BS: Diabetic Neuropathy - any sufferers?

Subject: BS: Diabetic Neuropathy - any sufferers?
From: nutty
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 07:47 AM

I have been suffering with severe pains in my right leg (mainly hip and thigh) when walking, for some years now.
After trying many different pills and potions the doctor sent me to a rheumatologist who, after not being able to discover any major problems, suggested that it might be Diabetic Neuropathy.

After some research both Amyotrophy and Proximal Diabetic Neuropathy would fit my problem but as I haven't had any test yet I can't say which.

Has anyone out there any experience of these conditions?

Has anyone been informed about them at normal clinic appointments ? - I certainly hadn't. I thought that I was managing to have good control over my blood sugar (my last HbA1c was 8.1 ) but it appears that it hasn't been good enough.

Subject: RE: BS: Diabetic Neuropathy - any sufferers?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 09:43 AM

Although the association with Diabetes is common enough that calling the usual condition Diabetic Neuropathy is often correct enough, the more generic condition of Peripheral Vascular Insufficiency and associated Vascular Nephritis or neuropathy might provide you with some additional terms for investigation.

While vascular deficiency seems to be a common result of uncontrolled or inadequately controlled diabetes, it's not necessary to be diabetic to suffer from decreased capacity in peripheral circulation, which sometimes produces neuropathy/nephritis.

There is apparently some evidence that the symptoms are fairly frequently associated with edema, which can be produced from a variety of conditions that produce failures of lymphatic circulation. A very sparse number of reports may be possible to dig out that have shown that in some cases diuretic treatments adequate to reduce fluid retention in affected tissues can be helpful, but searching for anything on lymphedema or related subjects are virtually hopeless due to the concentration on management of edema in cancer patients where the lymphatic system has been destroyed by treatment. There are lots of those kinds of patients, so the "first 10,000 hits" are exclusively on the latter, and there's no easy way to exclude those to get to anything else.

Additionally, physicians in general practice are reluctant to prescribe diuretics at significant dosages as an "exploratory procedure" due to the very high risk of cardiac effects due to (mainly) potassium depletion with more than "nominally effective" dosages.

The more common "diabetic neuropathy" is found first in more peripheral areas such as feet and lower legs, and pain in the hip and thigh sounds somewhat atypical, suggesting perhaps a partial blockage of a more major artery than a problem with the peripheral circulatory system, if it is indeed related to circulation problems. My doctors would likely want a "tracer test" of arterial circulation in the vicinity of the pain, to see if there might be a restriction due to the infamous cholesteric plaque buildup; but then I have an established relationship with a cadre of specialists who have learned that I have better than average insurance.

Do note that anything I think I've learned about this and related conditions is merely because I'm old, and practitioners have suggested investigations of about everything that can be defective. It's not from being professionally trained in any applicable fields.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Diabetic Neuropathy - any sufferers?
From: Ebbie
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 04:28 PM

I manage an apartment building; one of the tenants has peripheral neuropathy. - something like that. The prognosis isn't good, I understand, but he still gets around OK and is a nice guy to have around. Not sure how old he is- maybe 60 - and he has had it for some time. I have never asked him whether he is diabetic.

It seems to me that it is an ailment that should be curable before too long

Subject: RE: BS: Diabetic Neuropathy - any sufferers?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 04:42 PM

The renal field has been struggling with this issue for more than 30 years that I know of. See a renal specialist and an opthalmologist as this generic problem is often associated with renal and retinal deterioration [hence the name renal-retinal syndrome]. If, as it sounds, you are in an early stage, it may be possible to slow or arrest it. If you are in the Brooklyn, NY, area, I recommend Dr. Eli Friedman who is a world authority on these problems. Tell him Eric sent you. I can give you his phone number.