Painful "pins and needles" on top of feet

20780 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Shanny, Sep 7, 2010

am_can

Discussion Starter · Sep 2, 2010

Hi everyone,

I have had very mild "pins and needles" on top of my feet for a long time now, however, in the last 30 days, the pain have become so unbearable that it is keeping me up all night--the right foot is significantly worse than the left because it was operated on when I had a heart bypass.

Pain killers (for arthritis) and massage therapies have provided very short term relief, and the pain is now 24/7.

I am worried that the pain is due to diabetic neuropathy. My family doc thinks it's rheumatism; my son thinks it may be both. Since my doc is reluctant to refer me to an endocrinologist, can someone please shed some light on what may be happening? Can nerves deteriorate in a matter of months?

Thanks.

70 years old, diagnosed with T2 diabetes May 2010.
Fasting sugar (with med.) 7.1-7.5

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Shanny

· #2 · Sep 2, 2010

Hello, am_can, and welcome. You're recently diagnosed, and you don't say how you're managing your diabetes or how high your sugars were at the time of diagnosis. All of this can shed light on what's happening with your feet, but the first thing you need is a competent medical team.

My question is, if your family doc doesn't want you seeing an endocrinologist, is he equally negative about podiatrists? Somebody needs to take this seriously; it sounds to me like your doc is being a little territorial, and that results in poor patient care. Diabetes wreaks all kinds of havoc, and peripheral neuropathy is a biggie. Get to a endo or a podiatrist, and if your doc refuses to give a referral, then get a new doc. I know this sounds harsh, but there's no excuse for a family physician to balk at referring to a specialist.

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Shanny

· #7 · Sep 7, 2010

As I understand your latest post, am_can, your blood sugar is being tested only once a month in the doctor's office . . . you are not testing yourself every day at home? That can't be good.

And your doc thinks a fasting bg of 7.6 (136) is effective control? Forgive me for doubting your doctor, but our standards are tighter than that. A fasting of 7.6 is NOT pre-diabetic, if you please. Not by anybody's standard. If you are using diet to control, then please tell us what your diet consists of.

You now have foot pain that keeps you awake all night. Pain meds & massage have been ineffective, yet your doc says it is irreparable damage, so just live with it, eh? Your doc thinks the lowest dose of metformin is adequate coverage, eh? Mr. am_can . . . you are only 70 years old. You're the same age as our Richard157, and you're five years younger than my own husband who still does hard physical labor. Your doctor is allowing needless deterioration in your own health. He apparently doesn't know or refuses to accept responsibility. You can step up to the plate and take responsibility by replacing this inadequate doctor with someone who knows their way around the treatment of diabetes.

As I said before, you need a competent medical team and you need it now. Get to an endocrinologist AND a neurologist for guidance, and start truly controlling your diabetes. There are other treatments for neuropathy besides pain meds, and several of our members can testify to the efficacy of these other meds.

We are not at the mercy of these complications - regardless what your doctor thinks. Please consider getting other opinions from doctors who specialize, because you are enduring unnecessary pain and sleepness nights, all because your doctor can't or won't prescribe adequate treatment, and he refuses to give a referral.

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Shanny

· #10 · Sep 7, 2010 (Edited)

Took me awhile to get back here, but I wanted to find Jenny Ruhl's blurb on the studies of deteriorating type 2s. It just ain't so. When the standards are tight, there is no certainly of complications for diabetics. Do People with Type 2 Always Deteriorate?

And while I was there, I grabbed another of Jenny's essays: Do You Have a Good Doctor?

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