Originally Posted by ethomas

I am in need of help.

I am 23 years old with Type 1 Diabetes. I have had it since I was six, and to be honest, after high school I did not take good care of myself. A year after high school, I met my current husband and started taking better care. I developed Neuropathy a year after us dating, and I saw my PCP. She gave me amitriptyline. That gave me horrid nightmares, night sweats, so we tried Cymbalta. That was even worse. Nightmares, paranoid thoughts, depression. So then we tried Neurontin. That, oddly enough, made my blood sugar spike HIGH, like in the 300-400 area. I was then given Lyrica, which made me gain A LOT of weight, which wasn't very good for me. During that time I was unemployed because of the neuropathy, and kept the weight on. Now I am about 50 ponds heavier, the biggest I have ever been in my life, and I can't get rid of it. After finally being able to see a neurologist, he tried Topomax. I was on that for a while, being told it was my only hope. Of course, that didn't work either. I stopped with the medication for a while, dealing with the up all night, not being able to walk or run barely at all, not being able to exercise properly, not even being able to stand up for more than a half hour at a time. The burning, the tingling, the pins and needles, the heaviness, and worst of all the SHOOTING, stabbing pain from my toes up to my knees over and over again. Finally, the doctor gave me the lowest dose of Vicodin, but only 15 a month. I had to spread it out so far, and it barely dulled the pain. After only a couple months, he stopped giving it to me. It turns out that I, apparently, live in a sad area where painkillers are the "thing" to do. All these really young kids popping pills, and I, sadly, fit the age group. I didn't like my neurologist because of his lack of knowledge. He didn't help me at all. I went to my endocrinologist and he gave me Mentax, I believe it's called. And my insurance didn't cover it, and the free samples he gave me did nothing. Like I said, I put up with the pain for a while now, and I finally have a neurologist appointment tomorrow with a new one. But once again, I am up at 2 in the morning because of the constant burning.

I am wondering if ANYONE has had the same kind of situation going on, where nothing but painkillers worked? Even the lowest does of Vicodin barely did anything for me, but it was the only thing that gave me ANY kind of relief. I've tried creams and lotions, even the kind where that certain "pepper" was suppose to help, and nothing. Like I said, I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life, and it's so hard to exercise. Working is tough, too. I can't find a decent job, let alone one that allows me to sit. I am almost scared to approach my neurologist tomorrow to tell him that Vicodin was the only thing that helped me. I am so young, I don't want anyone to think I am one of those pill poppers! I am so afraid of what these doctors think of me, especially when I am in this kind of area where that thing is common. If anyone has any home remedies, suggestions, meds I should ask my doctor for, or even how to approach him about the painkillers, please feel free to post something. Nothing has worked and I am so desperate. It even gets hard to walk from the bedroom to the bathroom at night. Any kind of information would be useful. Thank you to all the kind souls out there willing to help a young girl in need!