quick question about pins and needles

[traf]

is it one of the effects of diabetes to get pins and needles in your feet and legs ?,not the type the comes and goes or associated with being cold especially ,but comes and stays for weeks
or could that be some other problem?

 

[IanD]

That was the only symptom I had- I went to the Dr with it & he tested for diabetes. That was 8 years ago. I'd had it for months in my right thigh. Its stayed with me all that time. Now I've reduced my carb consumption, its going away.

It never bothered me apart from its presence, however that thigh was the first to suffer muscle pains when I was on simvastatin, & when neuropathy set in earlier this year.

Improved BS control helps.

 

[traf]

Thank you so much ianD ,that's puts our minds at rest a bit ,we were beginning to think it was a differant problem ,but your symptoms certainly sound right ,thank you

 

[IanD]

Traf & husband,

I was in a state of shock when I was diagnosed, particularly as the Dr explained ALL the complications resulting from diabetes. She finished up by helpfully computing my probability of a heart attack in the next 10 years as 25% :cry:

I've had a look at your "New ,but not new to diabetes" thread. Are those 20s readings finger-prick tests or HbA1c? I presume finger-prick as you have given two. Have you got a blood sugar tester? You can get a free meter through this website. Test strips should be on prescription. How old is he, & what is his general state of health? Have you got the diagnosis HBA reading? Is he type 1 or 2? I presume type 2 as he is not on insulin.

While his BS is above 10, don't overdo the exercise. I suggest 1/2 to 1 hour daily walking rather than gym.

I hope my own experience will be helpful.

Ian

I am 69, type 2 for 8 years, controlled by diet & Metformin.


For nearly 8 years I followed the standard medical & Diabetes UK advice regarding diet - a diet based on complex carbohydrates. As predicted my diabetes progressed to the point where I was taking increased metformin & suffering complications. I joined the discussion forum http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum where I read of people's experience in improving control by reducing the amount of carbohydrate in the diet, to the extent of serious disagreement with standard medical advice.



In my experience, this diet change has resulted in a very rapid improvement in general health & reversal of diabetic complications that were ruining my life.


I joined the forum in April this year, when I began to experience intense muscle pain that threatened my mobility & even my driving. I felt that my active life was over, especially as I have been playing tennis at club standard. The pain was particularly intense when I was getting out of bed. My doctor prescribed quinine for cramp, but this had no effect. I think he hoped it wasn't diabetic neuropathy & would go away. I also had the beginning of retinopathy.


I needed to do something, or accept that the progressive nature of diabetes was taking its toll. The doctor considered that my diabetes was adequately controlled with HbA1c of 6.7. My diet was then the recommended low GI, complex carbohydrate diet as recommended by the NHS & Diabetes UK. My wife, as a heart patient, was recommended to follow the same diet.


In May I started a reduction in my carbohydrate consumption, simply reducing them to a small portion – about 1/3 of my previous amount, while increasing my vegetable consumption & to a lesser extent, protein. I ceased to have a supper cereal (Weetabix or Shredded Wheat.) I eat nuts & cheese as snacks.


Immediately my overnight fasting sugars dropped from around 6.7 to around 5.7, my muscle pain started to improve & my weight began to drop. In three months I was fully active again. The pain has gone & my tennis is up to the standard of much younger players. Driving now presents no problems.


Over those three months, my weight dropped from 13 to 12 stone, my chronic tiredness greatly reduced. Blood tests in August showed a reduction in cholesterol from 5.4 in January to 4.3 & improvements in the lipids profile. My cholesterol at diagnosis was 7.6, so diet alone has reduced the total by 40%. Surprisingly the HBA stayed at 6.8, but that may be early days, with my body using the lost weight to replenish the blood cells. My blood pressure dropped from 135/75 to 125/75. I take no medication for cholesterol nor blood pressure. I have reduced the metformin from 3x500 to 2.


There is an internet forum where this is discussed & both scientific considerations & experience are reported. Health professionals make their contributions. There is wide agreement on the forum that the standard advice from Diabetes UK & the NHS is in fact wrong in recommending a diet based on complex carbohydrates. This is proved by experience & regular measurements.


A starting thread to read is: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3792&st=0&sk=t&sd=a where I post as IanD.

 

[traf]

thank you IanD ,I have read your story and it was very enlightening ,I had already worried about what they would tell him and how effective their advice would be ,having gone through my sister having type 1 for many years and despairing of the amount of medication she eventually ended up on ,only to be told she really shouldn't of been put on it and it had messed up her liver over the years

this resulted in her having (thankfully) a liver transplant ,she is on a small amount of insulin now and anti rejection drugs (for the liver) but nothing else ,the improvement in her is amazing


sorry back to hubby,I'll try to keep it short but events were odd leading up to it

a year ago he had optic neuritis and has had other eyesight problems since ,they suspected MS but brain scans showed no tell-tale signs ,his health apart from this was good but he was carry rather a lot of weight

he decided it was time to get real and though not really dieting ,started to watch what he ate ,the weight just seemed to drop off him ,3 stone in 12 weeks ,then he suddenly got cramps in his legs ,his eyesight fluctuated all the time ,followed by pins and needles in his fingers (he had blood tests during this time and his BS was only 6.9)

because of the possibility of MS they sent him for more tests ,they were done and we are still awaiting the results

8 weeks ago he started getting pins and needles in his feet etc ,we put it done to possibly bad blood circulation,but I eventually got him to go to the docs ,who took more blood (still thinking of MS) ,that night the hospital rang to tell him he had to go up as his BS was 27 ( if I remember right)
and two consequent tests didn't see it come down ,back to docs who put him straight onto metformin till he sees diabetes nurse (14th nov) we got him a test kit and the doc then prescribed some tester strips for him to keep an eye on it

he has been testing for a couple of weeks now and they are coming down now and again but then most of the day are up in the 20s

he is shell-shocked and doesn't know what to expect and although as I say my sister had type 1 she isn't the most reliable avenue for advice ,she didn't control her own diabetes very well

we went through a lot (me especially) during her worst times and am dreading letting this get a hold ,the way she did


this site is really good though ,there is a mine of information here ,it's just deciphering it and finding the best way to deal with whatever comes

maybe I am trying to run before I can walk but I just want to be as much help to him as I can (and he wants to help himself obviously) and truth be known ,it's scaring the behesus out of me


thank you so much for your posts ,they have at the very least made me feel not alone (I know there are a lot of people out there) ,but getting any answers to some random posts is a great boost to my confidence that there is help ,much needed just now ,thank you

 

[Trinkwasser]

is it one of the effects of diabetes to get pins and needles in your feet and legs ?,not the type the comes and goes or associated with being cold especially ,but comes and stays for weeks
or could that be some other problem?

It may be, diabetic neuropathy is usually symmetrical and usually starts in the feet and may also affect the hands.

Mine has mostly gone away now but comes back to bite me if my BG goes over 8

http://www.diabetic-talk.org/dpn.htm