Can diabetes cause recurrent diarrhoea?

Q: My mother aged 57 has been diabetic since the last 21 years. Currently she takes insulin of 12 units daily (once a day) before breakfast. In those initial days when she was diagnosed with diabetes, she initially started with Dionil tablet. She has started taking insulin injection since last 1 year. In the past 21 years, she went through two major problems of black spots in eyes (now she doesn't have this problem) and pain in her hands and legs (which was ok after physiotherapy). Four years back, she had gone through a routine complete check up, results of which came out fine. Recently too, she went through a complete routine medical check up which too was fine. Her cholesterol is well under control and her fasting sugar, (before having taken insulin) is now 137 (this result is as of yesterday). Her diet is of toward roti, vegetables and little yogurt. Of late she gets a constant diarrhoea attacks, post which a routine checkup related to blood sugar, heart were done the results of the same were normal, however she faces this problem atleast once a month, due to which she hesitates to go out, as she is unable to control when she faces this diarrhoea problem. Is this problem of hers related to diabetes, if yes what do I do to help her recover from the same?

A:Your mother is most likely having a late complication of diabetes called as autonomic neuropathy. Other possibility is recurrent infection. Please get her checked for other complications like kidney and eye involvement. For the diarrhoea, presently give her a course of Tablet On twice a day for five days. If there is no response, then give her Lomotil twice a day during attacks of diarrhoea. If diarrhoea, still persists then contact us again. We have few more modalities available to treat her.