Feet.

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Barry 1952

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Have just learned I have nerve damage to my left foot, it's very painful to walk, does anyone have any advice on coping.
 
Hi and welcome.

Sorry to hear you are experiencing problems with your foot. Is it hot/swollen/angry looking/red or misshapen?
Has it been X-rayed to check it structurally. There is a rare complication of diabetes called Charcot Foot where the bones of the foot start to break down and the foot structure loses it's natural support and needs external support to prevent further degeneration. The reason I mention this is that from what I have read, neuropathy usually affects both feet but Charcot would be more likely to just affect one although it can affect both feet. If you think it may be Charcot then push for X-rays and specialist treatment ASAP.

If it is neuropathy or PAD then there are special painkillers which can be prescribed but keeping the circulation going as much as you can by exercising.... even seated exercises.... and ensuring that you do your best to manage your BG levels well to reduce further deterioration or perhaps allow some improvement will be important.

How do you manage your diabetes? Do you have medication for it or just diet and exercise and how effective is your treatment? ie. What was your last HbA1c result.... This is the blood test used to diagnose and monitor your progress with diabetes management and will usually be a number in excess of 47 but can be into 3 figures if things are not going well. Getting that number down as low as possible is important when you start experiencing complications.
 
Thank you for your reply.
I was told a couple of weeks ago that it neuropathy and there were no painkillers suitable, I have had type 2 for many years and it's controlled by medication, before my stroke two years ago I was very active cycling up to 10,000 miles a year, since stroke cycling has finished, but up to three weeks ago was going to the gym three of four times a week on a special programme, this has stopped because of the neuropathy, my physio has suggested getting a gym ball and given me a programme to work to, just waiting for amazon to deliver, I am finding it hard to accept the limits as to what I can now do.
Kind regards.
Barry.
 
There is definitely medication for neuropathy. I think one of them is Gabapentin. There is also a cocktail of supplements which @Pattidevans may have a recipe for which is used by medical professionals on the continent but not here in the UK which can often help and you could put together yourself to try. Hopefully she will be able to give more info on that when she has a moment, but if you are in considerable pain, go back to your GP and if he/she can't help, then ask to be referred to a specialist. You should not be left to suffer in silence.

It is also important to do as much as you can to manage your diabetes well. What was the result of your most recent HbA1c and what medication are you using for it. Also, have you had your vitamin B12 levels checked. If you have been on Metformin for some considerable time (and this is the first drug of choice to manage Type 2) it can inhibit your body from absorbing Vit B12 from food or even supplements and Vitamin B12 is important to maintain healthy nerves, so ask for that to be checked. If you are low, it is likely that you will need injections rather than oral supplements if you are taking metformin.
It sounds like you were very fit until your stroke, so I wonder if perhaps you are not a straight forward Type 2. Do you test your BG levels at home? if so, what sort of readings do you get? If you don't home test, it might be worthwhile to start, so that you can adjust your diet to help manage your BG levels better and keep them more stable, which should help your neuropathy.

Please don't just accept that they/you cannot do anything. Making small changes to your diet or medication could make a significant difference not only to your neuropathy but your general health. Sometimes we have to be quite proactive or "politely pushy" to get the support we need with our diabetes. I would urge you to make a list of things to ask about including Gabapentin for pain management and a referral and get your B12 levels checked if they haven't been recently.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.... Oh and best of luck with the gym ball.
 
Welcome to the forum @Barry 1952

Sorry to hear about the neuropathy that has developed in your legs and feet :(

There was a recent thread from a new member which mentioned amytriptyline as well as pregabalin as options.


Some forum members have had a degree of success with using a TENS machine to block the nerve signals.

Hope you find ways to work around the pain so that you can get back to your fitness, which sounds like it has been an important part of your life!
 
If you have nerve damage there is a chance you have PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease). This can be checked via a simple Doppler test measuring ABPI. Usual initial treatment is a statin to try and minimise further plaque build up and 75mg Aspirin to minumise risk of clot and leg attack!
 
rebrascora said:
There is definitely medication for neuropathy. I think one of them is Gabapentin. There is also a cocktail of supplements which @Pattidevans may have a recipe for which is used by medical professionals on the continent but not here in the UK which can often help and you could put together yourself to try. Hopefully she will be able to give more info on that when she has a moment, but if you are in considerable pain, go back to your GP and if he/she can't help, then ask to be referred to a specialist. You should not be left to suffer in silence.

It is also important to do as much as you can to manage your diabetes well. What was the result of your most recent HbA1c and what medication are you using for it. Also, have you had your vitamin B12 levels checked. If you have been on Metformin for some considerable time (and this is the first drug of choice to manage Type 2) it can inhibit your body from absorbing Vit B12 from food or even supplements and Vitamin B12 is important to maintain healthy nerves, so ask for that to be checked. If you are low, it is likely that you will need injections rather than oral supplements if you are taking metformin.
It sounds like you were very fit until your stroke, so I wonder if perhaps you are not a straight forward Type 2. Do you test your BG levels at home? if so, what sort of readings do you get? If you don't home test, it might be worthwhile to start, so that you can adjust your diet to help manage your BG levels better and keep them more stable, which should help your neuropathy.

Please don't just accept that they/you cannot do anything. Making small changes to your diet or medication could make a significant difference not only to your neuropathy but your general health. Sometimes we have to be quite proactive or "politely pushy" to get the support we need with our diabetes. I would urge you to make a list of things to ask about including Gabapentin for pain management and a referral and get your B12 levels checked if they haven't been recently.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.... Oh and best of luck with the gym ball.
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I just wanted to say thank you very much for your information, I went to my doctor's and asked about Gabapentin after much discussion I started taking it three days ago, one 300mg tablet a day for three days moving up to two per day for four days then three a day for I guess forever, I was warned about side effects but touch wood I haven't had any yet, the difference the Gabapentin is making to my neuropathy is amazing I only hope it lasts.
 
So pleased you are finding that the Gabapentin is giving you some relief from the pain. Hopefully that will allow you to exercise more easily and sleep better and both of those activities should help improve your BG levels and general health and wellbeing. There is nothing worse than being in constant pain.
I hope the medication continues to work well for you.
 
Thank you for this thread, i was going to post something similar. I have issues with my feet and i haven't been diagnosed with neuropathy it can't be anything else. I also have a slight rash, my feet have been examined by the diabetic nurse but not suggestions on treatment apart from the use of compression socks which are uncomfortable. I do the gym 4 times a week but my real passion is for walking and that's not really an option at the moment. I have good days and bad days with my feet, the bad days tend to be when i'm using them like on a night out with friends. I was only diagnosed in the autumn so i'm hoping that my feet will improve with the use on metformin to bring my sugar levels down. I find that my life is being limited because of this, i love going to gigs with friends but now turn down these because i know my feet will be painful and i find this embarrassing. I just need some hope that i can overcome this problem and get my life back.
 
@Andy62 - metformin will not actually reduce your blood glucose and should not be expected to do so by itself. The Metformin assists your body to use your own insulin, more efficiently, is all it can or will, do. If that one thing (what is medically called 'insulin resistance') is the only thing causing your Type 2, then yes it might be enough to reduce your blood glucose. However - most T2s find in order to get things moving downwards in a more noticeable way, they also need to pay attention to their diet (and eat less carbohydrate generally) and the amount of exercise they take (so take a bit more than they are)

Sooooooo - do have a close look at what you usually eat and please, don't pack in walking !
 
Ah that's great to hear @Barry 1952 - long may the effectiveness of the meds continue 🙂
 
trophywench said:
@Andy62 - metformin will not actually reduce your blood glucose and should not be expected to do so by itself. The Metformin assists your body to use your own insulin, more efficiently, is all it can or will, do. If that one thing (what is medically called 'insulin resistance') is the only thing causing your Type 2, then yes it might be enough to reduce your blood glucose. However - most T2s find in order to get things moving downwards in a more noticeable way, they also need to pay attention to their diet (and eat less carbohydrate generally) and the amount of exercise they take (so take a bit more than they are)
Click to expand...

Metformin's main action is to reduce the amount of glucose the liver produces - it's been seen that in T2 diabetics the liver is overproducing glucose. This leads to a reduction of fasting glucose levels and post-meal levels. (It also helps insulin sensitivity, as you said, but also may inhibit absorption of carbohydrates in the gut as well)
 
Barry 1952 said:
Have just learned I have nerve damage to my left foot, it's very painful to walk, does anyone have any advice on coping.
Click to expand...
HI There,
Sorry to hear your facing pain like this I would advise you to contact your GP or foot protection team immediately or go to your nearest out-of-hours healthcare service if your GP or foot protection team aren't available.

It's also really important to take the weight off your foot. If it's serious, it's likely you'll need a course of antibiotics and your feet will be covered with a dressing.
 
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