Q: I am a 52 years old male. I have heard that taking drugs to keep diabetes under control can damage veins and nerves and can even partially paralyze certain parts of the body. How can this be controlled? Should vitamins and other supporting drugs be taken along with diabetic drugs?

A:Damage to nerves and blood vessels is related to duration of diabetes and its control. Poorer the control and longer the duration of diabetes more are the chances of these complications as well as other complications like kidney, heart, eyes and brain involvement. If diet is good and balanced then usually there is no need to take vitamin supplementation. For your leg pain please show to a physician and ask him to evaluate for peripheral vascular disease which can done easily by clinical examination and doppler study.