Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
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| Sun, 08-19-2007 - 8:09pm |
HI Folks,
I hope none of you have a complication from your diabetes known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. I had never heard of it in the twenty five years or so I have had Type 2 diabetes. I have worked hard to manage my diabetes by losing weight exercising and usually doing the right stuff. DPN is nerve damage usually effecting the feet, legs and arms. At it's worst it can effect the body's core, too. Mine started as tingling in my legs and became intensely itchy. It was disabling. In the early stages it was diagnosed by nerve conduction tests by my neurologist. No medication was recommended then.
I came here when it got worse and Mary Frances gave me some hope and told me about Lyrica.
My Dr. agreed and we have bounced around trying different dosages. My Dr. started me out on 3X25mg daily but I experimented with some different combos and decided I need double that amount. So I take 2X50mg, 2X25mg and it works great. That is the minumum dosage recommended by Pfizer the pharmacuetical manufacturer. I have very little discomfort.
This is not a cure but my goal remains to control my blood glucose and hope for the best.
The internet can be scary and helpful. For instance I have read long term diabetics have an incidence rate of DPN of 1 in 3, 1 in 2, and 2 of 3. Who do we believe? Why haven't diabetes educaters told us about this? Do any of you have any experience with this monster. I would appreciate your input.
Stay safe,
Pray for peace,
Regards,
Paul

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I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 3 months ago. About a year ago I started having burning in my feet and that progressed to burning with stabbing pains. Very painful, and present 24/7. When i was diagnosed with diabetes my doctor was able to diagnose the pain in my feet as DPN. I went through a list of about 10 differnt anti-depressents. All of which did'nt do anything for my DPN. Eventually I was prescribed vicadin. Finally I found some relief. The vicadin only covered about 50% of my pain. at this point I'll take it. I was referred to pain management and got another doctor. This doctor wants me off the vicadin and on a longer acting medicine. Vicadin not being good for my liver or my kidneys. So we'll see what becomes of this. It seems like the opiates get right down to the pain better than anything else. Lyrica knocked me out, I couldn't function on that medicine. I also found that glucose management helps with the pain. I've changed my diet and that helps me manage my glucose levels. Excercise is out of the question with my DPN. I hope that will change someday.
Anything I can do to help,
Mark
HI Mark,
Thanks for your story. It's amazing to me that your diabetes took so long to diagnose. I'm sorry your body and DPN didn't respond to Lyrica. Sometimes it takes two weeks or so to get used to side effects. Then they lessen or go away for some of us. I didn't experience a lot of pain. But life threatening itching. I mean the itching was so bad I had suicidal thoughts, but didn't act out. Lyrica even on a very low dose was effective in about three days by about 50%. At 150mg daily which is Pfizer's recommended beginning dosage the efficacy is 90-95%. I'm 75 years old and that Mary-Frances gave me the heads up about Lyrica and that it works. Mark, good luck to you i hope and pray you are able to find some better relief. Have you tried Nuerotonin? If you want I'm at paulwllngbro@aol.com.
Stay safe,
Pray for peace,
Best wishes,
Paul
Castaway
A Friend in Recovery
Paul
Paul:
I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic over 6 1/2 yrs ago, and my Dr.'s think I was a diabetic probably more than 5 years before I was diagnosed. Type 2 runs on both sides of my family. I started out with pills, but they didn't work . I then tried an insulin pen, sort of helped, then I eventually went to insulin shots. I use Humalog & Lantus.
I also have DPN & it's progressing to my fingers now. I do have it in my feet & lower legs. I started out by having itchy skin then tingling sensations & stabbing pain, like needles poking at you. At one point, I couldn't stand to even wear socks. I've been noticing recently that I've been dropping stuff like pens cause I can't feel them in my hand.
The cold bothers me more than it used to, I suppose because of the poor circulation.
It's really frustrating at times when you can't feel anything with your fingers.
Kimberly
HI Kimberly,
So far my hands and fingers are OK. In fact the only numbness I currently feel is along the instep of my right foot. My legs feel weak. However, Lyrica keeps me moving. I'm lucky have have little arthritis. I think some other conditions exacerate the onset of dpn. Mainly, coronary artery disease that is probably diabetic induced. What the heck I'm still vertical and moving about pretty good. Have you tried Lyrica? Good fortune to you, Kim.
Stay safe,
Pray for peace,
Best wishes,
Paul
Edited 9/3/2007 1:27 pm ET by castaway
Castaway
A Friend in Recovery
Paul
Although I had already read about it elsewhere, the diabetes class I went through this summer spent a good chunk of one class talking about neuropathy, specifically
Marci,
Lyrica was specifically developed for diabetic neuropathy and is now indicated for fibromyalgia. I don't see why your physician can't switch you to this drug and see if it is better at controlling the symptoms. That's what doctors are given samples for. I do hope that getting your blood sugar under the best control possible will help and that is indicated also.
Please let us know how you are doing,
Hi, I have been reading your posts about Lyric. I have taken Neurontin before and got very sick, so I have been afraid to try anything else. Has anyone had side effects to the Lyric or Neurontin. Thank you, Gina
I have nerve neuropathy in my feet.
There's no way (at least at present) I would switch my anti-depressants, even if the
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