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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of autonomic neuropathy vary, depending on which parts of your autonomic nervous system are affected. They may include:
- Dizziness and fainting upon standing (orthostatic, or postural, hypotension), caused by a drop in blood pressure
- Urinary problems, including difficulty starting urination, overflow incontinence and inability to empty your bladder completely, which can lead to urinary tract infections
- Sexual difficulties, including erectile dysfunction or ejaculation problems in men, and vaginal dryness and difficulties with arousal and orgasm in women
- Difficulty digesting food, due to abnormal digestive function and slow emptying of the stomach (gastroparesis), which can cause a feeling of fullness after eating little, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, nausea, vomiting and heartburn
- Sweating abnormalities, such as excessive or decreased sweating, which affects the ability to regulate body temperature
- Sluggish pupil reaction, making it difficult to adjust from light to dark and causing problems with driving at night
- Exercise intolerance, which may occur if your heart rate remains unchanged instead of appropriately increasing and decreasing in response to your activity level
When to see a doctor
Seek medical care promptly if you begin experiencing any of the signs and symptoms of autonomic neuropathy. If you have diabetes, a compromised immune system or another chronic medical condition, see your doctor regularly to be checked for nerve damage.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people with type 2 diabetes be screened every year for autonomic neuropathy starting as soon as they receive their diabetes diagnosis. For people with type 1 diabetes, the ADA advises annual screening beginning five years after being diagnosed with diabetes.
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- Robinul and Robinul Forte (prescribing information). Atlanta, Ga.: Sciele Pharma, Inc.; 2006. http://www.shionogipharma.com/PI/Robinul%20PI.pdf. Accessed Feb. 22, 2010.
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- Detrol (prescribing information). New York, N.Y.: Pharmacia and Upjohn; 2009. http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_detrol_la.pdf. Accessed March 8, 2010.
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