Is it possible to have diabetic neuropathy at 23 with just insulin resistance present (no diabetes)???

I am 23 years old and have had numbness in my feet and calves with slight pain in my calves from time to time. This has been constant pain with no period of absense for 2 months now. I went to a neurologist and he just pricked my feet with a needle and then chocked it up to neuropathy caused by pre-diabetes. Is this possible? I thought it took a long time for people to develope neuropathy complications from diabetes. He prescribed me Topamax, and it hasn't help. Not to mention I don't like that medication.

What else could be going on? I am fairly healthy (although overweight from PCOS), and active physically on my feet. I feel like the doctor blew me off and that his diagnosis was not thorough. The numbess/pins & needles feeling is constant 24 hrs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the answers. What I forgot was that it happened the exact morning after I had gotten a back massage from my boyfriend. I wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or not.

Every time my blood sugar levels are tested, they are within normal range. This goes for the handheld devices and blood tests from the doctors offices. This is why I am so confused!

Pre-diabetes is a nebulous term. It varies from doctor to doctor. If you really want to know if you're diabetic or not, find a new doctor or get a glucometer and find out yourself. Here's a handy web page that will help you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose_tol...

As for the neuropathy, yes... it's possible. Likely? Depends on how high your blood glucose has gotten and for how long. There are other possibilities such as fibromyalgia. Also, you don't have to be diabetic to get peripheral neuropathy.

BTW, PCOS doesn't cause weight gain, it's caused by weight gain and poor diet... just like type two diabetes. If you need sources to verify this, let me know. I've done an awful lot of reading on this, and doctors often tell you want you want to hear instead of what you need to know.

Find a new doctor. You desperately need one.

that is how most diabetes is diagnosed in the first place. either that or eyes get progressively worse.

Insulin Resistance IS diabetes, there is no PRE anything to it!!

Most PCOS sufferers get diabetes!! And being overweight is even more reason that you already have neuropathy!!!

Yes it is possible. Insulin resistance is a form of diabetes. I know people don't want to admit it but medically speaking any time your body does not produce or use insulin properly that is diabetes. Doctors have in recent years started categorizing these separately to help cut down the confusion. Insulin resistant patients are given the same medications as type 2 diabetics and the same dietary restrictions and excessive requirements. They have the same health risks including macular degeneration and vascular neuropathy.

To help with the numbness and tingling I highly recommend stretching often. Yoga is wonderful to help with increasing blood flow and oxygen.

Please feel free to ask any other questions.