without the painkillers. I have recently been for MRI scans ans neurological tests and my consultant is now trying to tell me I don't have neuropathy which had turned my world upside down.am back to square one.with the added fact I take far to many painkillers on a daily
 
Basis. Sorry I pressed to many buttons just now . LOL. I'm type one and am 32 and have had chronic pain for years.I just wish I knew why the doctors took so long to start doing tests on me and to be given a proper diagnosis. You are not alone I'm afraid :(:(
 
Hi
i too am having exactly the same problems as u are having.i too have young girls of age 6yrs.i struggled a few months ago with walking.i get 2hrs sleep a nite or i can be awake for 36hrs.im on dualoxatine it helps but not a lot.wen i go to c the diabetes specialist i end up crying coz its like banging my head on a brick wall.im 41 an sometimes i feel like im 61.my legs are so heavy i cant pick them up and fall over.ive fell this week and broke my nose.i do feel for u and yes it is frustrating.u can message me anytime
julie
 
Hi I've just been diagnosed (kind of) with proximal neuropathy I'm 26 and have no children I'm currently on amtriptiline (badly spelt) 75mg and its easing slightly I can't find any help or info and scared to death I'm gonna end up in a wheel chair :(
 
Hi
I am a type 1 for 30 yrs, due to my diabetic team being unable to control my diabetes, I have Neuropathy in my feet and legs up to my knees, in my hands and forearms, 10 yrs ago, I moved to another area that ran Daphne, which has resulted in a blood sugas between 6.0 and 8.0, compared to yrs of 16 to 25.
As my neuropathy has left me with a lot of pain so I have been prescribed Pregabalin 2x300, Tramadol 50x4, Amyriptaline 75x1 +25x1 and Codidramol 40/500x4, by the pain clinic, each has increased over 10 yrs.
My point now I am being tested to see if I have neuropathy in my throat. and now all my medication is being liquidised,
So ask to be put in touch with the Pain clinic, and ask diabetic team to be put on DAPHNE regime :)
 
I have self diagnosed my self as the hospital had no idea what was wrong with me? (Typical NHS) I have constant cold feet, pains all over so much so that I am on crutches to walk !! I have stomach pain that stops me dead in my tracks !! My knees give way ? Should I give up and be put down ? Or see what pain relief I can get ? Lol I am to say the least fed up, I have 2 young children who do help me around the house. Simple tasks like getting the washing out of the machine, Evan feeding the cats kills me? I don't leave the house, 45 in August I would like to see my kids get married ?!!!!!


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