Diabetic Neuropathy Bowel Problems

This is a very sensitive subject for many including me,Aim wondering is there any one out there can share information with, I suffer with usual problems associated symptoms with it like constipation and diarrhea,I started to suffer with it six months ago and its getting steadily worse and more acute, Aim wondering how you may cope and deal with it, Please PM if you can

I have not experienced this personally but I have met someone with diabetes who had this problem and managed to get the symptoms improved by the use of Normacol granules ( sterculia without frangula - not Normacol Plus) . This tends to ease diarrhoea by making the stools more formed and it also helps constipation by softening hard stools. Of course we are all very different in our induvidual needs and what helps one person does not always help another. Nevertheless this might be worth a try. I understand this can be bought over the counter from a pharmacy or prescribed by one's GP. ( I am a retired GP and have given up my licence to practice so am speaking now as a fellow patient not as a professional) . Do you feel you could seek your GP's advice? If he is not able to solve your problem he could refer you to a gastroenterologist who might be able to help you. Best wishes .

Hello Stephen and thanks awfully for the reply,To be honest only thing I use my GP for is my 8 weekly bloods and prescriptions and his phone service but my health care is being taken care of by my diabetic clinic at my local hospital for the time being but I will email my DSN and she can she can ask if it ok for me try it I take a large amount of MEDS at moment but I don't think Normacol granules interact with to many MEDs I take,My main bother and problem with the Neuropathy is pain aspect as well with bowel and think guess the other problems with after effect of bowls and to a extent trying to control my bladder, But I think you could nailed the other problem on head with using normacol granules and thank you so much for the information,Even if you have retired as GP you retain the knowledge and intellect. Am sure many on the site are grateful for that.

Googum said:
This is a very sensitive subject for many including me,Aim wondering is there any one out there can share information with, I suffer with usual problems associated symptoms with it like constipation and diarrhea,I started to suffer with it six months ago and its getting steadily worse and more acute, Aim wondering how you may cope and deal with it, Please PM if you can

Hi Googum and youone,
Again I'm replying from my experience of supporting others with this problem rather than personal experience but I'd agree that high fibre diet can be helpful (Normacol is in fact a vegetable fibre from sterculia plant). However I know it can be difficult if one is on other medications which tend to cause constipation ( e.g. some treatments for painful peripheral nerve problems). If one becomes very constipated you can get "spurious diarrhoea" or overflow of liquid stool past some hard stols which haven't cleared. On the other hand "autonomic neuropathy" can also directly cause diarrhoea. I have know loperamide ( Imodium) used judiciously to be helpful in addition to Normacol but of course one has to be very careful not to overdo it and cause constipation.

Hello Stephen

I had a appointment with my pain neurologist and a gastroenterologist and yes you were bang on the money with use of Normacol granules,The gastro asked how came about getting this information i said i no a good medical man lol ,So i will use it in small doses and then increase it and it really should not interact with my other meds to much according to the hospital chemist i talked to yesterday,So once again thank you so much for sharing Stephen

Hello Youone

Thanks for the reply,Yes i have always had a high fiber low fat protein diet,My other main problem also are in taking my meds and Opioids to help but are a necessity in my treatments but main cause is the neuropathy so balancing it can be tricky,Am pleased that you found a better procurement with your condition and seems to work well for once again thanks for the reply

Googum said:
Hello Stephen

I had a appointment with my pain neurologist and a gastroenterologist and yes you were bang on the money with use of Normacol granules,The gastro asked how came about getting this information i said i no a good medical man lol ,So i will use it in small doses and then increase it and it really should not interact with my other meds to much according to the hospital chemist i talked to yesterday,So once again thank you so much for sharing Stephen

Hello Stephen i hope you are well

I thought i would let you know how things are going,

I found that your recommendations have worked well,I have seen my pain neurologist and my endo and DSN,Put me on a new regime,Am taking a dose of 60Mg of duloxetine X2 a day,Gabapentin am taking 900Mg three times a day,Tramadol and am dependent on minimum of 50Mg up to three times a day up to maximum of 300mg,Also have a backup of slow release morphine if my neuropathy is getting shall way say acute on any given day it does happen,Also my honeymoon with my pancreas had ended so increase in usage of basel and bulous is a new regime also stephen over past few months it seems am going on to a pump,My A1C went from 42% average to 60% in matter of months, ,As ones Bg been high my bowels etc and pain has been constant and symptomatic anyway i hope everything settles down for me,

Hello Googum,
So pleased to hear you have been able to make some progress with a very challenging and painful problem. I can quite understand issues with poor control despite one's best efforts. I have found the pump an enormous help in the past 18 months though it is still a challenge at times to get things right. I do hope you have good progress with getting sorted for a pump.
Best wishes,

Stephen