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Treatment induced neuropathy?

A

Ade_essex

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello all

May I start a quick thread about some symptoms that I am experiencing which may be explained by treatment induced neuropathy? Ok, so I was diagnosed as diabetic just about a month ago after a routine blood test. Actually, the blood test results were what prompted me to join up here given that I had a HbA1c of 101. Since then I’ve been put on metformin plus statins for my cholesterol. I’ve also tried to improve my diet, keeping to a daily carb budget of around 120 grams, but adding in loads of vegetables and lean protein. Plus ditching the lifetime of pies and pizzas. As a result of all of that, I’ve now managed to get my HbA1c down to 75 within a month of diagnosis. The doctor seems quite pleased and I’m seeing the diabetic nurse next week for some more support. So what am I coming on here to complain about now?

Pins and needles in my feet and fingers, basically. It’s only just come on in the last few days but I’m now hyper aware of anything going on in my body and thought I’d ask the folks on here what it might be. I never had anything like this before, certainly not during the period when my diabetes was undiagnosed, but now I do. It’s worse when I’m lying down, present but barely noticeable when sitting and pretty much absent when I’m walking, if that helps.

So pulling all the details together, I’m recently diagnosed. I’ve just ramped up my metformin to the max dose of 4 X 500mg per day and am also on atorvastatin. I’ve cut junk food but am still budgeting for about 120g of carbs a day. Got my HbA1c down from 101 to 75. I drink about three litres of water a day but am not feeling particularly thirsty. Full disclosure, my doctor also prescribed dapagliflozin, alongside increasing the metformin, late last week which I haven’t taken yet. I wanted to get the bank holiday weekend over first which then coincided with the pins and needles manifesting. So I decided to hold off until seeing the nurse next week.

So could these pins and needles be TIND? Including the dietary improvements, this is a lot of changes in body chemistry swirling around inside right now. Is it likely to be transitory? Or could this be the diabetes related neuropathy finally showing itself?

I hope this isn’t bad form but I’m paging @silver minion and @everydayupsanddowns into this as they were both kind enough to warn me about exactly this on my initial newby post.

Thanks all.

Ade
 
Hi Ade, sorry to hear you are experiencing some neuropathy. In my case it was definitely more noticeable at night. Hubby uses to give my feet a good massage every evening which seemed to help.
I did find it lessened after a few months as the drop in BG slowed. At the moment I am mostly sympton free. Hopefully your neuropathy will be temporary. Another forum member mentioned that after a long period of high BG the fine nerves could be repairing as the levels drop, causing the pins and needles sensations as well as random sharp pains. A bit like relieving nerve compression in your legs after prolonged kneeling.
 
Hello Ade,

Great to have you on this forum! It sounds like the symptoms you’ve experienced are causing you concern. It may be best to reach out to your doctor, as they’re most familiar with your current condition. With that being said, the people on this forum are very friendly, and some may be able to share their own experiences with you. Wishing you good health.

Best wishes,
Kristy
 
Pins and needles are a known side effect of Metformin. Often the result of induced B12 deficiency.

Have a look at this:
www.gov.uk

Metformin and reduced vitamin B12 levels: new advice for monitoring patients at risk

Decreased vitamin B12 levels, or vitamin B12 deficiency, is now considered to be a common side effect in patients on metformin treatment, especially in those receiving a higher dose or longer treatment duration and in those with existing risk factors. We are therefore advising checking vitamin...
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

If I were you, I'd back of your increased dose of Metformin until you have seen your doctor as as advised in that article. Meanwhile make sure you have enough B12 in your diet. I use the free version of Cronometer to monitor B12 and dozens of other nutrients.
 
Sorry to hear about the altered sensations in your feet and fingers @Ade_essex

Hope you can get to the bottom of what is causing it, and that it proves to only be a temporary thing.

Let us know what they say if you get your Vit B12 checked.
 
JITR said:
Pins and needles are a known side effect of Metformin. Often the result of induced B12 deficiency.

Have a look at this:
www.gov.uk

Metformin and reduced vitamin B12 levels: new advice for monitoring patients at risk

Decreased vitamin B12 levels, or vitamin B12 deficiency, is now considered to be a common side effect in patients on metformin treatment, especially in those receiving a higher dose or longer treatment duration and in those with existing risk factors. We are therefore advising checking vitamin...
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

If I were you, I'd back of your increased dose of Metformin until you have seen your doctor as as advised in that article. Meanwhile make sure you have enough B12 in your diet. I use the free version of Cronometer to monitor B12 and dozens of other nutrients.
Click to expand...
I has my B12 levels checked last year and they were fine. AFAIK it seems to be more of a long term usage side effect. At the time I had mild neuropathy I has only been taking metformin for a few months and wasn't on maximum dose then. Having said I do want to reduce the dose in future if I can keep my hba1c under 48.
 
Thanks very much for the replies all. The metformin/B12/pins and needles thing was new to me but, yes, it’s there in the information leaflet that came with the tablets. I guess I glossed over that bit when I initially read it. Is this a test that the GP practice can order or can it be done at home (I see that there are home testing kits available)? I do take a multivitamin that contains B12 but that probably won’t help if it’s a vitamin absorption thing. As I said, I’m seeing the nurse on Wednesday so will definitely raise it then.

@JITR yes, that does sound sensible. I’ve now backed off to 3 X 500mg which was the original maximum dose prescribed by my first GP. Again, I’ll raise this with the nurse next week and, if necessary, try to see the doctor urgently if anything is amiss.

Thanks again

Ade
 
@Ade_essex - always important to note that as well as nerves showing signs of damage, eg pins & needles - the daft/clever things also do that when they start healing too. Hence if your blood glucose had been too high and creeping up prior to your actual diagnosis and now you've taken steps to reduce that and intend to keep up that good work - it could be a sign that you're reversing that damage, rather than the opposite!

I had the latter after my hysterectomy - no feeling whatever for about 2 months then as I was just thinking 'better get back to work pretty soon' - the nerve healing twinges gave me gyp for a few weeks.
 
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