Hi I just would like to ask about muscle. Is it normal and common who has diabetes to loss muscle on both thighs and buttocks area? My husband Hba1c have been 82 and he tried diet and walking exercise. He is going to have his blood check again in April. But it is noticeable that thighs and bottom muscles area are less and less now. No pain on thighs nor bottom but pain on right shoulder he is complaining of. I don't know how to help him. Thank you for your time.
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muscle on thighs and buttocks shrinking
- Thread starter TinaTed
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MikeyBikey
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- Type 1
Hello! Not much to go on. I assume he is Type II - his HbA1c definitely needs to come down. It is not always achievable by diet and exercise alone - this is an illusion put about by MSM like the Daily Fail!
Is he taking any other medication? I got bad shoulder aches from Simvastatin but a change to Atorvastatin cured this a\nd I have known people do in the reverse direction!
Next the muscle loss. There are a n umber of reasons this can occur:-
i) The first is a severe reaction to statins (rare) and LFTs (liver function tests) should be carried out six weeks after starting or a change of dosage or type, and annually thereafter,
ii) Very rapid weight loss. This occurred when I had my amputation as delays due to Covid meant I developed sepsis. I lost 18kg in five weeks and most wars muscle.
iii) In the following eighten momnths I gained 32kg due to having little control of my diet and having to take extra insulin to cope. When I moved here I initia;ll;uy l;ost weight but then stalled. Jowever, as I contoinued to exercise my muscles toned. Whilst my upper arms increased my thighs went down as m y percentage body fat decreased.
If you can add some more details I and others may be able to comment further. All the best...
Is he taking any other medication? I got bad shoulder aches from Simvastatin but a change to Atorvastatin cured this a\nd I have known people do in the reverse direction!
Next the muscle loss. There are a n umber of reasons this can occur:-
i) The first is a severe reaction to statins (rare) and LFTs (liver function tests) should be carried out six weeks after starting or a change of dosage or type, and annually thereafter,
ii) Very rapid weight loss. This occurred when I had my amputation as delays due to Covid meant I developed sepsis. I lost 18kg in five weeks and most wars muscle.
iii) In the following eighten momnths I gained 32kg due to having little control of my diet and having to take extra insulin to cope. When I moved here I initia;ll;uy l;ost weight but then stalled. Jowever, as I contoinued to exercise my muscles toned. Whilst my upper arms increased my thighs went down as m y percentage body fat decreased.
If you can add some more details I and others may be able to comment further. All the best...
Martin.A
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Amongst the various complications of diabetes I'm aware that there's one that's admittedly rare but does cause muscle wasting in the hips, thighs, buttocks and legs. It's called Diabetic Amyotrophy but only his GP can tell you whether that's the cause. Diabetes complications are a result of consistently high blood glucose levels so @MikeyBikey is right that his HbA1c needs to come down.
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Sorry to hear about your husband’s muscle loss @TinaTed
It’s not something I see frequently mentioned on the forum, so I’m not sure it is a very common experience.
It does sound like the condition @Martin.A mentions should be looked into. (though the article I skimmed through didn’t seem to match your husband’s symptoms exactly).
This academic paper does seem to suggest that some muscle wasting / atrophy can be diabetes related.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Hope he is able to get an appointment to discuss his symptoms with a GP, and perhaps get a referral for some more specialist investigations?
It’s not something I see frequently mentioned on the forum, so I’m not sure it is a very common experience.
It does sound like the condition @Martin.A mentions should be looked into. (though the article I skimmed through didn’t seem to match your husband’s symptoms exactly).
This academic paper does seem to suggest that some muscle wasting / atrophy can be diabetes related.
Muscle atrophy in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: roles of inflammatory pathways, physical activity and exercise
Muscle atrophy is caused by an imbalance in contractile protein synthesis and degradation which can be triggered by various conditions including Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Reduced muscle quality in patients with T2DM adversely affects muscle function, ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Hope he is able to get an appointment to discuss his symptoms with a GP, and perhaps get a referral for some more specialist investigations?
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
It apparently affects around 1 in 100 people with T2 and around 3 in 1,000 people with T1, so yes - not very common.
Found this patient information leaflet:-
Diabetic amyotrophy
Diabetic amyotrophy is a nerve disorder complication of diabetes mellitus. It affects the thighs, hips, buttocks and legs, causing pain and muscle wasting.
patient.info
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Martin.A
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Strange that it begins by saying it's a nerve disorder complication of diabetes mellitus that affects the thighs, hips, buttocks and legs, causing pain and muscle wasting though.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Yes that seems to fit doesn’t it, but the hips buttocks and back are suggested as weakness and pain rather than wasting? But i definitely think it’s worth @TinaTed ’s husband asking about it.
I’m not sure how I’d know if my buttocks felt weak?!
Eddy Edson
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
You say no thigh/buttock pain - does that include when walking a fair distance?
Anyway, FWIW, accelerated muscle wastage can be associated with peripehral arterial disease (PAD) - narrowing or blockage - "above" the area of concern. Thigh/buttock wastage might imply PAD in the iliac arteries.
(I've got it in my calves/ankles, arising from blockage in my femoral artery above the knee. This femoral-PAD => calf wastage link is very well established in numerous studies. Femoral artery blockage is more common than iliac blockage, so PAD-associated calf muscle wastage is more common than buttock/thigh, but it does happen.)
I'd say worth checking with yr doc about this. PAD is way underdiagnosed, and if you've got PAD, you likely have a degree of muscle wastage.
Anyway, FWIW, accelerated muscle wastage can be associated with peripehral arterial disease (PAD) - narrowing or blockage - "above" the area of concern. Thigh/buttock wastage might imply PAD in the iliac arteries.
(I've got it in my calves/ankles, arising from blockage in my femoral artery above the knee. This femoral-PAD => calf wastage link is very well established in numerous studies. Femoral artery blockage is more common than iliac blockage, so PAD-associated calf muscle wastage is more common than buttock/thigh, but it does happen.)
I'd say worth checking with yr doc about this. PAD is way underdiagnosed, and if you've got PAD, you likely have a degree of muscle wastage.
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