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Pain relief in feet and fingers??

nannoo_bird

nannoo_bird

Well-Known Member
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Hi all. Just wondered if anyone who is following the low carb diet has noticed relief in their neuropathy symptoms. Please let me know, I'd be very interested. Thank you for any info.
 
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Yes, absolutely. I used to suffer from excruciating pain in one foot - I had some nerve damage from a spinal operation a few years ago. I used to lie awake crying because it was so painful. Since I started LCHF about a year ago, I've only had the pain if I've overdosed on carbs. It honestly has been like a miracle! It helps me keep on track when tempted by something high carb - is it worth lying awake all night in pain? Sometimes yes, sometimes no! HTH.
 
Can't say I have, but I do have an itch/pain inside my hands and feet which is excruciating at times.
By 'inside' I mean its not on the skin like a rash but somewhere in the tissues where you can't reach :inpain:
 
ExD said:
Can't say I have, but I do have an itch/pain inside my hands and feet which is excruciating at times.
By 'inside' I mean its not on the skin like a rash but somewhere in the tissues where you can't reach :inpain:
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OMG, I have had that for two days, and it is driving me nuts. I had it a few years ago from time to time, but it has come back and won't go. It is like someone has a feather inside my hand and is tickling me from inside. It is awful.
 
Wow Nanoobird, you're the only person I've come across who perfectly understands the problem and how, although its an itch, it can be horribly painful too. Scratching only damages the outer skin but doesn't reach the internal itch even if you scratch so hard you draw blood. My GP either doesn't listen or just plain doesn't understand as after she recommended changing soap powder and washing up with gloves (I have a machine) she insists on giving me various unguents and ointments which cannot offer to reach the problem. I could open a skin care shop with all the dermatitis/psoriasis/eczema cures I have. I just don't bother filing the prescriptions any more so she probably thinks she 'cured' me.
Do you think its diabetes related or something different altogether?
I've also tried going lacto free, but that didn't work.
 
ExD said:
Wow Nanoobird, you're the only person I've come across who perfectly understands the problem and how, although its an itch, it can be horribly painful too. Scratching only damages the outer skin but doesn't reach the internal itch even if you scratch so hard you draw blood. My GP either doesn't listen or just plain doesn't understand as after she recommended changing soap powder and washing up with gloves (I have a machine) she insists on giving me various unguents and ointments which cannot offer to reach the problem. I could open a skin care shop with all the dermatitis/psoriasis/eczema cures I have. I just don't bother filing the prescriptions any more so she probably thinks she 'cured' me.
Do you think its diabetes related or something different altogether?
I've also tried going lacto free, but that didn't work.
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Hi ExD. Someone suggested I try hay fever tablets, and that has seemed to work. As diabetes can damage nerves, I can only think it must be related.
 
If it is neuropathy a low carb diet that gets your BGs into normal range should help. A lot of people on this forum have found that at least some of the damage is reversible. Diabetes is known to cause tendon problems from early in the condition, you could be suffering some kind of inflammation to tendons inside your hands and feet.
You could try Chinese acupuncture and massage, that can help a lot for pain relief. Most towns have a Chinese practitioner somewhere.. just don't be persuaded to buy their extremely expensive herbal remedies.
 
Just came across this, which might be relevant. Prolonged use of Metformin causes particular vitamin deficiencies, according to a long term study in India, where Type 2 is a fast growing problem.
“Prolonged intake of metformin affects body’s ability to absorb Vitamin B12 and that lead to its deficiency. If a diabetic person is vitamin b12 deficient for long period of time, it causes side effects such as tingling sensation on fingers, slowness, fatigue, muscle pain, mental disabilities and forgetfulness,” said Dr. Nilesh Rajput.
So it might be worth trying a good B12 supplement?
 
B12 deficiency is a well known consequence of long term Metformin use.
There are some good documentary style videos on the subject on You Tube, and the test can be done by your doctor, if you can persuade them.
Depending on the degree of deficiency, treatment is usually injections, by doc, but I have seen several sources suggesting that supplementing B12 for the entire time Metformin is used, will delay or prevent the deficiency from developing.
 
Yes B12 deficiency can cause symptoms like that and metformin can interfere with absorption. You should get a B12 test before starting supplements though because it will not be accurate if you are taking it. Also because metformin interferes with absorption B12 shots are better than tablets.
 
Absolutely: I found out I had diabetes after going to the doctor with mysterious pains in my hands and feet a month or two ago. I've been very low-carb since then, and the pain and physical symptoms have drastically reduced.
 
Funny you should say that spendacat, I'm on a low carb diet - have been for years - and already take B12 (it turns my wee yellow/green which makes me think I'm just wasting it) so I may ask to be tested next time I go to the clinic.
How are your painful itchy feet Nannoobird? Are you trying anything different for the pain/itch syndrome?
An acupuncturist helped free my frozen shoulder some years ago - so thanks for the tip about that treatment, I'll have to find someone else though because he's closed his shop and its all boarded up which is sad. And as you say - tip to anyone new on here who's contemplating acupuncture do NOT buy their Chinese herbal medicine, they will push it, but it doesn't work and could be dangerous, and its expensive.
 
ExD said:
Funny you should say that spendacat, I'm on a low carb diet - have been for years - and already take B12 (it turns my wee yellow/green which makes me think I'm just wasting it) so I may ask to be tested next time I go to the clinic.
How are your painful itchy feet Nannoobird? Are you trying anything different for the pain/itch syndrome?
An acupuncturist helped free my frozen shoulder some years ago - so thanks for the tip about that treatment, I'll have to find someone else though because he's closed his shop and its all boarded up which is sad. And as you say - tip to anyone new on here who's contemplating acupuncture do NOT buy their Chinese herbal medicine, they will push it, but it doesn't work and could be dangerous, and its expensive.
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Are you sure about taking B12?

The supplement that usually turns our urine luminous yellow/green is B2 not B12.
(I just googled it, cos I wasn't sure myself! lol http://www.livestrong.com/article/471584-why-do-vitamin-b-supplements-turn-urine-yellow/)

Of course, if you are taking a B complex, then you may have B12 in it, but the doses given to combat deficiency are usually MANY time greater than are found in an over-the-counter B Complex tab, and are usually administered by injection.

Hope that helps.
 
Chinese acupuncture cured my frozen shoulders, they both went alternately and it was agonising. It took months to resolve, and acupuncture was a last resort. Then two years later it came back! You are only supposed to get it once, my doctor said.
When it returned I immediately got acupuncture AND private physiotherapy manipulation on the same day. And it cleared up in two weeks.
 
My diet is a bit complicated as I'm coeliac too and my GP is forever trying to push me towards yet another endoscopy - and after the last one I've refused to go for a repeat (another story). so I had a look on my bottle of pills, and Bruneria you are right - its a complex I'm taking - I hadn't realised. I bought them at Boots and it was the one the pharmacist recommended. I suppose I'd better ask for a blood test then, GP wasn't keen when I mentioned it and I was afraid she'd start the old endoscopy lecture again, I'm a devout coward.
Anyway - this isn't helping Nanoobird with her feet and hands is it, or are we thinking she (well both of us) should get tested to see if its B12 deficiency?
 
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