Newly Diagnosed & Neuropathy

[Caelana]

I just want to thank all the people sharing here, it's so affirming to know I'm not the only one. Also to know that low carb is the way.

I was diagnosed on May 23rd this year.

I'm totally clueless. I have seen the diabetic nurse and I don't have to prick my finger, I just have blood tests every 3 months?

Things have been complicated as I've suspected high blood pressure. They can't tell for sure as the arm cuff is so painful they can't get a proper reading. I have a wrist cuff that says my BP is between 140-150 and not 224 as originally recorded. The diabetic nurse is focusing on the BP and telling me to get the cholesterol down.

No idea how to get the cholesterol down. We are changing our diets, my family are very supportive, and we do 2 x 30 minutes walking daily for exercise.

I don't know my readings. After an incident where I had muscle spasms in the arm (thought I was having a heart attack) the A&E doc told me I'd gone down from 62 to 60 and that the muscle spasms are Neuropathy.

Google is frightening the life out of me with NP things. I have an appointment with my GP on Friday and I've no idea what to ask.

I don't know what to focus on first - Diabetes? Blood Pressure? Neuropathy? I don't know what to ask about any of it.

Anyone else had this scenario and come out the other side?

Not depressed yet, but I'm getting there

 

[filly]

I just want to thank all the people sharing here, it's so affirming to know I'm not the only one. Also to know that low carb is the way.

I was diagnosed on May 23rd this year.

I'm totally clueless. I have seen the diabetic nurse and I don't have to prick my finger, I just have blood tests every 3 months?

Things have been complicated as I've suspected high blood pressure. They can't tell for sure as the arm cuff is so painful they can't get a proper reading. I have a wrist cuff that says my BP is between 140-150 and not 224 as originally recorded. The diabetic nurse is focusing on the BP and telling me to get the cholesterol down.

No idea how to get the cholesterol down. We are changing our diets, my family are very supportive, and we do 2 x 30 minutes walking daily for exercise.

I don't know my readings. After an incident where I had muscle spasms in the arm (thought I was having a heart attack) the A&E doc told me I'd gone down from 62 to 60 and that the muscle spasms are Neuropathy.

Google is frightening the life out of me with NP things. I have an appointment with my GP on Friday and I've no idea what to ask.

I don't know what to focus on first - Diabetes? Blood Pressure? Neuropathy? I don't know what to ask about any of it.

Anyone else had this scenario and come out the other side?

Not depressed yet, but I'm getting there

Honestly Caelana, I am not sure they are learning.

I am having exactly the same problem as you. I even bought an extra large cuff still very painful. Yep they also can't get good readings.
Wrist monitor fine. Given medication. All readings down, not painful.
I am due to go into hospital soon and am taking wrist monitor with me.

Try not to worry too much. This is such a good site and everyone so helpful to get you on the right track.

Best of Luck.

 

[Lobsang Tsultim]

I found getting a glucometer and finger testing before and after meals very useful - for the data (showed me what spiked my sugar levels) and discipline. The routine of noting what I'm eating with how many carbs and my reading before and two hours later helps me keep on track. I use the MySugr app to track my readings and found its estimated A1c matched my second HbA1c result (3 months after diagnosis), so that was reassuring.

I found this site Freshwell Low Carb Project, more useful than the online NHS course my GP signed me up for. It explains their low carb approach and provides some useful recipes too. Diet Doctor is also a good place to find information and recipe ideas.

 

[Deleted member 475901]

Getting your blood sugar down should help prevent any further nerve damage. As for not testing, how else can you possibly work out how much carb you can eat?
I tested before and 2 hrs after every meal for weeks, then at least once a week when I got used to what I could eat.
And contrary to my nurse expectations my triglycerides improved, my HDL to total improved and my total cholesterol only when up a tiny bit.
I lost loads of weight without counting calories, just carbs, and my BP went down.

 

[Antje77]

After an incident where I had muscle spasms in the arm (thought I was having a heart attack) the A&E doc told me I'd gone down from 62 to 60 and that the muscle spasms are Neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy doesn't usually present as muscle spasms in the arm. What kind of tests did the A&E doc do to make this diagnosis?
Might be worth getting back with your GP to get some more information on this, I'd have expected an A&E doc to want to rule out heart attacks and the likes but not diagnose things like neuropathy.

I don't know what to focus on first - Diabetes? Blood Pressure? Neuropathy? I don't know what to ask about any of it.

Personally, I'd focus on the diabetes, because there's a lot you can do to lower your blood glucose yourself through food choices.
As for the cholesterol, did the nurse tell you your numbers?

 

[Caelana]

Honestly Caelana, I am not sure they are learning.

I am having exactly the same problem as you. I even bought an extra large cuff still very painful. Yep they also can't get good readings.
Wrist monitor fine. Given medication. All readings down, not painful.
I am due to go into hospital soon and am taking wrist monitor with me.

Try not to worry too much. This is such a good site and everyone so helpful to get you on the right track.

Best of Luck.

Thank you for your reply
And I will take my wrist cuff to my appointments now

 

[Caelana]

Diabetic neuropathy doesn't usually present as muscle spasms in the arm. What kind of tests did the A&E doc do to make this diagnosis?
Might be worth getting back with your GP to get some more information on this, I'd have expected an A&E doc to want to rule out heart attacks and the likes but not diagnose things like neuropathy.

Personally, I'd focus on the diabetes, because there's a lot you can do to lower your blood glucose yourself through food choices.
As for the cholesterol, did the nurse tell you your numbers?

Thank you, I'll ask more questions about the NP diagnosis with the GP.

I've no numbers whatsoever, and all that was said about the cholesterol is that it's high. I shall add that to my list of things to ask.

 

[Caelana]

I found getting a glucometer and finger testing before and after meals very useful - for the data (showed me what spiked my sugar levels) and discipline. The routine of noting what I'm eating with how many carbs and my reading before and two hours later helps me keep on track. I use the MySugr app to track my readings and found its estimated A1c matched my second HbA1c result (3 months after diagnosis), so that was reassuring.



Thank you, I'll ask why I'm not taking readings and look into getting my own glucometer. I'll add your resources to my reading list

 

[filly]

Thank you, I'll ask more questions about the NP diagnosis with the GP.

I've no numbers whatsoever, and all that was said about the cholesterol is that it's high. I shall add that to my list of things to ask.

I have never been given numbers! Only a number.... they won't give them here. So, I am not interested until they do.

 

[ajbod]

You don't need to test only go on the 3 months readings, as if you had to test they would have to supply the monitor and strips, "Ker-ching that's saved some money".

I have a suspected winning lottery ticket, but i think i'll wait until it is proven before doing anything.

I'm a pharmaceutical company CEO, "We made x billions in profits last year, how can we improve that".
I know we'll fund a research project to show that the current cholesterol levels are too high, with our financial clout we can ensure the results are favorable. It's worked several times before so should do so again. And any way they always ignore the important bits and lump everything in together to come up with a meaningless figure. that way we can get millions more hapless morons taking our statins.

to my understanding peripheral Neuropathy virtually always starts in the feet, i know mine did. Thankfully by reducing my carb intake and thus reducing my glucose levels, that is now a memory although it may flare up in the future.

Focus entirely on your diabetes, GET A METER. Monitor YOUR BLOOD LEVELS, If anything affects them ditch it. As your levels improve so will everything else.

I hope I'm not wide of the mark, but i assume the blood pressure cuff problem is due to weight, ( i may be wrong ). eating low carb will allow weight loss which will positively impact all the other problems you have.

Doctors are not gods, some are brilliant, but the majority i have seen in nearly 60 years are not really interested and follow the guidelines without thinking for themselves. They actually get censured and can lose their license to practice for thinking outside of the guidelines.

By the way did the A&E doctor say it was peripheral neuropathy, or neuropathic.