Ok, I need some help. I have been T1 for few years and pod pumping for about a year. I am not perfect but I never thought my numbers were that bad. Usually A1c of around 7. This past week my left hand has been numb and tingling constantly like I have been sitting on it. Is this possibly from being D and not being in complete control or a eventual problem that I will just have to deal with. I'm gonna go see the doc next week but I am so nervous about this. My Endo has been a real ■■■■■ lately so I don't even know if I want to discuss this with her but I guess there's no choice. Please Help!
I have been having the same problem. Its my right hand and its limited to the end two fingers. They aren't numb all the time but it isn't because I have been cutting of circulation, they just go numb. It has been happening for the past 2 weeks or so, not before, and my number haven't been better. I've been T1 only since 2008 and other than the diagnosis (13A1C) I've had under 7. I can't imagine it being neurosis this early in the game. I wonder if it's a side effect of some meds? Carpal tunnel? I'd love the answer to this too. My endo is fantastic though and I'm sorry to hear yours isn't.
Hello JasonN - Congrats on your tight control! Although I am sure your endo has told you you need to get that A1C down into the 6's, or better yet something less than that. But enough of that, Sounds to me like the "numbness" may be a precurser to Diabetic "Neuropathy".....something that I have suffered from for many years. There is no way to control this situation....except even tighter control. (You will hear alot of this statement in the coming years) Sorry for the situation and good luck, and, most of all ...Peace.
Hello HeidiIris. It seems we are in a very close situation. I was misdiagnosed as T2 in 2009 and found out I was T1 when I finally went to see an Endo. How old were you when diagnosed? And are your fingers still going numb? Mine started off only being parts of the day but now it's all day. Thanks for the response.
Thanks for the info Steve D. Is your A1c in the 6's most of the time and is this something that we are gonna have to deal with no matter where our a1c is.
And the cutie is my 2 year old princess. Well she used to be a princess but now she's a wild child. She's in the middle of the terrible 2's.
And is there anything I can do about the insane tingling?
Hi Jason,
A1c of 7 is considered the upper good control limit. It means an average BG of around 154 mg/dl. Using a pump you should be able to do better, between 6.5 and 6.8. If it becomes a choice of 7% and Hypo episodes though, go with 7. Hypoglycemia causes a lot more stress and damage than most people realize.
Diabetic complications are - well - complicated. People developethem at different times and varying severity. Your tingling may indeed be the first stage of Neuropathy, however since it usually takes many years to manifest, I would suggest a good GP and ruling out other possibilities - especially if this is asymptomatic ie. just one hand. It seems to me that specialists usually view symptoms from a very narrow perspective.
If it is Diabetic Neuropathy, it is something you have to live with. The good news is that it is a very slow progressive - I've had 2 fingers on each hand partially numb for 12 years and it remains the same as it was when it started. Tighter control will not reverse nerve damage , only - possibly - slow down further progression.
As for the tingling itself, you might ask about Gabapentin - it has been fairly effective for me.
Regards, Gary
I am not diabetic and I had some tingling and numbness in my hand - turned out to be a pinched nerve (mainly from computer work, carrying children). So I would have that looked at - mine has gotten better but I went through months of physical therapy (I was trying to avoid the steroid shots).
Good luck!
Celeste
I was 31 and living in South Korea. They told me I just needed to exercise more. I went to 5 doctors with the diagnosis ranging from "You need to golf" to "You have 2 weeks to live". I had one doctor refuse to give me insulin and throw me out of her office.
My fingers are still going numb but I honestly don't know if its diabetic neuropathy at this stage. I do use the computer an awful lot (like right now!) an it is so localized I wonder if it isn't something else.
My A1C's are typically in the 6's, although I had a stretch (several years ago) when it was 5.8. (Interestingly, that was during my MDI days)(I switched to the POD b/c I was sick of shots...restaurant questions...etc.)(I am actually going back to MDI for several reasons....just using up my inventory of pods)What is your "wild childs" name?
That's my Avery and she is a "Daddy's Girl"! She is my world and also the reason that I really want to have good control of my numbers so that I'll be around for her as long as I possibly can!
Thanks for all the advice! I went to see my normal physician today and he thinks it's carpal tunnel. He gave me a wrist brace and sent me on my way after a 2 hour wait. But I'm still going to see my endo on Wednesday just to make sure.
I have this issue, but it turns out to be Carpal Tunnel caused. I work in IT so that makes sense. I now take an nsaid daily to help with the swelling and it does pretty good. I also learned that it's partially from the way I sleep, so I've had to train myself to sleep differently to not put my wrists in a position that would cause more irritation.
Hope you find a good solution for your tingling hands.
Scott you just described me. I work in IT and my doctor thinks i'm irritating the nerve while I sleep. I did go to my endo and she confirmed it to be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. She also said that Diabetics are more prone to have complications with it because our nerves are already irritated just from the random highs. I'm sleeping in a brace now and wearing it for parts of the day. Thank you all for all your info and help. The tingling and numbness is still constant but I will keep you updated.
JasonN, the one thing that really helped me a lot was Aleve, twice daily. Ask your doc though, as there are heart related risks with a normal regiment of this type of anti-inflamitory drug.
You may ask for testing for Rheumatoid Arthritis. I had carpal tunnel release surgery on both hands, then discovered that I have RA. This can affect feeling in the hands, and can be explored with blood tests. It's worth asking your doctor about. If she's a ■■■■■, find another doctor. Good luck!
Hi Gary!
I just wanted to say thank you for saying A1c of 7 is ok! I have kept my A1c's around 7 for quite a while now. It's under in the summer (6.8) and over in the winter (7.2) It is stressful to have lots of lows. Once I get to BG of 99 it drops fast and I didn't want to have lots of lows when my kids were little and I do so much driving. Thank you for saying it's ok - it's what I needed to hear today.
And, JasonN, good luck with your hands and your doctor. I, too, get tingling and numbness but it's from a pinched nerve. I always get scared too that's it something more related to T1.