Legs and Sleeping Problems
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| Thu, 03-06-2008 - 2:55am |
I was wondering if anyone could answer some questions for me regarding my legs and sleeping problems to ease my mind until I see my doctor in a few weeks. A week ago my legs started feeling funny. They seem funny all day, but especially at night. The muscles feel like they tighten up and then the legs start to feel cool - a cool sensation comes over them. I have been exercising on and off during the week (aerobics and walks) and I think I am stretching properly. My doctors say I do have vein trouble and I am supposed to wear support hose, but I only do once or twice a month and I should do it everyday. But I can't sleep now as I keep waking up to use the bathroom and my legs seem to bother me. They don't hurt or feel real numb, but at times they get numb. They just haven't felt like this before so I am getting fearful about it. They tighten up around knee and in calf area. The coolness goes up and down below the knee. Anyone else know what I am talking about? Am I going crazy? I sure could use some sleep. But maybe anxiety keeps me awake as well.
Thanks.
Debbie

Hi Debbie, I am of no help to you on this one because I don't know and have not heard of anything like this.
HI Debbie,
I have had Type 2 diabetes for over twenty years and it is
Castaway
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Paul
Thanks everyone. I will see what my doctor has to say. I also heard that being dehydrated can cause some problems. I was exercising the last few days and not drinking enough water.
As far as a neurologist goes, do all diabetes see one? What do they do for you? What kind of tests? I am terrified of them because I am terrified of MRI's. You don't have to have an MRI do you. I am EXTREMELY claustrophobic. Thanks everyone for your help.
Debbie
Hi Debbie,
No, all diabetics do not need a neurologist.
Castaway
A Friend in Recovery
Paul
Hi Paul,
I am back from my trip today and I will be around here for a little while. My tiredness is suddenly overwhelming me and so I need to go to bed.
The test that your were referring to is an EMG. An EEG was done on you as part of your seizure control, as it is done on the brain. Both tests are done similarly. But neither requires an MRI. Incidentally there are open MRI's now and they aren't as miserable as the closed units. I have had so many MRIs done that I can barely force myself to have another one. If I have an open MRI my husband can sit there and hold my hand while I have the test performed.
Diseases of the nerves are treated and diagnosed by neurologists. If you think that you are developing neuropathy then you need a referral to a neurologist for diagnosis.
One important comment here: And this applies to all diabetics, regardless of who provides their care: At every doctor's visit for diabetes care, your feet and legs should be checked for diabetic neuropathy and other injuries that occur to this part of your body. This involves testing for numbness using a nylon filament. Every doctor is taught how to do this and there is no cost for this test. If your doctor doesn't inspect your feet and check you for numbness, tell (nicely) him or her to do this. This is as important as checking your A1C and your blood pressure.
As you have said DPN disease is miserable to have but there is no reason to suffer needlessly. It may take some testing and adjusting the medication to get it under control but help is available. It also gets better with time. Nerves do heal but unfortunately they heal very slowly.
Good luck!
Nicole
Hi Mary-Frances,
My heavens, eleven thousand miles.
Castaway
A Friend in Recovery
Paul
Hi Paul,
I went to Cape Town, South Africa. Travel to SA is 22 hours and 25 hours coming back if all things work correctly. Unfortunately they didn't, the plane had to be repaired in Washington, DC and so it actually took me 27 hours to get home. I don't think I ever want to take that long a trip again.
SA is certainly pretty with huge problems. No one was talking about the incidence of diabetes but with a 50% obesity rate it certainly can't be rare. It was easy to get diet drinks there which isn't especially true for parts of Eurpoe. There is a campaign to encourage walking and of course they had this huge bike race last Sunday with 35,000 participants. I was certainly glad to be gone when that occurred!
I had some problems keeping my blood sugar up and surprisingly my eating didn't switch over like I expected it to. Cape Town is 10 hours different from my home time and so breakfast almost met with the time that I normally would eat dinner and so on. So I was so hungry I had to eat a big breakfast and then my other meals were smaller. I had to carry a sandwich with me most of the time because I never knew when I was going to get to eat. Of course I was physically more active than normal. I could have been more active if my knee hadn't hurt me so badly that I could barely walk. Climbing on and off buses did me in.
The first two days I was there it was cool enough that I needed a light jacket. The next day the wind blew something awful and then it got hot. The next day was 102. It stayed hot for the remainder of my trip. I don't do eat well so that was a challange.
Now I am staying put for a while!! No more long trips planned.
How long did it take you to drive back north? I hope you had a nice visit with parks and the like during your trip both ways.
Hi Mary-Frances,
WOW, that was quite a trip.
Castaway
A Friend in Recovery
Paul