Diabetic Neuropathy?

I've only had diabetes for about a year and a half now (a long 1.5 years), but I am already experiencing what I think are early signs of diabetic neuropathy.

I first experienced these feelings before I was even diagnosed. I remember my foot "flopping" uncontrollably on two separate occasions. After being diagnosed, I felt tingling in my right foot. The tingling and numbness occurred nearly every morning, in the first few minutes after waking up and stepping out of bed. My first endocrinologist informed me that I was experiencing diabetic neuropathy and that nothing could be done about it. I was told that my symptoms would go away when my sugar is under better control and that my only other options would be to be prescribed cymbalta or an anti-seizure medicine. My second endocrinologist (only visited him once b/c he was crazy) told me that there was no way I had diabetic neuropathy because I had only been a diabetic for such a short amount of time. He also recommended that I visit a podiatrist and claimed that my problem was not diabetes-related. The third endocrinologist (in my hometown) told me that endo #2 was crazy and that the tingling was caused by  my high sugars, but that hopefully that should stop when I get on a pump and lower my sugars. I am still waiting for insurance to process my request for a pump.

So, here I am now, 1.5 years later...and I am STILL experiencing tingling in my foot in the morning. Only in my right foot. There have also been occasions where it has "twitched" -- sometimes after walking a lot on campus.

To complicate matters even more (as diabetes tends to do!), I had (what I believe to be) another related neuropathy episode last night: tremors in my left hand.

YIKES!

The tremor felt like it was in the (2nd from top) joint in my thumb. It was a very obvious, uncomfortable vibration. Yet there wasn't much movement that went along with it.

I'm hoping that the tremors were just a fluke, but I had them on-and-off for a few hours. I will post again if I experience any more in the days to come.

I wonder if any other diabetics have experienced diabetic neuropathy so early in their diabetic life? I never had any problems like these prior to becoming a diabetic. I am almost certain that these problems -- the foot problems, at least -- are the result of diabetic neuropathy. This scares me so much because... If diabetes has damaged my nerves this much in only ONE year, what kind of damage will it have done to my nerves in 10 years? 20? 30? etc. Perhaps I should go to a neurologist? My endocrinologists haven't seemed as knowledgeable about neuropathy. I need to find other tips on how to control my neuropathy, in addition to lowering my sugars (working on that). Exercises of some sort maybe?