Lower Leg pain numbess in toes any advice ?

[stewfox]

Hi I'm new and hope mods will allow me to post this

I’m 52yrs old and was ‘borderline diabetic’ for many years but was diagnosed with diabetes November last year.

I take two metformin a day and after finally taking my diet seriously 8 weeks ago my reading are just above the normal range (GP tested). I hope to get them below as I did eat c**p food for many years.

I have had low leg aches for nearly 4 years that now are becoming painful. Its constant and doesn’t vary when I walk or when I dance (light dancing a hobby) or over night morning etc. So GPs have tended to ignore circulation issues.

Some of my left toes are partially numb and have been for years and the right toes a few went numb in parts within a week which worried me. this happen 12 weeks ago.

I have a numerous blood test all norm (apart from diabetes of course) and other referrals but all fine

I feel depressed and ignored by the GPs , one suggested it’s too early for toes to go numb so early into diabetes ?

I’ve never had a MRI scan . On my 5th visit in a year you know when you book 3 weeks ahead and get 5 mins the GP different one prescribe Amitriptyline . 10mg seem to work over night but after a week it didn’t I took two and it didn’t work just made me cough

Has anyone ever had this all the pain is below the knee both legs and pain same. If I massage legs it can help, like shin splints but that wouldn’t last 4 yrs ?. Part of lower legs I press when massaging and feel I can almost massage the pain out.

I would assume its some form of nerve damage?? I’ve lost a stone and plan to lose more I’m still over weight but not chronically so.

Any help advise

 

[Northerner]

Hi I'm new and hope mods will allow me to post this

I’m 52yrs old and was ‘borderline diabetic’ for many years but was diagnosed with diabetes November last year.

I take two metformin a day and after finally taking my diet seriously 8 weeks ago my reading are just above the normal range (GP tested). I hope to get them below as I did eat c**p food for many years.

I have had low leg aches for nearly 4 years that now are becoming painful. Its constant and doesn’t vary when I walk or when I dance (light dancing a hobby) or over night morning etc. So GPs have tended to ignore circulation issues.

Some of my left toes are partially numb and have been for years and the right toes a few went numb in parts within a week which worried me. this happen 12 weeks ago.

I have a numerous blood test all norm (apart from diabetes of course) and other referrals but all fine

I feel depressed and ignored by the GPs , one suggested it’s too early for toes to go numb so early into diabetes ?

I’ve never had a MRI scan . On my 5th visit in a year you know when you book 3 weeks ahead and get 5 mins the GP different one prescribe Amitriptyline . 10mg seem to work over night but after a week it didn’t I took two and it didn’t work just made me cough

Has anyone ever had this all the pain is below the knee both legs and pain same. If I massage legs it can help, like shin splints but that wouldn’t last 4 yrs ?. Part of lower legs I press when massaging and feel I can almost massage the pain out.

I would assume its some form of nerve damage?? I’ve lost a stone and plan to lose more I’m still over weight but not chronically so.

Any help advise

Hi @stewfox, welcome to the forum 🙂 Very sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing Have you seen a fully-qualified podiatrist or just been examined by the GP/Practice Nurse? If the latter, I'd suggest asking to be referred for a full assessment by a qualified podiatrist. What are your blood sugar levels like these days - have they been improving since your diagnosis? It sounds like you have been making a big effort to improve things, as shown by your weight loss. What may be happening is that you are experiencing something called 'transient neuropathy' - this often happens once people are diagnosed and starting to bring their levels under control, as the nerves become more sensitive until they get used to the 'new you', and things may then settle down. I experienced pain, mostly in my toes and mostly at night, when I was getting back good blood sugar control after my diagnosis and it did take a few months - I even developed chilblains for the first time since my childhood in the middle of summer!

You might like to discuss this with one of Diabetes UK's trained advisors - details below:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/helpline

 

[stewfox]

Many thanks

At my old GPs (which has now closed) I was borderline for years but now I have access to results I cans see I was ‘above’ borderline for at least 2yrs ie if 6.4 is highest I was 6.7. (I can’t remember the exact figures)

Went to 8.7 and now on tablets its about 6.9 now (was 7.9 a 3 months ago)

Unfortunately, like so many I never took diet/life style change seriously and know now I consumed so much sugar from bars of chocolate and sweets 6 packets of crisps a day, and 20 cups of coffee etc and everything else. I’m 6ft 1 did weigh 18st 3lbs now weigh around 17st so need to loose more weight. I do dance a lot as a hobby so would not consider myself unfit

Reading through the forum as I feel pain suggest nerves not dead ? and as its feels like its getting worse could that me reducing sugar and the nerves coming back ?

I will look at link as you suggest

 

[Northerner]

What sort of tests are those @stewfox? Were they blood taken from your arm of finger prick blood tests? Certainly, the changes in your diet and consequent improvement in your levels can cause these symptoms - hopefully, things will settle for you soon. Do ask for a referral to a podiatrist - if there is a long wait it might even be worth seeing one privately, if you can afford it.

 

[stewfox]

Every blood test taken from the arm

First set showed nothing had follow up set of even more test from white sell counts to all sorts

Someone mentioned iron deficient can’t see that in test but assume its in there. I don’t have access at work to tests I had on line

I had ‘electrical tests’ 2/3 yrs ago all fine. Wasted trips to have xray he said it will show broken bone but not what you need. Another wasted day where they were going to inject stuff into toes to make them dumb. He said they are numb you’re not in pain they have wasted your time

I can feel the pain along the bones particular near the bottom

In terms of pain 1-10 its 3. I can just about sleep with it, it was just ache 1-2 for years.

I have written to medical practioner manager and MP (I did that before)

I suppose I am looking for a ‘label’ having some of the right toes go dumb (not totally) a few weeks ago was a real wake up call. I will talk to a podiatrist after GP has got back to me.

Many thanks

 

[pav]

As Alan says if you have not had a podiatrist give you a full check over, which this would include a sensation and nerve test, one is having ones feet being prodded by a thin flexible line (more like a very heavy fishing line and the other is a vibration test where they vary the intensity of the vibrations until you can feel them this is repeated several times to give them an average for the session and give them a base line to monitor you for future appointments.

If your levels have been high, the nerves in the feet and other parts like the fingers get coated in sugar and give the feelings of pins and needles, hot or cold not matter what the weather is like and numbness, got the T shirt as they say. As your levels come back to more normal levels the sensations feel worse as the nerves try to recover. If it has been only for a comparative short time, the nerves can recover. If left a long time the damage can become permanent.

I found most of the doctors I have seen are clueless on diabetic care and the knock on side effects, which is where the podiatrists come into play and know what to look for.

 

[MikeW59]

Hi Stewfox,

Just a thought, but I have a similar problem, legs almost go into cramp, hurts like hell, stops you walking etc so have to sit a massage legs, it gets better and then returns.
My cause was poor circulation caused by smoking.
Had to have both legs stented and have now been taking statins for 10-years.
Problem was diagnosed by ultrasound and vascular specialist.
said it was a build up of some acid, cant remember the name but he was right for me anyhow.

Might not be the same as yours but possibly worth raising with Doc.

M

 

[MikeW59]

Hi again, had to look it up but it was 'Peripheral Artery Disease' (PAD), Google it and check your symptoms.
Mike

 

[stewfox]

Hi again, had to look it up but it was 'Peripheral Artery Disease' (PAD), Google it and check your symptoms.
Mike

Thanks

Interesting GPs suggested it not Peripheral Artery Disease'as pain does not get worse walking or even dancing for 5 hrs I do jive

My dad had 5 heart attacks and three strokes first stroke at 42 and last stroke killed him at 68 his father died of heart disease at 64 so runs in family

I seem to remember he had 'furred up arteries' and could hardly walk properly when in his late 50s

Would a MRI reveal that ?

I do very rarely get cramp but it goes in seconds

3.5 yrs of doctor visits and they don’t know if its nerve or arteries they don’t help no anything. None of my veins appear expose but on my mother’s side history of veracious veins etc

I do suffer from cold feet but not excessively so

The pain has got much worse in the last few weeks as I have eaten less c**p