Wondering if anyone has experience with starting Lyrica (or its relative, Gabapentin) for diabetic neuropathy. I'm not sure if I have neuropathy but I have chronic tendonitis in my ankle and up my calf, as well as pain around the side/back of my knee which my podiatrist thinks is the major nerve in that area. He didn't want to put me on steroids or inject steroids because
of what it would do to my bloodsugars, though he thinks that would cure
me very quickly.
This all started when I recently became more active and tried going back to sports I really enjoy. My A1c has decreased over the past year from 7.5 to 7.1. I had to stop being active in November when I started having pain around an old injury. Now I've been in a walking cast for a week, it has not helped at all and I can't exercise so I'm struggling to keep my BG under control. I'm so sick of being in pain I want to try the Lyrica, but I am nervous about side effects and it not working.
Has anyone else had tendonitis and/or pain only in one leg/foot? Was it diagnosed as neuropathy? Does pain in a nerve automatically mean neuropathy? I feel so defeated by getting all this pain after going through a few month doing so much better with my exercise and diabetic routine.
I saw another post in the forum that recommended antioxidants. I already take multivitamins, Vitamin B & C and Fish Oils so I don't know how much more antioxidants would do.
Has anyone tried acupuncture or physical therapy? I'm wondering if it would help if I see a neurologist, an orthopedist or even an osteopath. Thoughts?
I had an accident back in 2003 where I was hit by a car. I have nerve damage and a problem with my hip ever since then. I have gotten lidocain shots and then later in the past couple of years lidocain/cortizone combo directly into my sacral illiac joint. I never had a problem with my blood sugars going really high like some people say, more like 200s. I would try the shot of steroids if your doctor thinks that will correct it, if your blood sugars do become higher it doesn't last that long and if you are on a pump it is much easier to control because you can raise your basals and take insulin as needed.
I have also been in and out of Physical therapy, it can help in the short term but, Ive never believed that it actually did much for my bum hip/nerve problem. But, everyone is different and it may help you.
Seeing a neuro guy would help because they can tell you if it is a nerve and pinpoint which one it is. But, just know that test is very painful.
Diabetes makes us more prone to tendonitis, but that doesn't mean it's caused by diabetic neuropathy.
I agree with Gina to try the steroids first. The do skyrocket my blood sugar. Last time I took them I doubled my daily insulin dose and still couldn't get below 300. But try it first and see how it affects you. Don't be afraid to increase your dose as much as needed if it inhibits insulin.
I'm sure Lyrica is effective for some people but it would be my last resort. My husband has a client who tried it and immediately had severe depression and suicidal thoughts. I wouldn't start Lyrica without notifying everyone close to you of the side effects, so that if you did experience them they could help you.
I guess I'm being a good patient: My podiatrist wanted me to try the Lyrica this weekend while I didn't have any other obligations like work. I tried the lowest dose possible around 5pm last night (Saturday) and by 8:30pm I was having tingling and itchiness around my mouth which gradually progressed to my tongue and mouth. It didn't get any worse, but I stayed up until 1am and drank lots of fluids (it is excreted through the kidneys). I'm worried if I take it again I might have a severe allergic reaction. It also made me slightly dizzy.
I think I will call my endocrinologist on Monday and ask her recommendations on starting steroids. I have taken them before and my reaction was similar to jennagrant's: no matter how much extra insulin I took, I continued to have high bloodsugar readings. At this point though, I'm willing to go through the high glucose so I can get back to walking and hopefully exercising again sooner.
I am all for seeing a neurologist if I knew there was something that I knew they could do for me, other than putting me through pain to find out where I'm in pain. I'm just really frustrated and I want to do something that will be useful, ya know?