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Pre-diabetic neuropathy?

M

matrix123

Member
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7
Hello,
I've posted a few times here before because I was very worried about diabetes (I have Health Anxiety). After starting anxiety meds I'm feeling much better in general. However my left leg (and to a less degree arm also) feels weak. After reading around (maybe too much) weakness (especially in one side) is associated with neuro diseases such as MS, ALS, etc or with Brain Tumor. So now the diabetes seems like a walk in the park compared the above stuff.

But today, I remembered that diabetes can also cause neuropathy, but I'm don't know much about it. My last fasting glucose test was 104 (here the limit is 106) so the doc said nothing about it. Also I was pretty anxious when I did the test so that may have contributed to the high value. The questions I have are:

  • * Most importantly? Does diabetic neuropathy causes leg/arm weakness?

    * Can neuropathy develop with a glucose value lower than pre-diabetic or in the pre-diabetic range?

    * From what I have read it seems the feet or hands are affected first. Is it possible to affect some other parts first? In my case the weakness is more severe behind the knees...as if they would not hold me (I was worse before I started meds...now it's better....but still there).

    * Can it affect only one side of the body...or typically affect both sides?

    * I don't have any great pain...but sometimes my tendons would ache...sometimes the knee..and sometimes the calf feels sore/stiff. Is it possible to have diabetic neuropathy without pain?
Thanx a lot
 
matrix123 said:
Hello,
I've posted a few times here before because I was very worried about diabetes (I have Health Anxiety). After starting anxiety meds I'm My last fasting glucose test was 104 (here the limit is 106) so the doc said nothing about it. Also I was pretty anxious when I did the test so that may have contributed to the high value.
[snip]
The questions I have are:
Can neuropathy develop with a glucose value lower than pre-diabetic or in the pre-diabetic range?

Can it affect only one side of the body...or typically affect both sides?
I don't have any great pain...but sometimes my tendons would ache...sometimes the knee..and sometimes the calf feels sore/stiff. Is it possible to have diabetic neuropathy without pain?
Click to expand...
Hi there
I'm not sure how your glucose test translates to uk numbers, but from what you say your doc reckons it's not diabetic level? Neuropathy classically starts to be a risk if you are running at an HbA1c of 8% or above (non-diabetic Hba1c is about 6ish). If it's below 8% your chances of diabetic neuropathy are very small (I'd say zero but I'm sure someone will pile in and disagree, so let's just say, very small. If you'd like references backing this up let me know.. they are somewhere in my PhD notes).
In answer to your other questions - you can get neuropathy on one side or both sides of the body, and you can get it without pain, yes.
I don't think you've got diabetic neuropathy.
But as you've discovered, you can get neuropathy from other conditions too. And there my knowledge ends... I only know about diabetes.
 
Thanx for your reply...I edited the question to include the most important one: Does diabetic neuropathy causes arm/leg weakness?
 
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