I think getting your B12 and Vit D tested is your next step.

Metformin can result in lower B12 levels in many people.

Get the numerical results, and don't accept "normal" from
the doctor. B12 lab ranges are reported in an outdated format in many places, and very low numbers are given "normal" status.
The new therapeutic guidelines for it is a minimum of 400 pg/ml in the US. Low B12 will damage nerves over time.

Also there are reports that fixing low Vit D in diabetics improves PN. So you need to have those two tests run.

Type 2 diabetics may burn out the pancreas over time, and therefore need injected insulin. The fact that you did not respond to metformin is not normal. It is a possible flag that you are really type I. Type I can occur in adulthood, and I've met 2 people who were misdiagnosed in their 40's and 50's.
Do you know your A1C number? This can be a better indicator of type I or II for some patients.

Nerve damage can also come from drugs. Statins for cholesterol and certain antibiotics can do this. Here is an informational thread on the topic.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread122889.html

So right there are two other reasons for PN besides diabetes.
Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox are given too freely by doctors, and some people develop nerve damage from them. Statins are common too, and can be very damaging. Often these triggers are ignored by doctors.

Wow I had no idea. I haven't ever taken cipro though I am on crestor for my cholesterol. I was on zocor prior to crestor. I'm also on tricor for my triglycerides.

How can I bring up this information to my doctor? He already thinks I'm nuts for researching everything. I'm a researcher when it comes to health problems. He gets annoyed when I say "Well I researched.. and think that maybe.." or "I looked it up and I found out.."

I know I probably am vitamin D deficient since I rarely get outside in the sun and live in Ohio where the sun rarely shines here since it's always overcast. Plus I"m allergic to the sun, I get sun poisoning on my arms so I have always avoided the sun since it causes painful itchy hives all over. Should I start taking a vit D supplement? which one is best? What dosage?

You should get tested first, to see where you are.

Most doctors will test for Vit D. But they will offer the inferior treatment for it as D2 on RX. Once you have a test number, you
can use OTC D3 yourself to figure a daily dosage safely.

The average is 1000IU D3 for every 10 points you need to raise.
People who are overweight may need more, but this is the basic
dose calculator. Use it and get retested in about 6mons to see where you are.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22050401

http://www.lef.org/newsletter/2008/0...neuropathy.htm

Best lesson I ever learned was that the doctor works for me.

The first time I ever had a doctor "dismis" me I felt rejected and humiliated. He literally had his nurse call me and suggest I find a doctor more suited to my "self diagnosis needs". I was naieve then. I was humiliated and thought what had I done? All because I was questioning a new blood pressure drug he prescribed and had researched it and did not want to take it.

Today? I fire any dr that has a "god complex" and is too intimidated by an informed patient that asks questions and makes informed decisions for myself regarding treatment plans and medication.

My thyroid dr refused to prescribe me natural desicated thyroid medication. So I fired her. I researched local doctors and found one that does prescribe it. Best decision I ever did. Knowledge is power.

If your doctor is upset when you question him, it may be time to find a new doctor. Become empowered. You care about you more than any doctor. There ARE doctors out there who will work with patients like me. You have to find them.

For me, that involved much prayer and patience.

If you want to improve, IMHO, loosing weight and exercise are the two things that will make the biggest difference. It is not easy, but until you do it chances are you will not see major improvements.

Fortunately I have found a doctor that takes the natural approach to healing and health. His approach is that most chronic conditions can be improved through lifestyle changes. Fortunately for me it works.

Diabetes, excess weight, PN all run in my family. I have PN, but have been able to keep it under control with exercise and eating healthy foods. I am not on any medications and do not have diabetes.

Eating out is a big problem. You will need to learn to eat more meals at home. Eliminate many packaged foods, simple carbs, sugars etc.. Eat more vegetables and whole fruits. My doctor states that the only fluids I should drink are water and some teas. Lost a lot of weight when I gave up juices and sodas ;)

I know you probably know all of this, and yes it is not easy, but it works :)

Wishing you the best.

I have one thing to add to cody's nice post.

It IS difficult to do...we all know that. But if you start in a way that is less challenging and move forward slowly you can do it.

One thing you can try.... reduce your portions by 10% to start.
It is a small change, and will not create huge hunger issues.

Get rid of sugar and white carbs...limit them slowly. And you will lose your taste for them eventually. Say a pasta once a week or less, easy on portion size. Substitute yams/sweet potatoes for white potatoes for example. Some foods have long staying power in the body and don't spike blood sugars. Lentils, peas, beans (I prefer black beans) can be very filling and slow to metabolize, and reduce hunger.
Some carry outs are pretty good... I like Baja Fresh. They tend to reduce fat, and calories in several of their menu selections and still taste really good.

If you add in salmon or other fatty fish, or take fish oil supplements you can reduce triglycerides without that TriCor.

By the end of 3 months or less you can be eating a new way, and on the road to positive changes.

Thank you all for your input. I'll ask my doctor for a vit D test. I started to take krill oil to help with my lipids but for some reason I quit taking it, not sure why, I think I just started to forget to take it. I'll have to find the bottle and start taking it again. The reason I chose krill oil (Mega Red) is because the gel caps are so small compared to huge fish oil gel caps. I hate taking lots of huge pills.

I don't often eat potatoes or other white foods like pasta. I only eat pasta maybe once a month if that.

Eating large amounts of protein is not very protective in
diabetes. Excess protein is converted to glucose by the liver.
It is best to be moderate with some complex carbs, with good
lean protein and veggies.

I found a nice vegetable rotini at WalMart... 8 gr of protein
per serving too. That is the type I use now. In Moderation.
I was using Barilla Plus, but the Ronzoni tastes so much better. ;)

http://pasta-products-ronzonigardend...7130000063ZX39

I don't think I eat large amounts of protein. That's cool that you found the Ronzoni, I haven't heard of it. But then again I don't often eat pasta. If I do eat pasta it's spaghetti.

I LOVE THE RONZONI!! And if I take my flaxseed before I eat it, my bg does not rise at all! The ronzoni I use is the smart taste with fiber.