Diabetic neuropathy and other concerns

[IrvineHimself]

I think it's been not quite a month since I first saw the doctor, and in that time I have had a lot to take in. As a consequence, I might have missed something fairly important at yesterdays Doctors appointment.

In this post, @Moahdeeb mentioned Diabetic neuropathy along with his symptoms, which immediately set alarms ringing. The Doc had given me a tuning fork test on my feet, which I failed miserably, and was warning me about blisters... etc and how she was referring me to a Podiatrist. However, over the last month, my feet have cleared up significantly: The cracks and fissures, along with the constant infections have started to heal, and I was generally feeling pretty good about the state of my feet. So, I wasn't really paying attention.

In my defence:

• I had just checked my mail at the StreetWork Hub and received an invitation to phone for an appointment for the eye test. For me, with a phone phobia, this is potentially traumatic. (I think I will get one of the outreach team to do it.)
• I was actually more concerned about the protein loss in my urine, which, confusingly, is called Diabetic nephropathy. So, because of the similarity in the names, it didn't really register that she was talking about two separate conditions.

I am now going to read up on the two conditions. Also, I have another appointment with the Doc on Monday and will ask her to go over what she was saying about my feet. But, if anyone has any comments, advice or even dire warnings, I would like to hear them.

More generally: Physically, I feel fine and to all intents and purposes, I am my usual chipper self. But, I am starting to suspect my condition is a lot more serious than I initially thought: There is the urgency with which I am being prescribed powerful medications compared to others I have both talked to in person, and read about here in the forums. More subtly, there is the amount of attention my Docs are giving me. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, but when I read about the crisis in the NHS or even some of the comments by this forum's members and compare it to the quality of care I seem to be receiving both from my doctors and during my recent hospital visit [hyponatremia], I sometimes ask myself: "Is this it, am I on the way out"

Because of all of the above, along with:

• The phone call for the eye test
• The bureaucratic nightmare of claiming my state pension
• The related nightmare of getting a UK bank account
• Renewing my driving licence so I have a form of ID.
• My new healthy diet, (At times dying for a packet of chocolate digestives almost seems worth it.)
• The way prices are really starting to shoot up combined with working out a new budget and shopping list for said diet
• etc, etc....

Things are starting get me a bit down.

On top of all this, I have had joint and muscle pain in my shoulders and upper arms for the last month or two. I put it down to old age and needing a new rucksack, but I am starting to think I should maybe tell my Doc about it?

Ah well, it feels good to put it all out there.
Irvine

 

[Moadeeb]

I think it's been not quite a month since I first saw the doctor, and in that time I have had a lot to take in. As a consequence, I might have missed something fairly important at yesterdays Doctors appointment.

In this post, @Moahdeeb mentioned Diabetic neuropathy along with his symptoms, which immediately set alarms ringing. The Doc had given me a tuning fork test on my feet, which I failed miserably, and was warning me about blisters... etc and how she was referring me to a Podiatrist. However, over the last month, my feet have cleared up significantly: The cracks and fissures, along with the constant infections have started to heal, and I was generally feeling pretty good about the state of my feet. So, I wasn't really paying attention.

In my defence:

• I had just checked my mail at the StreetWork Hub and received an invitation to phone for an appointment for the eye test. For me, with a phone phobia, this is potentially traumatic. (I think I will get one of the outreach team to do it.)
• I was actually more concerned about the protein loss in my urine, which, confusingly, is called Diabetic nephropathy. So, because of the similarity in the names, it didn't really register that she was talking about two separate conditions.

I am now going to read up on the two conditions. Also, I have another appointment with the Doc on Monday and will ask her to go over what she was saying about my feet. But, if anyone has any comments, advice or even dire warnings, I would like to hear them.

More generally: Physically, I feel fine and to all intents and purposes, I am my usual chipper self. But, I am starting to suspect my condition is a lot more serious than I initially thought: There is the urgency with which I am being prescribed powerful medications compared to others I have both talked to in person, and read about here in the forums. More subtly, there is the amount of attention my Docs are giving me. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, but when I read about the crisis in the NHS or even some of the comments by this forum's members and compare it to the quality of care I seem to be receiving both from my doctors and during my recent hospital visit [hyponatremia], I sometimes ask myself: "Is this it, am I on the way out"

Because of all of the above, along with:

• The phone call for the eye test
• The bureaucratic nightmare of claiming my state pension
• The related nightmare of getting a UK bank account
• Renewing my driving licence so I have a form of ID.
• My new healthy diet, (At times dying for a packet of chocolate digestives almost seems worth it.)
• The way prices are really starting to shoot up combined with working out a new budget and shopping list for said diet
• etc, etc....

Things are starting get me a bit down.

On top of all this, I have had joint and muscle pain in my shoulders and upper arms for the last month or two. I put it down to old age and needing a new rucksack, but I am starting to think I should maybe tell my Doc about it?

Ah well, it feels good to put it all out there.
Irvine

I think it's been not quite a month since I first saw the doctor, and in that time I have had a lot to take in. As a consequence, I might have missed something fairly important at yesterdays Doctors appointment.

In this post, @Moahdeeb mentioned Diabetic neuropathy along with his symptoms, which immediately set alarms ringing. The Doc had given me a tuning fork test on my feet, which I failed miserably, and was warning me about blisters... etc and how she was referring me to a Podiatrist. However, over the last month, my feet have cleared up significantly: The cracks and fissures, along with the constant infections have started to heal, and I was generally feeling pretty good about the state of my feet. So, I wasn't really paying attention.

In my defence:

• I had just checked my mail at the StreetWork Hub and received an invitation to phone for an appointment for the eye test. For me, with a phone phobia, this is potentially traumatic. (I think I will get one of the outreach team to do it.)
• I was actually more concerned about the protein loss in my urine, which, confusingly, is called Diabetic nephropathy. So, because of the similarity in the names, it didn't really register that she was talking about two separate conditions.

I am now going to read up on the two conditions. Also, I have another appointment with the Doc on Monday and will ask her to go over what she was saying about my feet. But, if anyone has any comments, advice or even dire warnings, I would like to hear them.

More generally: Physically, I feel fine and to all intents and purposes, I am my usual chipper self. But, I am starting to suspect my condition is a lot more serious than I initially thought: There is the urgency with which I am being prescribed powerful medications compared to others I have both talked to in person, and read about here in the forums. More subtly, there is the amount of attention my Docs are giving me. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, but when I read about the crisis in the NHS or even some of the comments by this forum's members and compare it to the quality of care I seem to be receiving both from my doctors and during my recent hospital visit [hyponatremia], I sometimes ask myself: "Is this it, am I on the way out"

Because of all of the above, along with:

• The phone call for the eye test
• The bureaucratic nightmare of claiming my state pension
• The related nightmare of getting a UK bank account
• Renewing my driving licence so I have a form of ID.
• My new healthy diet, (At times dying for a packet of chocolate digestives almost seems worth it.)
• The way prices are really starting to shoot up combined with working out a new budget and shopping list for said diet
• etc, etc....

Things are starting get me a bit down.

On top of all this, I have had joint and muscle pain in my shoulders and upper arms for the last month or two. I put it down to old age and needing a new rucksack, but I am starting to think I should maybe tell my Doc about it?

Ah well, it feels good to put it all out there.
Irvine

My symptoms are as follows:- My feet have no blisters but i cannot feel them and there always cold and it feels as if i'm walking on shingle or broken glass everyday. I have loss of muscle mass in both calves and thighs and being an ex Rugby player i was proud of my legs now its just like having a pair of twigs as legs. I now have incontinence which is a shocker in itself and i'm glad i'm single as the Diabetic Neuropathy has caused Erectile Disfunction too. Sleeping at night is hit n miss because of the pain and discomfort in my legs it keeps me awake and i just drop off during the day maybe once or twice for an hour or so. Also waking in the morning sometimes there's light headedness and the feeling of sickness it's like the feeling after the night before on the drink. It has also moved up into my hands and arms where it feels like pins n needles and cramp all the time. When i was diagnosed as a Diabetic back in 2010 i was just given tablets and got on with it no follow up by the Dr and had a yearly eye test which continues to this day. I feel a tad let down infact i saw a diabetic nurse last Feb 2021then never saw her again till 30th Dec where she just took my blood and that was it never heard or seen her since not even a phone call for blood results. As a result of all this Diabetic Neuropathy i have had to give up work as i was told by employer i'm a health and safety risk which i understand totally but going to job centre to claim was totally well very very disheartening. It's been sorted now although they still expect me to attend the job centre every 3 weeks when i can hardly walk. I have to have a health assessment every year but i keep telling them what i have is not curable but they do not understand all there interested in is NUMBERS getting back to work. Having worked since i was 16 and having served my country in the Armed Forces for 12 years you would think i've done my bit, paid taxes and National insurance for 43 years but like most things this country does not care one bit. I have this i have to live everyday with it so hey ho but a little understanding from certain people in the government would go a long way to making it a tad bearable RANT OVER lol.

 

[IrvineHimself]

My God @Moadeeb, that sounds horrendous

While a lot less severe, I recognise quite a lot of what you describe:

• Severe leakage if I couldn't get immediate access to the toilet. (Better than outright incontinence I suppose, but still embarrassingly inconvenient.)
• Nighttime cramping along with pins and needles in my feet and legs
• "Like walking on broken glass", I was starting to have that intermittently
• Erectile dysfunction: Not quite total, but I was definitely beginning to lack the vigour of even a few years ago.

Overall, with the meds and diet, my symptoms seem to have improved drastically. Although, evidently, there is some residual nerve damage in my feet.

Contrasting our two experiences with the initial diagnosis and subsequent quality of care and noting various articles I have read in the Guardian: There definitely appears to be a bit of a post-code lottery at work here. Personally, I have absolutely no complaints with the quality of care I am receiving, although I definitely sympathise with your experience.

With regard to the benefits system: For many, there is a perception of state benefits as being what they were in the late 60's and early 70's. This is far from the truth. It is only if they have the misfortune to enter the system that people realise how truly nightmarish it really is. Well meaning strangers frequently ask me why I do not claim benefits? The answer is because it would cause me perpetual grief and frustration without improving my situation one iota.

Despite spending over 30 years off-grid/overseas I do, in fact, have enough NI payments to qualify for the state pension. However, while I don't deny the money will help, in order to make the claim, I am having to jump through so many bureaucratic hoops to re-integrate into society, that, if it was not for the diabetes and the associated benefits of having the pension, (like dental care,) I am not sure I would make the effort.

With regard to your situation: I would strongly suggest that you contact both your local Socialwork department along with Citizens Advice. Also, you could try contacting your local MP and/or local Councillor, Remember, while they often like to forget it: helping constituents with unjust bureaucratic decisions is a major part of an MP's job description, as is a Councillor's wrt to local services.

Finally there are many support organisations to help ex-servicemen. You need to do a google search for your local area, but nationally, there is the Veterans Welfare Service. You should also look at this page Urgent help for veterans. It has many useful links, telephone numbers and email addresses.

Don't be embarrassed about contacting any of these organisations, For me, StreetWork are proving to be a real blessing: I have been known to their outreach teams for years, (since returning to Scotland), and, while they would pass by for a wee blether, they always respected my desire for freedom from The Man. It was only when my diabetes had become impossible for me to ignore that I reached out to them. Since then, they have been bending over backwards to help.

Edited to clarify an MP's/Councillors job description