Odd thing this morning, usually have freezing cold legs and feet and barely any feeling. If I trod on Lego I’d feel it (but not painful as such) but I’ve not changed a thing other than having beetroot juice for 2 days to see if it would improve my circulation and I have this morning awoken with very painful pins and needles in both feet and my legs are warm. Surely beetroot couldn’t work that quickly? Doesn’t make sense to me as I don’t usually bother with anything the NHS doesn’t prescribe. I took off my compression socks as I thought they were causing it but it’s been over an hour and still warm and pins and needles. Can’t find any information online about it and I’m unsure if it’s a good or bad thing. Surely if it was just ‘coming back to life’ it would have stopped after a short time but it’s been hours. Numbness has been about 6-7 years.
Numb, cold feet for years and now have pins and needles
- Thread starter Morgan78
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- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
Hi Morgan78
Do you know what your most recent HbA1c was?
You know we can't diagnose on the forums, so here's my story. I was firmly told by my GP for years that I didn't have diabetes because "my blood sugars weren't high enough".
This was despite considerable weight gain, kidneys packing in, blood not clotting, blistering, oedema, fluid retention, and burning feet with extreme pins and needles, etc etc. I know now that my BG went out of normal range around 2010 and the symptoms started almost immediately, with a new one coming along every so often. I wasn't officially diagnosed until late 2019 when I finally "achieved" an HbA1c of over 48. With the help of this forum and a keto diet I reduced my A1c from 50 to 36 in four months.
The issue is that the >48 level was supposed to be a fallback, triggering an automatic diagnosis. There's nothing to prevent a diabtes diagnosis being made before BGs have risen to that level. it's just that the test has become the most important thing, although it is fully recognised that diabetic symptoms can happen at lower levels. In fact 48 was chosen because diabetic retinopathy is rare (ie not unknown) at levels under 48.
I wish I'd known in 2010 what I know now. I'd have avoided years of pain and discomfort. You don't need a formal diagnosis to behave as if you'd been diagnosed.
Do you know what your most recent HbA1c was?
You know we can't diagnose on the forums, so here's my story. I was firmly told by my GP for years that I didn't have diabetes because "my blood sugars weren't high enough".
This was despite considerable weight gain, kidneys packing in, blood not clotting, blistering, oedema, fluid retention, and burning feet with extreme pins and needles, etc etc. I know now that my BG went out of normal range around 2010 and the symptoms started almost immediately, with a new one coming along every so often. I wasn't officially diagnosed until late 2019 when I finally "achieved" an HbA1c of over 48. With the help of this forum and a keto diet I reduced my A1c from 50 to 36 in four months.
The issue is that the >48 level was supposed to be a fallback, triggering an automatic diagnosis. There's nothing to prevent a diabtes diagnosis being made before BGs have risen to that level. it's just that the test has become the most important thing, although it is fully recognised that diabetic symptoms can happen at lower levels. In fact 48 was chosen because diabetic retinopathy is rare (ie not unknown) at levels under 48.
I wish I'd known in 2010 what I know now. I'd have avoided years of pain and discomfort. You don't need a formal diagnosis to behave as if you'd been diagnosed.
My last was 38 I think. I had obvious diabetic symptoms for years and sent a series of blood glucose reading to my GP which indicated diabetes, but my HbA1c was 46 so not high enough to be diagnosed. I was told my lack of energy was depression due to my abusive father (who I hadn’t seen for over 30 years and never thought about). I was told it was all in my head and to stop contacting the GP and prescribed antidepressants. For a long time I had lived in one meal a day to avoid the hour or more of dripping sweat and almost passing out that happened whenever I ate so it was one meal a day in the evening. I bruised easily, didn’t heal properly and despite eating less than average for my size and weight I put on 4 stone, lost feeling to my swollen feet.
Finally I was in hospital aged 43 after 2 heart attacks having a triple bypass (having been a non-smoker, healthy eater, no drinking and power lifter for years), and on the way to theatre I was asked by the anesthesiologist if I was diabetic and I said “no, well I am but no one will believe me”. They had to run tests as it’s a different anaesthetic they use or can risk life. They confirmed I was “very diabetic” and the surgery took twice the average time. They said they had never seen anyone sweat as much. Had to stay twice the normal time post surgery. I changed GP. The NHS took months doing an investigation when I had only asked for an apology. So… 3 years ago I had asthma only. Now I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic heart failure, Chronic kidney failure, ADHD, Depression and Anxiety (I almost went crazy. I started to believe I was making up my health issues and lying to my family and I tried to divorce my wife thinking I was a horrible person despite her constant unwavering support), Diabetes, IBS, Asthma, Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, High blood Pressure and other things!
Most of my issues stem from undiagnosed diabetes. It took me I think around 7 years to be listened to. I now have both my new GP (fantastic people) and the hospital I was diagnosed at keeping tabs. Sorry this is long but my memory isn’t great now and it’s to the best of my recollection. I got an apology from the NHS (but not the GP that refused to consider I was diabetic) and apart from losing my details before my surgery and sending me a letter saying I hadn’t attended my cardioangiogram (I was told I would hear back soon as needed bypass, received the missed appointment letter 8 months later, called and gave time and date I had been, was fast-tracked into the op as they had failed to move my details across when had a system change) I have been treated with kid gloves ever since.
I had always had unusual ECG readings since I collapsed during sports day as a child and was assumed to be due to nerves as I appeared very healthy but I had a genetic heart condition that wasn’t fatal as my blocked artery was bypassed by a vein that took the job of the artery for years. I had always asked if my breathing issues (which didn’t appear as asthma to the asthma nurse) were due to heart issues as my grandfather had passed in his 40’s and my father had had 6 heart attacks. It’s been eventful!
All, as you said, because >48 is diabetes and nothing else seems to matter. A lot of countries have lower parameters now for diagnosing diabetes and they would run extra tests if symptoms were apparent. I read that 3% of diabetics don’t fit the parameters.
I’m not depressed due to errors or my father by the way! It’s going from a very active outgoing person to being in pain constantly and sometimes unable to walk due to muscle weakness, and having my hands cramp up and various other issues.
If anything here is inaccurate it’ll only be due to clouded memory, but as you mentioned not knowing before what you do now I thought I’d give some background.
In other news I can feel the bottom of my feet. Pins and needles have gone, and if this is due to beetroot improving circulation somehow then that’s amazing. My legs are warm when usually they are ice cold. I honestly can’t think of anything else I’ve done. And normally if I press the skin on my feet it leaves an imprint of my finger for over 30 seconds. It’s maybe 1-2 seconds now. The swelling has also reduced on my left foot.
Finally I was in hospital aged 43 after 2 heart attacks having a triple bypass (having been a non-smoker, healthy eater, no drinking and power lifter for years), and on the way to theatre I was asked by the anesthesiologist if I was diabetic and I said “no, well I am but no one will believe me”. They had to run tests as it’s a different anaesthetic they use or can risk life. They confirmed I was “very diabetic” and the surgery took twice the average time. They said they had never seen anyone sweat as much. Had to stay twice the normal time post surgery. I changed GP. The NHS took months doing an investigation when I had only asked for an apology. So… 3 years ago I had asthma only. Now I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic heart failure, Chronic kidney failure, ADHD, Depression and Anxiety (I almost went crazy. I started to believe I was making up my health issues and lying to my family and I tried to divorce my wife thinking I was a horrible person despite her constant unwavering support), Diabetes, IBS, Asthma, Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, High blood Pressure and other things!
Most of my issues stem from undiagnosed diabetes. It took me I think around 7 years to be listened to. I now have both my new GP (fantastic people) and the hospital I was diagnosed at keeping tabs. Sorry this is long but my memory isn’t great now and it’s to the best of my recollection. I got an apology from the NHS (but not the GP that refused to consider I was diabetic) and apart from losing my details before my surgery and sending me a letter saying I hadn’t attended my cardioangiogram (I was told I would hear back soon as needed bypass, received the missed appointment letter 8 months later, called and gave time and date I had been, was fast-tracked into the op as they had failed to move my details across when had a system change) I have been treated with kid gloves ever since.
I had always had unusual ECG readings since I collapsed during sports day as a child and was assumed to be due to nerves as I appeared very healthy but I had a genetic heart condition that wasn’t fatal as my blocked artery was bypassed by a vein that took the job of the artery for years. I had always asked if my breathing issues (which didn’t appear as asthma to the asthma nurse) were due to heart issues as my grandfather had passed in his 40’s and my father had had 6 heart attacks. It’s been eventful!
All, as you said, because >48 is diabetes and nothing else seems to matter. A lot of countries have lower parameters now for diagnosing diabetes and they would run extra tests if symptoms were apparent. I read that 3% of diabetics don’t fit the parameters.
I’m not depressed due to errors or my father by the way! It’s going from a very active outgoing person to being in pain constantly and sometimes unable to walk due to muscle weakness, and having my hands cramp up and various other issues.
If anything here is inaccurate it’ll only be due to clouded memory, but as you mentioned not knowing before what you do now I thought I’d give some background.
In other news I can feel the bottom of my feet. Pins and needles have gone, and if this is due to beetroot improving circulation somehow then that’s amazing. My legs are warm when usually they are ice cold. I honestly can’t think of anything else I’ve done. And normally if I press the skin on my feet it leaves an imprint of my finger for over 30 seconds. It’s maybe 1-2 seconds now. The swelling has also reduced on my left foot.
