Hello again all. Can pre-diabetic levels cause nerve damage? I have read online that levels over 140 "can" cause nerve damage. My doctor says I would have to have full blown diabetes to suffer from diabetic neuropathy. Anyone out there have nerve damage at pre-diabetic levels? Just grasping at straws to try and figure this out. Thanks Desperate in Illinois
Hi moparman, I've read the same thing. That kind of thing catches my eye cause I was diagnosed with neuropathy before I was diagnosed a pre-diabetic. Sugar can cause nerve damage at those levels and it's sometimes the presenting sign of diabetes or pre-diabetes. The other thing though is diabetic neuropathy is a diagnosis of exclusion. That means, all other causes of the neuropathy have to be ruled out before a diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy can be made. Has your doctor ruled out other possible causes? You don't want to go blaming something on the sugar and then come to find out it was actually something else. Have you seen a neurologist? That to me would be the next logical step. If you have and he's the one who says it's not possible, then you need to find a smarter neurologist. You also need to see an opthalmologist and get your eyes checked just to be on the safe side. Unless you're metering, you really don't know how high you're going between fasting lab draws.
I hope you find an answer soon. I'm still actually waiting for my official diabetic neuropathy diagnosis. I had a brain mri last month and that came out fine so I guess I'm another step closer. In the meantime, I take my Lyrica and do ok.
Thank you for your reply. I have seen a few neurologists and all I can get out of them is "possible small fiber neuropathy" but there haven't been enough studies done on that and that they could do a skin biopsy but that hasn't been approved. Meanwhile, I am taking 4800mg of Neurontin a day but none can say for sure what is wrong. They have quit testing me and want to see me every 6 months and do blood work. I have been trying to find a neuro that might do a skin biopsy but all I hear is they need a referral or they don't take medic-aid. I had good insurance but I haven't been able to work for 3 years now and have since lost my health insurance. I am at the end of my rope. They seem to be unable to find an underlying cause and are not to worried about it. I need to know what to expect in the future. It is affecting my intestinal tract and may have caused my heart attck symptons that have been ruled out as heart trouble and I believe i am on the way to kidney damage also. thanks for your help
Wow. Sounds like you need to make a longer rope. Here. I'll throw you one. Mines gotten pretty long over the years. Finding answers can sometimes be quite elusive. The main thing is to hang in there and do the best you can to take care of yourself. If you're pre-diabetic, do everything you can to get your sugar down. Sometimes having an answer doesn't really change things either. You still end up on the same medications and you still don't know exactly what the future will bring.
Is the Neurontin helping? What makes you think your kidneys are failing?
I went to see a neurologist due to on-going muscle spasms throughout my entire body that have gone on for almost 2 years. He told me that, yes, he has seen pre-diabetics have neuropathy. He ruled mine out by doing a nerve conduction study and an EMG (can't remember what it stands for). Has he done either of these tests on you?
Hi moparman, the skin punch biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing small fibre neuropathy but is expensive, have they tried Quanitive Sensory testing yet ?
Thanks all for the replies. As far as kidney concerns a blood test in March had a GFR result of 77. My research said I should have scored a 100 or better and a 77 represented the kidney function of a 70 year old and a month ago my urine was very dark and foamy but has since lightened up a little. I have had a nerve conductivity test but my problems have been in the abdomen and sides and hips and I don't see how testing the arms and legs could be of any help. I also had a test where they hook up sensors and sit you in a chair in the dark. I was twitching the whole time yet the results were normal again. As far as the skin biopsy I was told that it hasn't been approved. Yet another way of saying we don't want to charge the poor companies and risk our setbacks for a test that could conclusively prove a diagnosis. Medicine should not be financially motivated.
thanks again
