Problems with Diabetic Neuropathy as a Patient

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes (diabetes mellitus) about 10 years ago. Since then I have been taking Metformin twice a day. Unfortunately over the years, I have developed peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet mostly because I just simply refuse to give up smoking cigarettes, which cuts off my blood circulation, thus making this disease worsen as the years go by. (You may want to think about this bad habit if you have been diagnosed with diabetes).

Diabetes creates too much sugar in your blood which ironically causes low blood circulation, thus in return causing this neuropathy nerve damage if not treated properly with diet, exercise, and medicine. The way that I have learned to describe this painful disease called neuropathy to non-diabetics is kind of like whenever you fall asleep on your arm and then whenever you wake up, your arm or hand may be numb and tingling.

This is caused from NO blood circulation to this part of your body. Fortunately, for non-diabetics, these symptoms disappear almost immediately, because the blood begins to flow throughout their blood vessels. I am not a doctor and have no training in the medical field, but I know as a patient, this disease is extremely painful, and gets worse as time goes on. At times, the pain is so severe, I just want to cry.

In other words, as a non-diabetic, how would you feel if you suddenly woke up after sleeping on your arm and "the numbness NEVER went away?" You also end up with continuous sharp stabbing pains and or this body part remains "Ice Cold", no matter what you do? It' just never seems to get any better day after day. "Sometimes it feels like I have rocks inside my feet!" which could possibly be blood clots as told by my doctor.

Some Type II diabetic patients are taking medications such as Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Hydrocodene to relieve these painful symptoms. But, for most people that don't have any medical insurance, these medications are extremely expensive, and do NOT help until you control your diabetes situation.

(3) Three things that seem to help me the most is wearing these comfortable diabetic socks which you can purchase at Wal-Mart for about $10.00 for 3 pairs. These socks allow more blood circulation in your feet. Wearing comfortable tennis shoes using the Dr. Shoals foot pads also helps me. Taking a warm bath will also promote more blood circulation into your blood vessels all over your body, especially your feet.

Cutting off the blood supply to any part of your body is harmful and can sometimes be fatal, this problem eventually sets up blood clots, thus in return creating "Dry Gangrene" and or "Dead Flesh" creating infection(s) which can rapidly spread throughout your entire body. Diabetics have the leading number of body part amputations because of this harmful disease called neuropathy.

After careful research, I have found these are some of the (5) five factors that make diabetic neuropathy worsen over the years:

1. Over eating and Not watching your diet.

2. Smoking too many cigarettes.

3. Consuming too much alcohol that causes problems with your liver.

4. Lack of exercise, which always creates more blood flow into your system.

5. Taking certain medications that "Conflict" with your diabetic medications.

God Bless everyone that has diabetes, we did not choose this painful and unseen disease, but will have to live with it until the day we die.