Type 2 with insulin

[Neville Evans]

Hi everyone can someone please help, I have had diarrhoea for over two years at last I saw someone who said you have neuropathy which is the factor, nothing no help no advice no nothing this is just making life impossible and to be quite honest there are days when I just do not feel like living I have to walk around wearing staydry pants all day just very afraid
Many Thanks
Neville

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum
Would you like to give a bit more information about your diagnosis and what medications you are on as some of them do have an effect on your bowels.
I have not heard that the cause of your symptoms would be neuropathy as that normally affects limbs.
I wonder if you have an intolerance to some food that you are eating.
Did you have the symptoms before you were diagnosed, if not that suggests it is linked to something connected to your diabetes.
You should speak to your diabetic nurse as you should not be getting those unpleasant symptoms and it definitely needs investigation.

 

[Neville Evans]

Thank you for reply,I take insulin twice a day, and also take the following Indapamide, Valsartan, Simvastatin, Co-Codamol for pain relief in a knee issue, I have spoke to GP, diabetic nurse you name it, but no one can give me a cure to stop the diarrhoea, I have been given Loperamide that stops it if I take enough of them (6) it stops me going maybe for a few days then all hell breaks lose you know from where, they can cure some cancers they can put a man on the moon but I just want some to help me cure this diarrhoea please. I had the diarrhoea while I was taking metformin ( taking for 10 years) which I have now stopped and my HBAC level is down to 51, what can I do.
Thanks

 

[Leadinglights]

Your doctor ought to be taking it seriously as it has been going on so long. A referral to a gastroenterologist would seem to be in order.
This link may help you identify some of the possible reasons and some strategies you could try to help.

UpToDate

www.uptodate.com

 

[Piglet]

Hi Neville,

It could be endocrine ( or exocrine??? I have been told it is either) pancreatic insufficiency. I too had severe bouts of acute diarrhoea for several years before I asked to be tested... ( a stool sample) now I take an enzyme supplement with meals and the bouts are certainly less frequent.

Hope this helps
Piglet

 

[Neville Evans]

Your doctor ought to be taking it seriously as it has been going on so long. A referral to a gastroenterologist would seem to be in order.
This link may help you identify some of the possible reasons and some strategies you could try to help.

UpToDate

www.uptodate.com

Who ever you are thank you, you have given plenty of reading am I am sure when read I will reply when I have read through all the articals

 

[Neville Evans]

Hi Neville,

It could be endocrine ( or exocrine??? I have been told it is either) pancreatic insufficiency. I too had severe bouts of acute diarrhoea for several years before I asked to be tested... ( a stool sample) now I take an enzyme supplement with meals and the bouts are certainly less frequent.

Hope this helps
Piglet

Hi Pigel
I have had the camera up you know where 5 times nothing serious to report, have had a couple of stool samples nothing there either, so where or how do you obtain the enzyme supplement, you say the bouts are less frequent but do you still have diarrhoea when its time to go, its so belittling, but thank you.
If anyone out there can help willing to try anything.
Neville

 

[nonethewiser]

Hi Pigel
I have had the camera up you know where 5 times nothing serious to report, have had a couple of stool samples nothing there either, so where or how do you obtain the enzyme supplement, you say the bouts are less frequent but do you still have diarrhoea when its time to go, its so belittling, but thank you.
If anyone out there can help willing to try anything.
Neville

Enzyme supplements are only given once its proven your pancreas isn't producing enough digestive enzymes to help break down your food, a simple Fecal Elastase test would determine how well your pancreas is producing these enzymes.

Like piglet I have PEI & take Creon to help breakdown & absorb my food.

 

[Leadinglights]

I wonder if your gut microflora is out of whack, you could try some probiotic yoghurts.

 

[Neville Evans]

I wonder if your gut microflora is out of whack, you could try some probiotic yoghurts.

Hi there and thank you for your reply I am at the state where I am willing to try anything because of the issues this is causing me

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear what a very difficult time you have been having @Neville Evans - it must make things very difficult for you

Have you been investigated for autonomic neuropathy? (rather than the peripheral neuropathythat affects sensations in lower limbs and feet). I believe autonomic neuropathy can affect gut transit?

 

[Neville Evans]

Hi there thanks for your reply if it is autonomic neuropathy do you know if there’s anything that can be done about it I honestly can’t go on like this
Thanks Neville

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The best bet for limiting progression seems to be to maintain as in-target glucose levels as you can?

The Diabetes UK website is a bit light on detail, but does offer this

Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage)

What is diabetic neuropathy? Diabetic neuropathy is when diabetes causes damage to your nerves. It can affect different types of nerves in your body, including in your feet, organs and muscles. Nerves carry messages between the brain and every part of our bodies so that we can see, hear, feel...

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi there thanks for your reply if it is autonomic neuropathy do you know if there’s anything that can be done about it I honestly can’t go on like this
Thanks Neville

Looks possible, there is a test that can be done.
Thermoregulatory sweat test.
While you lie in a chamber with a slowly increasing temperature, digital photos document the results as you begin to sweat. Your sweat pattern might help confirm a diagnosis of autonomic neuropathy or suggest other causes for decreased or increased sweating.

 

[Neville Evans]

Thanks for that all and any other advice very much welcome
Neville

 

[rebrascora]

I would do your best to support your gut health. You might find that something like Fibogel may bind things a bit better to make your movements more solid, rather than diarrhoea which will obviously be harder to "contain" shall we say and a probiotic to help improve the gut biome, either a probiotic yoghurt or a good quality capsule probiotic which you should be able to get from health food shops or online.
I can't begin to imagine how distressing it must be and I really hope we can help you to find an answer.
Keeping really good control of your diabetes will be very important though if it is autonomic neuropathy as others have mentioned, but pancreatic endocrine insufficiency (PEI) would be what I would be asking for testing and perhaps a pancreatic scan..... I know few people have the means these days particularly but If your GP is not being helpful then maybe enquire about the costs of getting these tests done privately. I can tell from your posts that you are absolutely desperate for some help with this and it is massively affecting your social and mental wellbeing as I know it would me too, so it might be worth making some tentative enquiries about private testing, IF you can't get more support from your GP..... but do push that option first.

 

[Neville Evans]

Used to take Fibogel stopped that made me toilet every day result’s very lose, not tried probiotic so I will give that a go nothing to lose, HBA1C down to 51 and levels below 12 which the doctor told me to aim for I am at a loss because as I say it’s not a nice place to be and it’s really getting me down but thanks for everything