severe neuropathy
 

hello im new to all this but im a type 2 diabetic and i have had neuropathy for 3 months now been a diabetic for over a yr and never knew it. im having alot of severe pain i only sleep about 2 hrs or less a night cause of the pain im on so many pills and it seems like nothing is helping i cry all the time i get so scared of my husband feeling like he is wasting his time being with me i feel like a burden all the time im on cymbalta for the pain and depression but it don't help im so depressed all the time when im alon i cry all day i can't sleep im tired of being in so much pain no body i talk to understands how much pain i am feeling i can't hold onto dishes it hurts my hand to write or brush my hair it hurts to walk and now im having pelvi pain i seen on intrnet that it could be caused by the neuropathy if someone could please write back i would thank you :Sob: :grouphug:

welcome to the board.
 

Your post is tough to answer.

We would be better able to understand your situation if we knew more about you. How old are you? How severe the diabetes before treatment?
How do you manage it..what drugs you use?

Just because you have diabetes, should not be taken to exclusion of something else going on with you. Low B12 levels, low thyroid, exposure to chemicals,
etc. Have you been tested for autoimmune disease markers?

Neuropathy in diabetes can take many years to develop. I have seen diabetics who for 10-15 yrs don't have any symptoms.

Not sleeping, leads to more pain. And I don't think drugs do much for neuropathy, like Cymbalta. They do not reverse it, and only sometimes control pain.

What drugs do you take? opiates? These themselves can cause depression.

So please provide more information here. The more proactive you become in your own behalf, the more likely you will see some improvements.

hello...
 

....my situation is quite similar to yours. I have a few questions for you. What medications are you taking ? What are you taking for glucose control ? Was your Neuropathy the first indicator of your t 2 diabetes or did it occur once you started your glucose control?

HI Becca08, You are NOT alone!
Welcome to this great site! We all share your pain and have been in your shoes.....some of us still are. As the others have said it would help if you would give us more info about yourself and situation. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to just talk, cry, need a shoulder.....I'm here and would love to hear from you.

Hi & welcome to the forum, there are many courses of Neuropathy as Mrs D mentioned, i know some friends of mine that have been long term Diabetics but do not have any signs of Neuropathy, but some have suffered other very serious complications as a result of high blood sugars, then there are others like me that were only in a prediabetic state [who knows for how long] but get peripheral nerve damage and no other problems.
Besides the many other possibilities causing your nerve damage , i am wondering
how well are you managing your sugar levels ? & do you drink alcohol ? as this can aggravate your nerves as well as others like stress, etc, please tell us more.

Brian :)

Becca, I have had neueropathy for about 7 years now, and the first year I had it I felt just as desperate as you sound. I couldn't believe how severe the pain was, how constant, I couldn't sleep, terrible depression, etc. I am glad to say that I have found some relief through medication for the pain. I still have pain and live a modified lifestyle, but I have it under control and can enjoy life. I just want to say that you should have hope, keep pressing your doctors for pain treatment. There are a number of things that can be tried for pain, but you have to be persistant. Hang in there.

Becca
 

Can you tell us what type of Drs. you have seen,have you seen a
Neuroligist did he or she spec. in PN.
Or did you just go to the family Dr.and he ,she said Becca you a Diabectic,
1 or 2 you hurt so you must have neuropathy take this med. and everything
will be better.

I'm not try ing to down play your pain or fear you hurt, i'm sure scare
and I know in pain..And we are here to help,so take a deep breath and
we will try..Some of our husbands,and wifes don't understand including
some grow children..But you come first,what you have is real,and if you can
learn from us the more the better. First don't feel bad that you didn't
know you were a diabectic..That's a start can you just say are you taking
your blood sugars,it scares some ,if your one tell us nobody will be mad
at you. Ifyou drink please stop,or get help to stop..Do you understand
you diet,if not what. Now for the pain,I just felt worse on the med. your
on. You must speak up. read some our pass threads and the stickies.

But if you can tell us more please do,we all have different kinds of pain,
we have all ages.We can't cure but are willing to help..Neurotalk is a great
place to be,please ask we will try ok. Hugs gently because pain is real and
hurts. Sue

I'm sorry you did say 2 that's wwhat i am.. Sue

mrsd, im replying on the post you wrote im taking cymbalta 60mg , neurontin 600 mg 3 times a day, percocet 325mg every 4 hrs, flexeril 10 mg, janumet 50/500mg, actos 40 mg, and glipizide. im 30 yrs old and my pain level is off the pain scale i just feel like i can't do it im so scared i cry so much i don't know what to do and know i just found out that the dr i had been going to for 6 months don't take my insurance so i have been have been trying to find one i have an appt next week but its like now i have to start all over with a new dr its stressfull if anyone has any sugestions please add your input. thank you so much

Becca:

Hi, my name is Melody and I'm type 2 like you are.
What is your glucose reading in the morning? I assume you test yourelf, right??

Do you eat what you are supposed to eat, or do you just say "what the heck". These are questions that need to be answered if the people on this board are to help you. Not being nosy, just being thorough.

YOu are on a lot of meds. I was on 8 diabetic pills a day. I now only take one shot of Lantus in the morning. Best thing I ever did. I also have neuropathy, and I take Methyl B-12 and it helped me a great deal.

So give us more info, okay hon??

Thanks, Melody

To take some of the stress out of your next neurologist visit, i would get copies of all tests that your last neuro has done already to show your new neuro.

Always remeber B those copies are yours,Just give the old Dr. time to print
so you may hand carry..Are if it's more conenient you may have old Dr. Fax them to new Dr. I perfert to have them in my hands,but if people are
working,have small kids the faxing might be better. This is a good first
start,Brian has recommeded..Many of us take the amount and some of the same pills you do others even more and others take some supppliments..
Make sure you always carry them with you. Being a Di 2you should wear
anecklace or braclet or at least a card on you at all times..Make sure
you have meds. you are allergic two..And you can PM or E_Mail those
who alllow look under members list..Nice people that are willing to help.
hugs to all Sue

my dr has just put me on the shot 2 times a day for my diabetes and i also have an appointment to see a pain specialist on the 23 of jan. im not sure what they do i was wondering if snyone could help me on that im getting real scared and im getting more depressed i hope someone can give me some info if you have any questions just ask i will be glad to answer thank you all. take care till we talk again

becca08,

You seem to be taking a lot of drugs but you are still in pain. You may be better off in finding a doctor who is willing to try supplements and other methods rather than prescribing drugs

Becca:

If you don't mind, tell us a bit more about yourself. Are you a young adult, or older person? Are you slim or overweight??

Do you have children?? It just helps to know more about people. And what they have been through.

When you go to the pain management specialist, they will prescribe something for you. My husband went that route over 7 years ago. They put him on the Fentanyl pain patch and it stays on for 3 days (although he did the two day thing). Every doctor has different views to pain management.

Why not google pain management on the net and you can see what's available before your appointment, so at least you will have some pertinent information when the guy starts talking to you about pain meds.

Melody

Hi. Welcome to the board. I am newer to this well seems like a lifetime but it has been a year. I have been to 4 pain managment docs along with the past docs like neuros etc. Anyhow I agree bring all your records,don't feel pressures because I feel pain docs often pressure into what they want you to do. For ex the first one at Cleveland clinic wanted the catheter then the next ucla spinal cord stimulator then the next the nerve shots. I know you want relief and answers but you don't want more issues along the way in my eyes. Make sure a list of all meds too and even ones you have taken in the past before this issue. I was on Cymbalta for 5 months. What dose are you on? I was on 60mg and for me it did nothing for pain or depression but meds I have an issue with. Many here have diabete and Melody for ex is a great ex of how through diet/exercise it is better. I need to take a lesson from her cause my sugar is getting high. I understand being scard as I live in fear but what I have learned from this board and as they know I am not so good with this but working hard the anxiety and fear makes the pain worse. Do you have family support? I agree with Melody more about your age and other issues. Many here I feel know more then my docs so they can really help you.

Pain and Sleep
 

Amitryptelin (Elavil) is what gives me sleep at night, together with a mix of other med's, but this is the Pain/sleep med!

My husband (about 7 or 8 years ago), was put Elavil (to help with his neuropathy at bedtime). It did the trick beautifully BUT IT MADE HIM ITCH LIKE CRAZY. He has allergy problems with many meds.

But it took away his pain 100%. Too bad he had to scratch like crazy.

What's the expression? One man's (what??) is another man's poison??

Can't remember.

Melody

Missing word...
 

Hi Melody:

"One man's MEAT is another man's poison."

Shirley H. :hug:

I take Amitriptyline to help with the bladder pain from my Interstatial Cystitis. It's really helped with that and it makes me sleep at night. One bad side effect of it is that it causes weight gain.......I sure wish there were only GOOD side effects and not bad ones!!

severe pain
 

hello all im writing to you all again i have been going to several different drs like neurosurgeon, neurologist, othropedicsurgeon and now my dr is sending me to get epidural injections in my back cause i found out i have a herniated disc the pain from my neuropathy is reaql bad finally got my sugars somewhat under control could be better but at least they aren't 300-340 anymore but it hurts so bad i can't do simple housework cuse of my back hurtimg me they won't do surgrey to fix it so i could get on with my life so i get upset.:( im just so scared i don't know what i can't expect from this injection if they can put me to sleep to do it im a nervous wreck if someone could please write back it would help me i will answer any questions you have thank you for your time
:grouphug: :grouphug:

Hi Hon.

My husband had the epidural injection. It did not hurt. He immediately got up and was put in a chair to rest for one hour. Then we went home.

So try and not worry. The injection is not bad at all. It's there to help you.

And I hope it does.

For my pain, drugs like percocet did nothing to ease the pain at all. The only thing I've found that works for *me* is Tramadol (Ultram). Taking Tramadol was a life-saver for me. It completely mutes my PN symptoms. One thing I've found though is while taking Tramdol along with other pain killers such as Lortab and Vicodin completely cancels out the Lortab type drugs. I have no effect whatsoever from those types of drugs while taking Tamadol. Usually they put me out like a light. Not with the Tramadol.

I started Tramadol about a year ago, I think and started at 37.5 mg. I just went up to 50mg yesterday. My doctor started me on Mirapex yesterday too for some RLS type symptoms and if my first night with the Mirapex is anything to go buy this might be a big help to my symptoms. I have idiopathic PN, that is, PN without knowing the cause.

Mrs D maybe
 

I thought I remembered reading that Tramadol was not to be taken with other pain medications. I took Tramadol for months before I had the pelvic and sacral fractures. They took me off the Tramadol in the hospital before they would give me other pain medication. I'm not sure and the ole memory isn't what it used to be. But now I'm wondering?

Billye

You're right. But I've taken Tramadol one day and tried hydrocodone the next and the hydro did *nothing* for the pain. It was like I hadn't taken anything at all.

ETA: I came across info somewhere that stated if one is addicted to opiates such as hydro and takes Tramadol it can throw them into opiate withdrawal.