Diabetic Neuropathy
 

I do not understand your reason for not having the NCS/EMG. What does your weight have to do with it? Your results may be more difficult to obtain during the test itself due to your weight but ??? Have you ever had one done? Congrats on your prior weight loss. Keep going as it really will help. You mentioned your BS levels but not your A1C levels. Do you know what they are? How often are you testing? Your neuropathy is painful but can be improved. You need to do all you can before you reach the need for amputation. Keep us informed. We are here for you. This comment sounds harsh but it is not meant that way. I am just VERY concerned for you.

Hi, those sugars are they fasting ones or tested one to two hours after a meal ?
Also are you on Metformin ? as it can deplete B12 levels which are crucial for nerve health.
As far as exercise goes, you could try walking in a swimming pool as it is non weight bearing, just walk up and down the lanes of the pool when it is very quite, I used to go very early in the morning [ hardly anyone there ].

R- lipoic acid at 100 mg per day should help with the burning feeling, may take a few weeks though to see any improvements.
Be very carefull of any low sugars as this can damage the same as high sugar levels.
all the best
Brian :)

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

It seems you are in a very difficult place right now.

Diabetes + heart attack history means statins for cholesterol.
Are you taking one of these drugs? With your complex situation, statins would be a "given". These drugs deplete CoQ-10...so you
would need to supplement that aggressively. (Qunol brand now is more absorbable and affordable, at Costco and WalMart.). 100mg of this new type or 300mg of the oil type daily.

Statins do cause nerve damage... but you probably will not be able to change them, if you are taking them now.

Obese people, often are very low in Vit D. So I would get that tested ASAP and if you are low, use D3 and not the RX D2 that doctors continue to give. (it doesn't work). D3 supplements are over the counter in most pharmacies, online, and even grocery stores now.
Also get your B12 checked. This can get low as Brian suggested if you use metformin. And it can get low from acid blocking drugs, or just "because".

Diabetics lose magnesium in the urine, so using a topical form or taking a quality supplement may be helpful. I really like the new Morton's Epsom lotion, and use it every day. It has lowered my high blood pressure, and helps with my foot when it swells.
It is available on Amazon and at your local WalMart in the first aid section. Apply a quarter's diameter once a day to the tops of your feet and up your ankles.

These are the Big Three things that many people get low on and that when low affect the sensory nerves.

There are other things for diabetics to use as well, but fixing these first often will do quite a bit in the beginning.

Losing 100 or so pounds so quickly, is difficult on your body. So do be careful, and make sure you are getting enough essential fatty acids. There is a condition nicknamed "slimmers paralysis", which happens when people lose weight too fast. This is a result of limiting fats in the diet, and Omega-3s are critical for the nerves. Make sure you are taking some Omega-3 supplements like fish oil, or krill oil daily. The EPA and DHA in fish oils, repair nerve membranes and the myelin of axons.

Hi Clay:

My name is Melody. I want to congratulate you on your weight loss. I am also a type 2. I take 5000 of Methyl B-12 every day (on an empty stomach). I am free of any neuropathy symptoms. Of course I watch what I eat. Please do continue to try and get some exercise. I know it's hard.

The walking in the water is a great way to get some cardio exercise in. We don't want you getting another heart attack. The others have asked some good questions and as usual Mrs. D gave you valuable information.

Please keep posting. We do care. Are you on any insulin?

Thanks much

Melody

Hi Clay,

There are some exercise routines for folks in wheelchairs, or with bad backs, that can be done from seated positions. Mostly stretching, they can help keep muscles and metabolism working while the weight continues to come off.

seated exercise routines

Congrats on the weight loss -- hang in there -- one day at a time.

Best wishes,

Doc

Omg. Thank you,everyone. I'm on 2000mg Metformin daily,Januvia,Neurontin,lantus,pravastatin,prilose c (BAAAAAAD gerd/acid reflux),Cymbalta,synthroid,lopid,metroprolol,chant ix,Plavix,isosorbide,325 mg aspirin, enalapril,& I think that's it. I'm in a small town,in rural SW Minnesota. No car. It's 60 miles to the nearest decent health care. I'm scared! This disease really sucks. My last a1c from a few months ago was 5.5. Shocked my doctor. I suffer from chronic pain in my back,from a 1990 injury,& there's no pain mgmt nearby. It's an hr away & I have no way to go that far monthly. I'm out of food till Monday. Have nothing. I'm really concerned abt my sugars after no food for 2 days. Am I in danger? Y'all are sooooooo sweet for actually replying to this teddybear. Thank you all so much. Damnit..now I'm crying. Stupid neurologist said she won't do the emg cause of my obesity. That's Mankato Clinic. I pray Mayo will help me Wednesday,cause life's getting too hard :-(

As I suspected, your meds can be causing alot of problems for you.
Acid blocking drugs like Prilosec, cause low B12 and also low magnesium. And diabetics lose magnesium daily besides.

Since you cannot get to a doctor, buy some methylcobalamin, the active form of B12 online. iherb and Amazon have it very affordably. 5mg daily on an empty stomach... I'd start that ASAP. You can also get the Epsom lotion by Morton's on Amazon as well in the same order.

Locally WalMart has the Epsom lotion, and also Walgreen's has the special B12 methylcobalamin.

Both of these interventions are easy and safe to do, so I wouldn't wait for stubborn doctors and since you are stuck with poor transpo, you need to be proactive in this.

Here are the Amazon links:
http://www.amazon.com/Morton-Epsom-L...s+epsom+lotion

http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formula...ethylcobalamin

This is a new and very motivating B12 video....made by medical doctors trying to educate their peers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvEiz...ature=youtu.be

And this is my B12 thread with all the details about this crucial
nutrient:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html

This is the Qunol at Amazon (it is a 4 month supply) at one capsule a day.
http://www.amazon.com/Qunol-Ultra-Co...keywords=Qunol
Statins (your pravastatin) block the enzymes in the liver that make your own CoQ-10...you need to replace that. Over time low CoQ-10 affects muscle functions including the heart.

Please get started now, and continue your successful weight loss
work. ;)

edit to add.... Lopid and pravastatin together are a serious drug interaction.. I'd discuss this with your doctor:

http://www.drugs.com/interactions-ch...-687,1929-1242
Because of this serious potential, Lopid is not much used today.
Your pharmacy should have consulted with you and flagged this
interaction.

I can't thank you enough. I'm showing this to the Dr I'm seeing at Mayo Wednesday! Much luv your way,MrsD

Good luck at Mayo...

Not many of our PNers have much good to say about them.
Mayo is very conservative and mostly anti-supplement OTC etc.

They will test you alot and tell you what the results show hopefully. I'd suggest getting copies of everything. One poster here in the past had POTS and was not told, by Mayo after her testing. But when she requested copies of all her testing, she found that diagnosis in them.

Their B12 ranges in their B12 testing are still the old outdated
format. So get that number specifically.(you need to be above 400pg/ml) An MMA test to go with it would be helpful too since you are getting many tests.
Get Vit D tested too. The RX version to treat low D is not effective in humans and doctors still prescribe it. So bring your numbers here and I will give you a suggestion for D3 OTC alternatives.

Make sure they test you for amyloidosis...and full blood work for immune globulins etc.

Since you are fasting, and dieting strenuously, it would be a good idea to have vitamin levels measured, and also all minerals/electrolytes.

I don't think it is wise to fast for days, as you have said here while using oral antidiabetic medications and insulin. You should ask your doctor to advise you on a minimum caloric intake for your medications to work properly. Otherwise you risk low blood sugars, and lows can damage nerves.

Don't take any vitamin or mineral product before testing. Best to be several days off of them if you use any.

Good luck at Mayo...I hope you find some answers there to help you.

It also could depend on the location of the Mayo Clinic one goes to. There are quite a number of states where the Mayo Clinic is and obviously they all have different doctors. Just saying.

Hi Clay,

So glad to hear from you. Your A1C is fantastic. I started with a 10.2 A1C and since that one have kept them between 6.2 and 6.9 through very strict diet and meds. I am very sedentary due to chronic pain so I have a little bit of an idea of your situation. I especially liked the advice members have offered you. Water exercise is an ideal idea for people limited by pain. Access to that sounds like it would be a problem for you. Years ago I was sent to physical therapy and they did it in an indoor pool. It did nothing for my medical condition but it was at least a way for me to get some exercise. The suggestion given for wheelchair bound people is something I should consider and was glad to see that response to you by a member. When you mentioned in your first post that your feet turned dark, that really worried me. That is what prompted many of my prior questions. Has that been totally resolved? Keep us infomed. We care about you.

I have developed a bad habit of waiting until there is little food in the house before I head to the store because it is always a painful experience. I usually only hit the grocery about once a month and get my prescriptions at the same time. Being without food for two days is not good for anyone but especially for diabetics. I realize how difficult it is for you to keep up with stocking the pantry but it is absolutely necessary. I keep a bunch of canned vegetables on hand like cut green beans, etc. and a jar of peanut butter so I am never totally out of food. I also keep some can tuna, salmon, etc. I usually run out of perishable items and just do without them untl grocery time but I always have a stock of those can items. At least enough for 2 weeks.

I was told that extra body weight will affect the results of a NCS/EMG and are more difficult to perform. Maybe as the weight continues to come off, you will be in a better place to get the testing done if it is still necessary at that time.

Good luck to you.

I was wondering how excess weight can affect the results of EMG/NCV testing.

http://www.webmd.com/brain/electromy...uction-studies

I have never heard of that. Thank you.

Dear Kitt,

I do not know the technicalities of why weight affects NCS/EMG testing but that is what the last neuro told me at my most recent test a month ago. He told me that even some edema would alter the results. That was not the first time I was told that excess weight is problematic for the testing and I also read it somewhere within the last few months.

I will see if I can find the particulars for you and get back to you.

Dear Kitt,

I just looked it up online in a neuro site. I cut this sentence.

Edema, skin lesions, and obesity are limiting factors
in performing a successful EDX study.

It also states that temperature is a major factor in getting proper results.

My first NCS was very different than the ones by other docs. The last one said he would never do an NCS without also doing an EMG. He also said some other things that I just can't remember at the moment.

The article was in Practical Neurology January/February 2010 issue and is titled EMG and Nerve Conduction Studies in Clinical Practice by Rossitza, MD,MS and Lara Katzin, MD

It is an interesting article but most of it is way over my head.

I couldn't find the article. I found Practical Neurology but not the article. Perhaps it is what they are looking for when the testing is done. As you probably know, there are many conditions that they would use EMG/NCV testing. I understand about the temperature thing. It wasn't a factor when mine was done. But was for others I know of. It also matters a lot as far as who is doing the testing.

Thanks again,MrsD. Are you a doctor? Just curious. You seem to know alot. I think I should start physical therapy again. Get the circulation going again. I gotta do something. Ever heard of Sanford here in SW Minnesota/Sioux Falls SD? They're not addressing my damn awful pain. I wanna be able to walk..shop for mysel..walk outside like a normal person. Ya know? It's been 5 yrs. :rolleyes:

Clay.... I have to laugh. No I am not a doctor. (I am however
well educated in the medical arena).

You will learn as a member here, that doctors don't really know as much as you think. And also, they are highly suspicious and threatened by people who learn about their own problems.

So in fact, the reverse of your statement is sadly often true.

If I had become a doctor, you wouldn't find ME here, that is for sure. LOL:D (especially for FREE). Doctors do not donate time to internet forums....their liability insurance would probably
suggest against that. In fact they do not trust the internet at all.
It is only in the teaching hospitals you MAY find doctors using PubMed etc in their practices.

This is why I give links for everything, so the reader can decide for themselves what to do.