Neuropathy and food/drugs

[Erin]

If you think you have developed neuropathy (e.g. "pins and needles" sensation or muscle weakness, have you noticed that this increases post-prandial or food intake in general alone, or also with certain meds?

 

[ickihun]

I take pregablin for foot and toe pains. In fact for all neuropathic pain.
I don't notice now but I've been on it for more than 5 years. I was taking so much insulin I guess it was covering any increases. I haven't been able to reduce that tablet.
Neuropathy is very painful so relief is welcome regardless of any increase to my bgs. For me @Erin.

 

[Member496333]

When I had neuropathy in my feet but was fixing my diabetes, the burning sensation increased post prandial even if the glucose rise was very minimal. I assumed it was aggravated by circulating insulin as much as glucose. The pain at night as the feeling gradually came back was eye watering. All fixed with whole food keto diet.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

Never had muscle-weakness from it, but do sometimes experience pins 'n' needles and/or shooting pains.

Not on any medication so can't speak to that, but I find the shooting pains only tend to happen these days if I've overdone the sugar e.g if I have too much dessert etc. after an already heavy-carb meal. The pins 'n' needles tend to come more after a fasted-state i.e in the morning, after not having eaten for about 12 hours, or so.

These symptoms were at their peak at the beginning of this year when my average dailyFBGI was circling around 18 mini-moles. Fortunately, these days, despite still having higher sugars (Though much less than before), I experience these symptoms much less often (The shooting pains are now extremely rare).

 

[Erin]

I take pregablin for foot and toe pains. In fact for all neuropathic pain.
I don't notice now but I've been on it for more than 5 years. I was taking so much insulin I guess it was covering any increases. I haven't been able to reduce that tablet.
Neuropathy is very painful so relief is welcome regardless of any increase to my bgs. For me @Erin.

Thank you for your post; I will look up pregablin and maybe mention it to my dr./pharmacist. I agree that pain should have priority in medical treatment. Take care

 

[Erin]

When I had neuropathy in my feet but was fixing my diabetes, the burning sensation increased post prandial even if the glucose rise was very minimal. I assumed it was aggravated by circulating insulin as much as glucose. The pain at night as the feeling gradually came back was eye watering. All fixed with whole food keto diet.

That's good to know; I'm glad you have found a keto diet useful;

 

[Erin]

Never had muscle-weakness from it, but do sometimes experience pins 'n' needles and/or shooting pains.

Not on any medication so can't speak to that, but I find the shooting pains only tend to happen these days if I've overdone the sugar e.g if I have too much dessert etc. after an already heavy-carb meal. The pins 'n' needles tend to come more after a fasted-state i.e in the morning, after not having eaten for about 12 hours, or so.

These symptoms were at their peak at the beginning of this year when my average dailyFBGI was circling around 18 mini-moles. Fortunately, these days, despite still having higher sugars (Though much less than before), I experience these symptoms much less often (The shooting pains are now extremely rare).

Maybe hypoglycemia has similar neurological effects on the muscles or nerves as hyperglycemia?

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

Maybe hypoglycemia has similar neurological effects on the muscles or nerves as hyperglycemia?

If you're referring to my p 'n' n symptoms in the fasted state, then perhaps. But in my case they'd be coming along with a false-hypo. Makes sense, given I've measured my false-hypos at around 160 mg/dl, and my current average FBG is 180, in which case, it'd be very possible that I hit that 'low' of 160 right before my body reacts by dumping sugar from the liver.

 

[Caprock94]

I don't know that I notice a difference after food intake. For me, I had no pain or numbness upon diagnosis in April, 2019. After lowering my A1C from 8.3% to 5.9% in 3 months, and later to 5.2%, I started getting a burning pain in both feet. Came on suddenly. It was pretty bad, and with some shooting pains for several months. After about a year, I would say my feet were 40% better. After two years, about 65% better. Hoping the progress continues.

 

[Erin]

I don't know that I notice a difference after food intake. For me, I had no pain or numbness upon diagnosis in April, 2019. After lowering my A1C from 8.3% to 5.9% in 3 months, and later to 5.2%, I started getting a burning pain in both feet. Came on suddenly. It was pretty bad, and with some shooting pains for several months. After about a year, I would say my feet were 40% better. After two years, about 65% better. Hoping the progress continues.

"After lowering..."-- interesting;
"After a year...better" - curiouser and curiouser;
-- sounds like a hypo effect to me; were there any other incidents, drugs, diet, exercise, that may have set that off; and did you increase your A1C in the improvement period of time?

 

[Caprock94]

"After lowering..."-- interesting;
"After a year...better" - curiouser and curiouser;
-- sounds like a hypo effect to me; were there any other incidents, drugs, diet, exercise, that may have set that off; and did you increase your A1C in the improvement period of time?

All I did was change my diet to LCHF. No meds. Blood sugar quickly got back in to normal range.....and then the pain came on.

 

[Mr_Pot]

All I did was change my diet to LCHF. No meds. Blood sugar quickly got back in to normal range.....and then the pain came on.

High blood glucose can lead to damaged nerves. The nerves in the feet are usually the first to be affected. Initially this leads to numbness, in my case this was very mild, but felt like I had some Sellotape stuck under my big toe. When blood glucose returns to near to normal the nerves can regrow and at this point numbness turns to pain, also fairly mild in my case, like pins and needles. If you sleep on your arm, in the morning it can be numb, followed by pins and needles when feeling returns, I think this is a similar effect just quicker. Nerves repair very slowly and it took over a year before my foot was completely normal.