Hi, I'm new to the forum and I'm hoping that someone here is able to answer some questions.

I've been diabetic for nine years, but started experiencing pain in my feet ten years ago. Just recently, I suddenly became much worse. I started losing my balance, falling down, etc. My PCP referred me to a neurologist. After several weeks, 10 vials of blood for labwork, and various tests, the neurologist said that I had damage in the autonomic and central nervous systems. I was so surprised, that I couldn't think of what to ask him so I really don't know what the exact diagnosis is.

Since then, I've started experiencing tingling sensations in most of my body. It feels like an electrical current running from my toes up through my body and down my arms to my fingertips. The first time it happened I thought I was lying on a "magic fingers" bed! I felt like I was vibrating all over. Everywhere my body touched the bed was vibrating, including my ribs and belly.

Has anyone else experienced this type of sensation? Or know what it might be?

Thanks!

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

First off, I'd ask-- have your blood sugars been controlled well all this time?

Were they terrible at first?

What drugs do you take? (or have taken recently including antibiotics).

And have you had serum B12 tests (or MMA test) and Vit D3 tests? If so what are your numerical results?
Don't accept "normal"... please get the numbers.

There are many things that cause neuropathies... including vaccines, antibiotics and statins for cholesterol.
Poorly controlled blood glucose levels are only one cause.

Just recently I've been keeping a tight control on my blood sugar, however, a psychiatrist started me taking Seroquel at night for sleep because I had tried everything else. I took that for nearly six years before I found out that it could wreak havoc with my glucose control. When my A1c hit 11% I knew I had to do something! I had seen an endocrinologist for diabetes and he knew I was taking Seroquel but never said anything. Anyway, I had gastric bypass surgery 3 yrs ago and lost 70 lbs. I expected my diabetes to resolve but it didn't. I finally found out it was the Seroquel and quit taking it.

My A1c went down immediately but I think the damage was already done. My B12 is fine (I give myself injections once/month), I take D3 supplements, iron supplements, B6, Calcium Citrate, Niacin (for cholesterol control), multivitamins, antidepressant, etc.

I still haven't found anything to help me sleep and I've tried every class of drug available. The best sleep I've ever had was when I'd been prescribed percocet after surgery. Opiates always put me to sleep.

I know I have autonomic dysfunction, peripheral neuropathies, I had Bells Palsy last November. But this "electrical current" feeling is brand new. You should know I also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and was recently diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome so sometimes it's difficult to figure out just what exactly is causing pain.

I would like to know your blood test result for the B12. Often doctors tell patients "normal" or give monthly shots, when another way to take care of the problem exists.

For example, if you have the MTHFR mutation (which over 10% of people in USA have), you will not be able to methylate B12 from the shots containing cyano form. Also you will be unable to methylate folic acid to methylfolate.

Methylcobalamin (the active form for B12) is the cofactor for synthesizing melatonin (sleep hormone) in the brain. If you do not have enough, you won't be sleeping well.

So right there, if you "need" shots, you may have more wrong than your doctor understands.

Taking ORAL methylcobalamin daily in high doses is the best way to insure your B12 is optimum.
This is our B12 information thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html

Niacin does cause a buildup of bradykinin in the skin which can give burning and zapping sensations. This can be blocked by taking one adult aspirin an hour before the niacin.

The supplements shown over the years to help diabetics are:

Lipoic acid
Benfotiamine
Acetyl carnitine.

Diabetics also lose magnesium thru the urine, so taking that is also helpful.

Here is my Supplement thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread121683.html

We have a link to PubMed on each page here at the top right.
You can search things there with keywords "diabetic"
To do drugs use the generic name (not the brand name) and
for supplements, do the name + diabetic neuropathy.

Alpha lipoic acid (the older type) and r-lipoic acid (the newer type allowing for lower doses) are both on PubMed along with
Benfotiamine and acetyl carnitine.

All three of these may be very helpful for you.

If you are on a statin drug...??? most diabetics are... you are going to run into problems. Firstly you need quality high dose CoQ-10 with absorption enhancements, and you may not respond to supplements I've listed above the same way a person not taking statins will. Statin drugs can cause mitochondrial damage in the cells, and result in neuropathies for some people. Continuing to use them, will continue the damage if it has already started.

Antibiotics Cipro, Levaquin, and Avelox also have a potential for nerve damage. Very little is known about fixing it once it occurs.