peripheral neuropathy

[Mostrum73]

Is anybody else suffering from peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes?

[RoadRunner44]

Hello, I was so interested to read your post as I am in the process of finding out if my peripheral neuropathy is caused through taking a long term medication for my lungs or in fact a side effect of being prediabetic. i would be interested to hear a little more about your symptoms as I may be able to identify with them myself. I also hope others will answer your post to help us learn a bit more about these possible side effects. Chrys

[seasider18 in reply to RoadRunner44]

What was the long term antibiotic ? Cipro and fluoroquinolones can cause many problems including neuropathy.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to seasider18]

Hi, The antibiotic was colomycin which I nebulixed twice a day for over a year without stopping or having a checkup. This was to treat a lung disease called bronchiectasis. In fact I got lost in the hospital system until luckily, I had reason to speak to my old consultant who had retired. I explained the symptoms I was having and he put me under the care of a new consultant. The colomycin was stopped and I'm on nothing at the moment as time has to lapse to see if the colomycin is the cause. My old consultant said it was possible but very, very rare. I might even be a first. However, It could be prediabetes side effects of course. So, it's a waiting game.

[Gambit62]

unfortunately diabetic neuropathy is a common result of poorly controlled diabetes. If I understand correctly the mechanism involved is nerve cells dying as a result of loss of blood supply because of damage to blood cells delivering blood.

There are, however, a large number of potential causes of peripheral neuropathy. Another possibility that would be common in diabetics is B12 deficiency from long term use of metformin. Unfortunately this is often missed - in part because GPs tend not to be aware of how B12 deficiency can present (focus can be on anaemia whereas this isn't always present) and also because there is a huge grey area in the test commonly used to evaluate B12 deficiency - serum B12. In reality a single test isn't necessarily that informative - and really you need to be looking for a drop over time - but unfortunately it tends to be quite a long period of time - so requires tests months apeart. The test isn't that accurate either so you are looking for drops of more than 20% as anything less could just be noise from the test. kidney problems, also common in diabetes can further complicate things.

Suggest you speak to your GP/diabetic nurse and ask for follow up eg with blood tests (particularly if you are on metformin).

I don't have diabetes but my mother does and she has diabetic neuropathy as a result.

[seasider18]

As a consultant said to my wife when we questioned a known side effect of a drug he prescribed "Don't worry that only happens to one in ten thousand"

She must be very unlucky.

[seasider18]

Ours do as well and we have a Yellow Card scheme where we can report side effects to the MHRA. Another doctor once said to my wife 'Don't bother that side effect is well known' That s true but until you take a drug you don't know if it will kill or cure.

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to seasider18]

When was the last appointment and how long did she use the medication?

[seasider18 in reply to Activity2004]

It was alendronic acid for osteoporosis and it caused ONJ (Osteonecrosis )

that worsened after dental extractions. She was probably on it for about a year.

[seasider18]

Bye, Bye Fatbuddy.