Insulin resistance/ diabetes and fibromylalgia

[margaretpaloma]

Today I answered someone else's post and this led to discussions about sugar, diabetes and fibro. That led two of us to look at links, and we found recent medical papers saying there is a link, not sure which causes which. I am Insulin resistant, take Metformin and, while I have problems, I read what some of you go through and think many of you are much worse. There is a suggestion Metformin may help with fibro pain. So maybe it is worth asking doctors for Insulin resistance and glucose blood tests.

Am I allowed to post links?

diabetes.co.uk/news/2019/ma...

Best of luck

[margaretpaloma]

The link isn't coming out properly Go to diabetes.co.uk and search on fibromyalgia

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to margaretpaloma]

the link worked for me but the original study had issues. Further to this the original study has been retracted: journals.plos.org/plosone/a...

[margaretpaloma in reply to desquinn]

desquinn, All I know is that I have a whole list of things I have been told I have, or probably had, over the last 30 years and when I start looking into it they seem to be linked in some way. What the trigger for it all is I don't know though my doctors 'think' I had PCOS, probably all my life, but can't prove it as I am now post menopausal. So that , chronologically, came first. I have also been told that some symptoms have been there a long time without investigation. I do think they are in some way linked and I just wish someone would look at the bigger picture.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to margaretpaloma]

A lot of people will share your frustration. We get many articles like this and I have seen lots. When the charity responds we look at sample size and any other red flags that may give us pause. But there have been hundreds of articles on this one study and many many online conversations as a result.

But it was only my curiosity today that led me to find the original article had been withdrawn. This is why we also say when studies come out that one is not enough. They need to be replicated in a second location by people not involved in the first study at a minimum.

[SlowDragon]

Metformin in can lower B12

endocrineweb.com/news/diabe...

Low B12 can cause symptoms in own right and/or linked to fibromyalgia

verywellhealth.com/b12-for-...

b12deficiency.info/blog/tag...

Get GP to test B12, folate, ferritin and Vitamin D

[margaretpaloma]

Thanks, I am under the care of an endocrin who does a battery of blood tests before each visit! I have a long history of 'awkward' diagnoses and I am wondering if/how they are linked.

[johnsmith]

You say: "There is a suggestion Metformin may help with fibro pain.". Fibro is a diagnosis for a certain set of symptoms. There can be a number of causes for these symptoms. It is known that one of the long term effects you can have with diabetes is damage to the small blood vessels, causing problems in the eyes, kidneys, feet and nerves (microvascular complications).

The microvascular complications can give the symptoms of fibro in certain circumstances. Hence the conclusion Metformin may help with fibro pain. For the simple reason that Metformin helps to ease some of the diabetes problems that cause microvascular complications.

[Hidden]

After years of strange symptoms and many tests of various kinds, it turns out I have haemochromatosis which is high iron. I am part of a group and a lot of us have osteoarthritis and fybromyalgia. So if you have strange symptoms, are celtic origin, so Scots, Welsh, Irish and red head, though that is not a prerequisite ask to have a blood test to check ferritin/iron levels. Took me 3 years and a change of surgery to get a diagnosis which is done via a blood test to check hereditary link.

[margaretpaloma in reply to Hidden]

Thanks life is fun, I'm not any of those things and I'm pretty sure that with the pages and pages of blood test results I have had in the last few years Iron levels have been done.

But I plan to sit down and wade through them all when I feel up to it (here in Spain we get a copy to take away and/or can access them on the web and print them) to see if the tests people are recommending here are on them. I have a thick folder full and the vast majority show 'normal'. But, of course, that isn't always conclusive is it?

Honestly don't you just wish some doctor would look at all these things not just take a blinkered approach to their own area?

[Hidden]

You need a specific fasting test to check your ferritin, so not always picked up on a normal blood test, which is why it took me 3 years to get a diagnosis. As it's hereditary it could be any member of your family who was celtic etc, I'm not but my Nan was so it's a strange one to determine, not every Scottish person will have it etc. Worth a mention as some of the symptoms it causes are the same as fybromyalgia

[margaretpaloma]

Thanks, not to my knowledge both parents families were from Yorkshire. But I see a private endocrin, am due to see him in a couple of months, he will do any tests I ask as I pay for them! So I intend to make a 'shopping list'.