Newly Diagnosed Type II and Neuropathy in Feet. Help!

[Ddthor]

Hello All, In early May I went to an MD after suffering from
foot numbness and pain for the previous 6 to 8 months. I had
blood drawn, an MRI and an EMG/NCS. The MRI was fine but my
fasting BG was 148 and A1C was 7.0 and the EMG showed 'mild
neuropathy'. A vascular test showed good circulation. I
started Metformin at 2 x 500 mg.

I saw a dietician and tightened up the South Beach Diet that
I had already started last February ie I am now restricting
the carbs a bit more than before. I peaked at 235 lb. and I
am now at about 200 lb (i am a 48 year old 6'3" male). I had
been a heavy beer drinker but I quit drinking when I started
the diet in February.

After some initial trial and error my BG is now under
control. I often test under 100 with very few spikes above
130 after meals. I took a home A1C test last week and
scored a 5.4%

My feet seem to be getting worse though. Actually, I have
some good days and then it slips to the point where the
tingling and pain is up to my ankles. I have been taking ALA
and Evening Primrose for the last month and I have had 5
sessions with an acupuncturist. I also walk and/or bike
every day.

I have been feeling very depressed especially on those days
when my feet are acting up. I have seen on the web that this
condition can only get worse and cannot be reversed. I also
have read that some reversal can happen if you catch it
early and that you sometimes feel worse before noticing
improvement. Is there anyone out there who has had success?
Should I show more patience and not necessarily expect great
immediate improvement? It just seems that I'm losing the
fight here. Thanks for helping! Dave

[Julie Bove]

"ddthor" <thor@das.wisc.edu> wrote in message
news:432f210b6595c4e1252c4d9b78983c82@localhost.talkabouthealthnetwork.com...

<snip>

> I have been feeling very depressed especially on those
> days when my feet are acting up. I have seen on the web
> that this condition can only get worse and cannot be
> reversed. I also have read that some reversal can happen
> if you catch it early and that you sometimes feel worse
> before noticing improvement. Is there anyone out there who
> has had success? Should I show more patience and not
> necessarily expect great immediate improvement? It just
> seems that I'm losing the fight here. Thanks for helping!

Don't know if it can be reversed or not, but my feet are
usually pain and numbness free so long as I keep my BG in
line. Now I do have a vein problem and that can cause me
pain and numbness. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish
between the two.

--
Type 2 http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/

[Hi_therre]

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 00:17:01 -0400, "ddthor" <thor@das.wisc.edu>
wrote:

>Hello All, In early May I went to an MD after suffering
>from foot numbness and pain for the previous 6 to 8 months.
>I had blood drawn, an MRI and an EMG/NCS. The MRI was fine
>but my fasting BG was 148 and A1C was 7.0 and the EMG
>showed 'mild neuropathy'. A vascular test showed good
>circulation. I started Metformin at 2 x 500 mg.

I find metformin, regardless of dosage, does not work for
me.

>
>I saw a dietician and tightened up the South Beach Diet
>that I had already started last February ie I am now
>restricting the carbs a bit more than before. I peaked at
>235 lb. and I am now at about 200 lb (i am a 48 year old
>6'3" male). I had been a heavy beer drinker but I quit
>drinking when I started the diet in February.
>
>After some initial trial and error my BG is now under
>control. I often test under 100 with very few spikes above
>130 after meals. I took a home A1C test last week and
>scored a 5.4%
>
>My feet seem to be getting worse though. Actually, I have
>some good days and then it slips to the point where the
>tingling and pain is up to my ankles. I have been taking
>ALA and Evening Primrose for the last month and I have had
>5 sessions with an acupuncturist. I also walk and/or bike
>every day.
>
>I have been feeling very depressed especially on those days
>when my feet are acting up. I have seen on the web that
>this condition can only get worse and cannot be reversed. I
>also have read that some reversal can happen if you catch
>it early and that you sometimes feel worse before noticing
>improvement. Is there anyone out there who has had success?
>Should I show more patience and not necessarily expect
>great immediate improvement? It just seems that I'm losing
>the fight here.

I'm not sure if neuropathy can be deleted or improved. I
know a guy that lost his toe on diagnosis. Went to his
house this weekend, and he has the biggest callouse under
the ball of his foot. It looks nasty. When you lose your
big toe, it changes the way you walk and maintain your
balance. His foot is actually becoming disformed. A very
ugly mess. I wish I had a digital camera, his foot would
look good on my web page. Keep an eye on your feet and see
a podiatrist a couple times a year. And if possible, keep
those BG's <120 at all times.

_____________________________________________
http://www.tcainternet.com/retired/index.html Free
Diabetic Software

[Patricia1966wa]

Dave, I to have recently been diagnosed with Diabetic
Neuropathy, My doc has me on Tramadol and at night
Nortriptyline. I am WAKING UP I CAN FEEL MY FEET AND THE
PAIN I GETTING LESS. I need to start biking again. Good
luck to you.

Patricia

"ddthor" <thor@das.wisc.edu> wrote in message news:432f2-
10b6595c4e1252c4d9b78983c82@localhost.talkabouthealthnet-
work.com...
> Hello All, In early May I went to an MD after suffering
> from foot numbness and pain for the previous 6 to 8
> months. I had blood drawn, an MRI and an EMG/NCS. The MRI
> was fine but my fasting BG was 148 and A1C was 7.0 and the
> EMG showed 'mild neuropathy'. A vascular test showed good
> circulation. I started Metformin at 2 x 500 mg.
>
> I saw a dietician and tightened up the South Beach Diet
> that I had already started last February ie I am now
> restricting the carbs a bit more than before. I peaked at
> 235 lb. and I am now at about 200 lb (i am a 48 year old
> 6'3" male). I had been a heavy beer drinker but I quit
> drinking when I started the diet in February.
>
> After some initial trial and error my BG is now under
> control. I often test under 100 with very few spikes above
> 130 after meals. I took a home A1C test last week and
> scored a 5.4%
>
> My feet seem to be getting worse though. Actually, I have
> some good days and then it slips to the point where the
> tingling and pain is up to my ankles. I have been taking
> ALA and Evening Primrose for the last month and I have had
> 5 sessions with an acupuncturist. I also walk and/or bike
> every day.
>
> I have been feeling very depressed especially on those
> days when my feet are acting up. I have seen on the web
> that this condition can only get worse and cannot be
> reversed. I also have read that some reversal can happen
> if you catch it early and that you sometimes feel worse
> before noticing improvement. Is there anyone out there
> who has had success? Should I show more patience and not
> necessarily expect great immediate improvement? It just
> seems that I'm losing the fight here. Thanks for
> helping! Dave
>

[Eldritch]

ddthor wrote:

>
> My feet seem to be getting worse though. Actually, I have
> some good days and then it slips to the point where the
> tingling and pain is up to my ankles. I have been taking
> ALA and Evening Primrose for the last month and I have had
> 5 sessions with an acupuncturist. I also walk and/or bike
> every day.
>
> ...I have seen on the web that this condition can only get
> worse and cannot be reversed. I also have read that some
> reversal can happen if you catch it early and that you
> sometimes feel worse before noticing improvement. Is there
> anyone out there who has had success? Should I show more
> patience and not necessarily expect great immediate
> improvement? It just seems that I'm losing the fight here.

You may want to read Dr. Bernstein's book, _Diabetes
Solution_. He has some encouraging things to say
about this. He was able to reverse his own
neuropathy somewhat.

It sounds like you're doing everything right you can
to help your situation. THere are no guarantees that
your neuropathy will improve, but doing the things
you're doing has helped other people. It does take
time. Improvement is a slow process that extends
over months, so you must hang in there and continue
what you're doing. And you're right that the healing
process can make it feel more painful at first
before you actually feel improvement.

E

[Patricia1966wa]

I have read two books on this that I ordered from B&N on
Neuropathy, it can't be revered but it can be slowed down by
keeping your glucose under control, diet , exercise and the
right meds.

Patricia "Hi_Therre" <Bruce35@Rosebud.com> wrote in message
news:cpvvd0p783dqns1ef6nq28slkudvbsmrii@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 00:17:01 -0400, "ddthor"
> <thor@das.wisc.edu> wrote:
>
>>Hello All, In early May I went to an MD after suffering
>>from foot numbness and pain for the previous 6 to 8
>>months. I had blood drawn, an MRI and an EMG/NCS. The MRI
>>was fine but my fasting BG was 148 and A1C was 7.0 and the
>>EMG showed 'mild neuropathy'. A vascular test showed good
>>circulation. I started Metformin at 2 x 500 mg.
>
> I find metformin, regardless of dosage, does not
> work for me.
>
>>
>>I saw a dietician and tightened up the South Beach Diet
>>that I had already started last February ie I am now
>>restricting the carbs a bit more than before. I peaked at
>>235 lb. and I am now at about 200 lb (i am a 48 year old
>>6'3" male). I had been a heavy beer drinker but I quit
>>drinking when I started the diet in February.
>>
>>After some initial trial and error my BG is now under
>>control. I often test under 100 with very few spikes above
>>130 after meals. I took a home A1C test last week and
>>scored a 5.4%
>>
>>My feet seem to be getting worse though. Actually, I have
>>some good days and then it slips to the point where the
>>tingling and pain is up to my ankles. I have been taking
>>ALA and Evening Primrose for the last month and I have had
>>5 sessions with an acupuncturist. I also walk and/or bike
>>every day.
>>
>>I have been feeling very depressed especially on those
>>days when my feet are acting up. I have seen on the web
>>that this condition can only get worse and cannot be
>>reversed. I also have read that some reversal can happen
>>if you catch it early and that you sometimes feel worse
>>before noticing improvement. Is there anyone out there who
>>has had success? Should I show more patience and not
>>necessarily expect great immediate improvement? It just
>>seems that I'm losing the fight here.
>
> I'm not sure if neuropathy can be deleted or improved. I
> know a guy that lost his toe on diagnosis. Went to his
> house this weekend, and he has the biggest callouse under
> the ball of his foot. It looks nasty. When you lose your
> big toe, it changes the way you walk and maintain your
> balance. His foot is actually becoming disformed. A very
> ugly mess. I wish I had a digital camera, his foot would
> look good on my web page. Keep an eye on your feet and see
> a podiatrist a couple times a year. And if possible, keep
> those BG's <120 at all times.
>
> _____________________________________________
> http://www.tcainternet.com/retired/index.html Free
> Diabetic Software