# Muscle weakness?



## Vimhencakk (Nov 12, 2021)

I am T2, and have been suffering from increasingly severe muscle weakness in my legs. It got a lot worse during lockdown, when my exercise level went through the floor. Now I have to use a walking pole and after 15 mins of walking I’m exhausted, my legs feel like dead weights.

spoke to my GP and after putting me on B12 and increased Gliclazide, which has done nothing, he’s now sending me for a barrage of blood tests.

anyone else had similar, and if so were you able to overcome it? I also have peripheral neuropathy which causes some balance problems, but this is something else and is really affecting my quality of life.


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## rebrascora (Nov 12, 2021)

Hi and welcome

So sorry to hear about your leg weakness and loss of mobility. Are you seeing any muscle wastage? I am wondering if you might be suffering from a rare diabetic related condition called Diabetic Amyotrophy. It is usually associated with uncontrolled diabetes where Blood Glucose (BG) levels have been elevated for some time. Unfortunately many doctors and even specialists are unfamiliar with it, so it is worth doing a bit of research yourself to see if it may fit with your symptoms. If it is, the good news is that with improved BG management, much of the effects can be reversed but it can be a slow process to build muscle back up again.

Do you test your BG levels at home and if so, what sort of levels are you seeing? If they are very high, you may well be able to improve things through dietary changes whilst you are waiting for blood tests and referrals. 
How long have you been Type 2 and  have you make any changes to your diet since then. Sadly many people assume that the medication that they are given will manage their diabetes but diet plays a huge part and can be more powerful in lowering BG levels than most Type 2 medications, so certainly worth looking at. The old school approach was to tell people to cut down on sugar and sweet stuff, but all carbohydrates cause the blood glucose to rise including the healthy wholemeal versions of bread and pasta and brown rice and potatoes which have been recommended in the past. Restricting your portion size and frequency of eating these carb rich foods as well as the sweet stuff should have a significant impact on bringing your levels down. 

However if your levels are already nicely in range then it is likely not Diabetic Amyotrophy and your current diet may be working fine along with the medication.

If you can give us a bit more information about your BG levels or most recent HbA1c result, then that will give us a better understanding of what is going on and enable us to give more suitable advice.


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## Vimhencakk (Nov 13, 2021)

My last 2 Hba1c have been 64 and 63, so not perfect but not out of control. I go through periods of managing bloods well, when I can keep my numbers at 6 or lower, and then periods when I stop watching what I eat and the numbers go from 8-10. I’ve been T2 for about 7 years, during this time I have lost and regained weight in cycles but my bloods have never been above the numbers below for any length of time.


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## rebrascora (Nov 13, 2021)

Probably not Diabetic Amyotrophy then as your levels aren't too bad and you don't mention muscle wastage. Hopefully the blood tests your Doc is arranging will shed some light on the matter. Please let us know how you get on. I imagine it must be very worrying for you.


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## Vimhencakk (Nov 13, 2021)

Worrying, but it’s really affecting my quality of life at the moment.


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## Eddy Edson (Nov 13, 2021)

Has peripheral artery disease / claudication been ruled out?









						Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
					

Read about peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a common condition in which a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to leg muscles.




					www.nhs.uk
				




"Claudication" is the signature symptom - pain/weakness/cramping in the calf and/or foot on exercise which goes away after a minute or two resting - but many PAD sufferers have different symptoms.

Anyway, maybe worth asking your doc about it if not already addressed.


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