Diabetic Neuropathy / prediabetes

Hi all,

6 months ago started with very odd cramping in feet and lesser in hands for no reason - then turned to severe twitching (had for years) - still does this but then morphed into 24/7 burning feet, hands, up to knees and up to elbows, and all skin super sensitive from head to toe. Really painful and scary.

I am not diabetic, but my A1C has been hovering at 5.9 - 5.7 - 5.8 over the past year - which in the USA is prediabetic. Had a Nerve Conduction Test of my feet and it came back borderline low but normal sensory and normal good range for motor. All other tests 100% normal. The Neuro said likely mild polyneuropathy BUT could not diagnose this and said no conclusive evidence to label me with neuropathy (if this is mild, wtf...)

I've had bouts of burning feet and skin for years, but rarely lasting more than a few days. In hindsight I've had periods were my feet burned in shoes in summer.

The weirdest part is it all let up to 80% better for about a week or so then came all back.

I'm treating it as pre-diabetes - I've cut out carbs and sugar, lost 15lbs, taking lots of supplements, trying to improve sleep. I figure if it's not diabetic pain from years of being pre-diabetic, it would still be good to get on my A1C and lose excess belly fat (BMI says I should be 200lbs - I was 240lbs mostly around belly - now down to 225lbs)

It fits pretty close to diabetic neuropathy in symptoms, but doesn't explain why in a flash it's moving so fast up legs and arms with fairly low A1C and normal fasting blood sugar, nor why I've had brief remissions.

I'm wondering if it's TMS and by getting my A1C and belly fat in order I'm feeding the fear (yes - lots of that!)?

It started about a month after getting re-elected with a new council - I personally did well by getting more votes than anyone else including the mayor, but now I'm on the 'bottom' with a target on my back so feel trapped. Plus I'm still a high school teacher which gets harder and harder plus taking care of my mum who almost died recently (doing better now) my wife in ER (doing better too) and three little kids. Argh!

Or it's just diabetes starting.

 

Hi
Nobody here can tell you for sure if it’s “just diabetes starting” (except your Dr.), but let’s dial you back.
You have had burning hands and feet in the past. What were you going through emotionally then?
You have had medical testing for diabetes recently, and do not have diabetes.
You have changed your diet. How much stress is that for you? For some people, eating is emotional. You say you have fear about what you are thinking of as a “diagnoses” ( but you are in the clear, so no diagnoses). I’m thinking of other stressors around food: how denial feels, how you may have used it to squash emotions in the past.
Lastly, you admit to being under extreme stress with taking care of mum (lots to examine about emotions in that relationship), being a teacher and being elected to council. “I feel trapped” is a feeling, what are the emotions in there? Anger about being boxed in ( good guys usually don’t like to feel angry), over extended, obligated…
Loads of stuff!
So now do you think you might have tms?
Are you a goodist who feels they must step up to responsibility above and beyond what the average person might? A perfectionist within your own skin? A people pleaser..did you Dr. Google your symptoms yourself to find something that “fits”?
All hints.
Since you mentioned Council I am assuming you might be in the UK (correct me if wrong) https://www.sirpa.org/
is an amazing TMS resource in the UK. You might want to look at their website.

hang in there!

 

Hi Cactusflower,

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.

I've had issues for so long I don't know what to think anymore - raging heartburn for a decade, then they thought I had MS, then my neck went out for like 2 years, and now this - it's exhausting and I can't get a straight answer out of the medical establishment. I know I pass Neuro exams so I really won't know for a year for a re-test NCV test to see if my sensory nerves drop into abnormal territory or not - I don't really want to do nothing but self treatment flies in the face of TMS healing. I've also had a few periods of significantly improved symptoms for a week here and a week there, only to regress again - not sure if PN gets mostly better then worse again, though it's largely been constant.

I'm in one of the distant fringes of the one of the old colonies so quite a haul from the UK!

 

If you read this forum, many if not most folks begin to recognize the lifetime of TMS symptoms they have had.
Reading Dr.Sarno, you’ll realize this is normal because ALL humans have a mind/body connection related to emotions. It’s just that they create anxiety in some of us, and we become obsessed with the symptoms so we don’t have to feel those emotions.
The suffering is not the physical ailment, it’s the thought/emotion that creates the suffering.
You suffer because the Dr. Doesn’t really know what is going on, and hasn’t told you a definitive “yes” or “no” - and this is the interpretation of many of us with TMS. We really just want an answer.
You are also concerned that some things you are doing won’t jive with TMS work.
What if you didn’t worry about that part. Consider it self-care. Eat healthy (a sound practice most Dr’s would advocate), get some exercise, some rest. Take care of yourself!
Why not try some TMS work? You have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Many healthcare systems are advocating tms type work: journaling, meditation, mental healthcare for their “structural” patients too, because it is what eases the suffering.

You can read a tms book
You can use a free program on this website.
You can seek support with a tms coach or join a tms group (coaches run these via zoom).. many coaches also have programs you can purchase.

You can find support on youtube with a variety of coaches who generously provide information: TMSRoundtable, Dan Buglio, thought by thought healing, pain outside the box, and quite a few others.

You can consult a tms Doctor (via Zoom/emails).

You can seek therapy: EMDR, IFS are two mind/body related types.

Any of these can help you gain a sense of control, and help you learn new neural pathways which can help the fear and anxiety and how you internalize stress. You’ve got a lot on your plate, and a lot of people depending on you, but you matter too.

Your body and mind are asking you to recognize this.

 

Sorry - I was out of town on vacation for nearly 2 weeks.

Thank you for the reply. I will have to double down on TMS work.

I'm now tingling up to my knees and elbows most days with patches elsewhere - 24/7 though it waxes and wanes.

The only thing I'm certain of is I have to really tackle this - exercise,diet,supplements,sleep,stress relief.

Like you say I have no diagnosis - just a bit of elevated blood sugar but well short of diabetes.

I was hoping to to hear from some others who have constant numbness/tingling in arms/legs 24/7 to see how they did. My father has perhipheral neuropathy but his came on after chemo and started with a numb toe and worked it's way up over a decade. I don't have any numbness and still feel probably too much.

Thanks again!