Hello eveyone.....

I have been a diabetic for the past 10 years now, taking 4 shots a day. My 3 month blood sugar levels are always good, yet my counts sometimes range all over the place. I have gotten to a point over the last couple of years though where I simply don't feel all that good....each and every day. I have been to my local doctor, without much success....and have even went to the UofM Hospital to be a part of a neuropathy test, again without much success. My symptoms include:
1) urinary incontinence (minor leaking)
2) excessive sweating
3) mild impotence (curable with viagra)
4) and lately.....a sore anus/anal sphincter.....(possibly related to nerves in that part of the body?)
5) and if you add items 1-4 up...I also have been suffering from depression.

It seems hard to want to get out of bed each day when you know your body isn't going to feel normal. I do tend to feel better when I'm playing sports or something, as my mind gets off of how I feel, but that's the only time in the day where I'm not worrying about my uncomfortableness. I am going to check into getting an insulin pump.....to see if I can get better control.
For anyone else who has had some of these symptoms of neuropathy, have you found any relief? Do you have any ideas for me? My doctors have tried, but I don't feel any better. Thanks.

If your speaking of UofM as in Michigan, your probably not far from me. at 21, I had all the conditions you describe and worse. I ended up in Minn at the Mayo Clinic for a while, but what turned me around was my insulyn pump. I had to find a new Dr that was down with the pump usage. My old Dr wanted nothing to do with it. My Dr is Dr Bhakta at Michigan Endocrine Consultants in Berkley if that is anywhere near you. She has been great... My friends and family nor myself, can believe what a 180 degree turn around the pump has made for me....

Thanks for your reply Jason. I am going to try the pump myself and hopefully I'll have the success that you've had. I am from Michigan. I live in the thumb area and am going to a specialist in Lapeer, as well as being in the neuropathy program at the University of Michigan. Thanks again for your comments as they have made me feel a bit better about things.

Derek

Derek,
I've heard some people say that they got at least some improvement of neuropathy symptoms by taking Alpha Lipoic Acid and/or Gamma Lipoic Acid. I think there was a discussion on the board once about this and the dosages...if you go to the main diabetes board, you can search the board for "neuropathy +Alpha Lipoic Acid" and you might find some info. Otherwise, do a google search.

I, too, think the pump will help tremendously. I'm a pumper myself, and I've been able to get my A1C down nearly 2.5 percentage points lower than when I was on MDI. The pump can certainly even out those high/low bumps.

Ruth