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Permalink Reply by Tim on May 31, 2011 at 10:16am

I'm suggesting only out of personal experience not out of professional capacity.

Yes, I was in DKA 30 years ago with two weeks of hospitalization following it. And yes, I had lyme disease three years ago. What he's talking about, sounds a lot more like my lyme disease.

Incidentally, my DKA experience 30 years ago was bad enough that I had some neurological effects as a result of cerebral edema. So I'm not totally unfamiliar with possible neurological stuff.


I don't expect Lyme disease in Arizona (where the OP's from) would be quite as common as for me in Maryland but the symptoms sure sound like it.

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Permalink Reply by Randy on June 1, 2011 at 2:21pm

I have also gone through the same pain increase after dx. My a1c was 12 .0 in October, 2010 and 5.5 this last Feb. Lots of pain and cramps. I have not taken anything specifically for pain, but I am taking R-ALA and have noticed less pain and more "normal" sensations in my feet and legs.

Like you, I have spent several years not knowing I had diabetes.I agree that not everything is a result of diabetes, but it is amazing how many things seem to be getting better as my BG levels improve. And yes, most of them have gotten worse before they got better. All of them are still a work in progress. Hopefully by my anniversary date this October I can say that some symptoms are gone.

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Permalink Reply by BMD on June 1, 2011 at 2:50pm

I have had PN for six years. Once you do get your BS under control, the pain usually does feel worse before it feels better. I was told that, and it was definitely that way for me. I was getting the same vague responses from my doctors that you are now. It was so frustrating. I also remember thinking the same thing back then as you are now, "Is it going to hurt like this forever?"

The good news is that there are oral meds that can relieve the pain, so you can have your life back, relatively pain free. I was rx'd Cymbalta for my NP pain, and it keeps the pain at a near-zero level for 24/7. If I let my blood sugar get wildly out of line, or if I forget to take my Cymbalta, then I can feel the burn just a bit, but nothing like it was. Cymbalta is FDA approved for diabetes-onset NP.

My dad takes Lyrica for PN (non-diabetic onset), and it seems to work for him. I was first rx'd Neurontin for my PN pain, and I didn't like it at all. I had to take a lot of it, and it didn't relieve the pain.

One weird side effect from PN is that you may lose the hair on your lower-leg areas near your calves. I know, fun stuff. Having diabetes is full of surprises! Anyway, as others have said, hang in there. You'll be in the clear soon enough. :-)

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Permalink Reply by Jonah on June 10, 2011 at 4:43pm

Often when people have really high blood sugars for a while (like the ones that'll get you an A1c of 14.7), coming down into good blood sugar control fast can cause various problems, including neuropathy. If that's all it is, it should get better- but it could take awhile. This is not a symptom of honeymooning. There are various pain medications that don't work for everybody.

The joint pain is more unusual. Are your joints red or swollen?

I have some joint and nerve problems, but not like you describe, and possibly not related to diabetes except that it's another autoimmune disease.

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Permalink Reply by Melitta on June 10, 2011 at 7:26pm

Hi Jackelope: I agree with Lynne, you may be experiencing the pain that comes from bringing your blood sugar down into a more normal range after it having been VERY high--in a sense it is a positive sign because your body is healing. I was diagnosed with Type 1 as an adult, with a BG of 619 mg/dl and in DKA. I brought my A1c down quickly with tight control, and I really suffered a lot of physical pain. I felt like my bones were hurting, and it was agony. It took me 10 months to feel better. I truly hope that you are experiencing what a lot of us experienced, and that you feel better soon. Hang in there!

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