Can Sugar increase symptoms of neuropathy

Posted by aunttonipage @aunttonipage, 4 days ago

I am 51 & was diagnosed with PN in July of last year.

I am diabetic, but my A1C has never been over 8.9 & is currently 5.4 (up from 5.0 in October.) My GP says my sugar isn’t causing neuropathy & my neurologist says it probably is.

Anyway, I take 300 mg of gabapentin, 3X a day. Until recently it was well-controlled. Last week I added magnesium glycenate to the regimen.

In December I lost my pet to old age & that broke my heart. My mother also recently had surgery & people were bringing food. So between Christmas, depression/sadness & all the extra sweets, I have had more sugar lately. I am now having the sharp pains in my feet again & really cannot stand to wear shoes/socks for long periods of time. I go back to neurologist this coming Monday.

All this to say - could the increased sugar intake over the past three months have brought on the increased pain, even if A1C is only 5.4?

Do the neuropathy socks help?

What about the creams for the feet?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

aunttonipage | @aunttonipage | 4 days ago

P.S. I’ve noticed some people recommending exercise. Does that really help?

Zebra | @californiazebra | 4 days ago

Is some of that sugar chocolate? I’ve noticed chocolate makes my neuropathy worse.

mitfit | @mitfit | 4 days ago

I am not a diabetic and I have noticed that sugar consumption definitely makes my PN worse

solobeee1 | @solobeee1 | 4 days ago

I ate a piece of key lime pie at noon a couple of days ago and shortly after my feet cramped up & I could hardly walk. My wife suggested I drink a lot of water. I drank 2 liters in the afternoon- another one before dinner & a Perrier with dinner. My feet finally recovered to normal but some numbness, of course, was still there. Just proves you must remain hydrated & stay away from sugar.

aunttonipage | @aunttonipage | 4 days ago

In reply to @californiazebra "Is some of that sugar chocolate? I’ve noticed chocolate makes my neuropathy worse." + (show)

Yes. It was def a lot of chocolate.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 4 days ago

Hi @aunttonipage, Sugar levels can cause neuropathy symptoms for diabetics. Here's some information from Mayo Clinic.

"When you have diabetes, nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy can happen due to high blood sugar. There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy. You may have just one type. Or you may have symptoms of more than one type. Most types of diabetic neuropathy develop over time. So you might not notice symptoms until lots of nerve damage has happened."
-- Diabetic neuropathy types: Symptoms tell the story
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-neuropathy/in-depth/diabetic-neuropathy-types/art-20094456
The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy has some helpful information including treatments, causes and how to be a better advocate for your health here - https://www.foundationforpn.org/newly-diagnosed/