Type 1 diabetic boyfriend with neuropathy or hypochndria?

My boyfriend is a type 1 diabetic who was recently diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy. Before he got his diagnosis, his pain was moderate. Now it seems like it goes to extremes, All of a sudden he's in crippling pain that almost brings him to tears. What strikes me as odd is that when he's in this horrific pain, if he gets distracted (i.e. telephone call, something cool on tv, etc) his pain will disappear until he's not distracted anymore. I love him to death but I know sometimes he does *admittingly* play the sympathy card and nobody seems to notice but me. I understand that he does genuinely have pain and neuropathy, but does this seem a bit out of the ordinary or is it just me?

Think about it...You are worrying about how to pay your gas bill when a friend offers to take you to the funfare and pay for everything as he/she has just won some money. You forget the worry anf concentrate on your friends good news and happiness. And the same can sometimes happen when you have pain - which is why it's a brilliant idea not sit and fret about things and do something instead - whether its watching TV, doing a puzzle, or anything else...

Pain is painful and can require medication - so be patient

That "severe pain" should not go away with a distraction..

He could be playing a sympathy card or it could be a nocebo effect (opposite of placebo) - when told something is supposed to hurt and we sit around dwelling on it... ouch.

I have diabetic neuropathy and when I am doing something the pain isn't as severe. Usually I get a stabbing pain that makes my legs kick out (and draws a far bit of attention because it is just so sudden). However, as I said, if I'm doing something it's *usually* not as bad. I've never had any pains whilst seeing my local doctor, but I always have them in the car going there and coming from.