Hi,

tl;dr Experienced some tingles in lower leg in Jan this year. Thought it was kickboxing related due to area of tingles, was never in feet or any other place. Went away after 2 weeks and then returned in March and has been 24/7. Never was in my feet except when my stress was immensely high in May. Over time, the tingling was in my thighs occasionally, genitals, face, butt, head. Some I can acknowledge were probably from high stress and anxiety. EMG showed mild abnormality but altogether neurologist says no evidence of neuropathy/radiculopathy and suggests stress might be related. Really lost on what to do besides eating good, exercising, and seeing a counselor. I am 25 y/o diabetic but numbers have been controlled relatively well and off medications. I know it is probably diabetic/metabolic-related but not sure why it started in the ankles, compared to feet. I am scared and want my old life back. I know stress is playing a role because after getting control of my stress from July-August, tingling went away 99% in my forearms, genitals, and face and head. Part of me thinks its stress because my nerves were so sensitive when my stress got to its highest a few months. My limbs kept falling asleep when waking (arms and legs), skin hurting due to blood flow changes but stopped after splinting my arms when sleeping and reducing stress. But I am diabetic, so I know my future is very bleak anyways. Just looking for support, I know I cant look for diagnosis from this community but just looking for advice because I believe I have PN regardless of these tests (diabetes has ruined how I perceive myself and my future), but I am already making active changes rather than sitting around and complaining.


Background

In Jan this year, I had tingling in my lower legs (not my feet or anywhere else). I was doing kickboxing and thought it was that. Then the tingling went away. Then it came back in early March and has been 24/7. It was only in my bilateral ankle region at first but has now been from my knee to ankle mostly. In June, I began getting in my forearms and face. Then sometimes in my thighs and butt.

I was so scared and needed a doctor but due to COVID I wascouldn't do anything for till end of May. The tingling had gotten worse over those waiting months from, either natural progression or my stress and anxiety building. I saw an endo and neurologist who did so many lab tests (including small fiber lab related tests) and only thing that came from it was being dehydrated and slightly below vit. d levels.

Did a lumbar MRI which didnt show much besides slight L4/L5 bulging which my neuro said wasn't causing symptoms. I did EMG/NCS and it showed evidence of positive sharp waves in the left medial gastrocnemius and increased insertional activity in the left lateral gastrocnemius without significant denervation, reinnervation, or other changes. After my physical, lab tests, and EMG/NCS, she agreed that there is no evidence of neuropathy or significant radiculopathy at this time and reassured that there is no evidence of a significant neurologic process at this time.

I am a 25-year-old diabetic type 2. I was diagnosed in 2017 at 22 years old. I have lost 100lbs from my highest weight when I was diagnosed. Was on metformin for 1.5 years (1000mg increased to 2000mg but got off after I demonstrated for 3+ months that off meds, my fasting, and post-meal numbers rarely even went above 100mg/dL).

The numbers I had are below:

Jan 2017: fasting glucose 112 and A1c of 8.4.
Jan 2019: fasting glucose 105 and A1c of 6.4.
June 2019: fasting glucose 104 and A1c of 5.9.
December 2019: fasting glucose 99 and A1c of 5.9
June 2020: fasting glucose 91 and A1c of 5.8

Hello
I'm sorry ch to hear you are having so much pain and discomfort. My first guess would be peripheral neuropathy. I would get a 2nd or even a 3rd opinion. I would look into having a nerve conduction test. It checks for pinched nerves or nerve damage and I believe it can even tell where it is located, but not positive. I have had this test done. I'm not a diabetic, so my opinion may not count for much.
I do understand the frustration of believing you know what is wrong but all tests and imaging says no.
I qent through this battle for over 3 years. I was in 2 MVA 6 months apart and was very active prior waitressing 40+hrs a week to bowling 1-2 times a week and shooting billiards pool most days throughout the week to not being able to do any of those things. Having multiple x-rays and MRI's all came back clean. I knew something was seriously qring despite what all the test had said. 3 years later and seeing 20+ different doxtors, I finally found a new doctor who listened to me and took me serioysly. Like you, I was also young 22yrs at the time. My new doctor performed a new test called a discogram I had not ever heard of prior. That test came back showing I had a grade 4 herniated disc out of 5 at my L5-S1 level. I was finally getting a answer and now coyld do something about it to get it fixed. After years of the herniated disc pinching my nerves, it also caused nerve damage. My same doctor that performed the discogram also did the nerve conduction test too.
Do not settle for 1 opinion, please get multiple opinions and seek out different physician specialists.
I hope you get some answers and relief.
Good luck!

Hey Warriors,

Being a Type II Diabetic is not the end of the world. The future is not bleak and you are not diminished by the disease. So less of the drama queen. ( I note you are a kick boxer so I am telling you this from the safety of my panic room in an undisclosed location!)

In all seriousness you have symptoms and are clearly stressed by those symptoms and I suspect stress and your symptoms are not mutually exclusive. Stress causes a depletion of B vitamins and a depletion of B vitamins can cause Peripheral Neuropathy. So get yourself a good multi B vitamin, B12 and Benfotiamine. Look elsewhere on this site for suggested supplementation. Consider Yoga and meditiation.

You clearly have good diabetic control, but maybe it needs to be improved further? See my thread a Nutritional Approach for Peripheral Neuropathy for an interesting diabetic study.

I wish you well

i never heard that stress depletes B vitamins before.......do you have a source for that that i can check out?

Thanks for the reply. I did an EMG/NCS, also did lumbar MRI. EMG showed left gastrocnemius had a +1 Fib/PSW and increased insertional activity, in addition, mildly prolonged ulnar F-wave latency with presence of an A-wave response . But doctor said overall, there is no evidence of any significant neurological process. Its just hard to see that my test showed something but that it cant be something at the moment. Its confusion and the symptoms are confusing. And the worst part is I deal with tingling in other parts of my body like head, face that increased in recent months from stress. Its not making sense why now all of sudden everything in my life keeps translating into a neurological issue

lol im no professional, it was just for fun and exercise. but yeah my doctor thinks some of symptoms are stressed related, but while I agree, makes no sense how my EMG/NCS clearly picked something up, symptoms in my lower legs is 24/7 (doesnt interrupt sleep thankfully). Being diabetic is just frustrating because its the only answer to everything. No matter how hard I try to run away from the diagnosis, it keeps coming back to haunt me. Im so young and know I wont make it far in life if this disease continues to ruin my life

Me neither.

Kitt

I read that 35 years ago or so, before internet LOL...
Here's a results list -
stress depletes B vitamins - Google Search
adding can help you cope with stress -
vitamins for stress and anxiety - Google Search

Deep breathing (sometimes called diaphragmatic breathing) often helps to reduce stress also. stress & pain , tension all affect our breathing shallower, faster... so we are getting the most oxygen in or expelling the old air out..
Deep breathing often helps to reduce stress also - Google Search