A little worried

[jalapino]

My weight has been stable for the last 3 months, gone down about 6 pounds within this gap.

 

[DeusXM]

If your weight has been stable we can probably rule out the idea you are suffering from DKA, which means it is less likely it's T1.

However, the point remains. Your blood sugar levels are dangerously high. I'm not joking when I say 'accident and emergency' high.

Look, I get it. It is frightening. And let's face it, having to go to the toilet a lot in the night doesn't seem particularly dramatic. But you cannot go on like this. If blood sugar levels were pain levels, you would screaming to go to the hospital right now. Don't mistake a lack of terribleness of your immediate symptoms for a lack of seriousness.

The good news is there is no reason why you can't get this under control with a little help. I get that you're the breadwinner and you can't take time off sick. Fair enough - so get yourself to a hospital after work. They'll be able to get you the medication you need and you will probably find in less than 24 hours, you will suddenly not need the toilet even half as much, you won't feel run down anymore and your mood will be much, much better. I'm not exaggerating - the transformation you're going to feel is going to be like going from rock bottom to the top of Mount Everest.

If you have a family to support, you say being sick is not an option. Right now, you are sick. A trip to the doctor will stop you being sick pretty much straight away. Controlled diabetes is completely benign. Uncontrolled diabetes is dangerous and disabling.

You are not failing if you ask for help. You will only fail if you let this continue unchecked and allow it to beat you. I really can't stress how this is something you can't wait over. You need to see a doctor, be that either in regular hours or in A&E after work. You need to protect your health because if you don't, you won't be able to work in future. Please, please, please go and see a doctor within the next 24 hours.

 

[PattiEvans]

Jalapino
I asked about your diet to see if it was high in carbs, it's a bit higher in carbs than it should be in the light of your high BGs, but not so high in carbs as to explain all the thirst and peeing. As Redkite said, it's not the drinking that's causing the peeing it's the high BGs causing the thirst. I have to say your symptoms are much like mine were just before diagnosis. So I am reiterating the advice to get yourself to A&E (or out of hours Doctor) without delay. It would appear that you're not T2 and as a T1 (even if slow onset) you need insulin right away. My BGs went down from a level which was too high to register on the meter to low teens and then into single figures within 3 days of insulin being injected. Within a week I felt like a different person.

Please don't ignore your health, this isn't something you can put off, it could actually be life threatening.

 

[jalapino]

Afternoon...went to see doc yesterday explained everything and showed him blood readings, he has given me different metformin 750 twice day, he is not worried about readings and said you can go months with high readings without damage, a little confused on that one, so blood test In august, guess I will have to wait and hope tabs work, just told to keep taking blood before and after meals, this morning on wake up was 17.1 1 hour after glass of water and special k was 23.6 so a long way to go!

 

[Northerner]

Afternoon...went to see doc yesterday explained everything and showed him blood readings, he has given me ddifferent metformin 750 twice day, he is not worried about readings and said you can go months with high readings without damage, a little confused on that one, so blood test I august, guess I will have to wait and hope tabs work, just told to keep taking blood before and after meals, this morning on wake up was 17.1 1 hour after glass of water and special k was 23.6 so a long way to go!

What dangerous advice to give someone Whilst it's true that many people may run high levels for a long time without being aware (e.g. if they are undiagnosed), the potential for harm is there. If you actually know your levels are high it really shouldn't be ignored! I wonder if the GP would feel the same if he was running levels in the high teens and 20s all the time?

I hope that the tablets help Ant, but if you don't see much improvement in the next couple of weeks then do go back and insist on getting more treatment - or probably better still, see a different doctor!

 

[Phil65]

Afternoon...went to see doc yesterday explained everything and showed him blood readings, he has given me different metformin 750 twice day, he is not worried about readings and said you can go months with high readings without damage, a little confused on that one, so blood test In august, guess I will have to wait and hope tabs work, just told to keep taking blood before and after meals, this morning on wake up was 17.1 1 hour after glass of water and special k was 23.6 so a long way to go!

......that is terrible advice from your gp!.....see another one and DON'T wait until august! You wouldn't drive a car until August if you knew there was something wrong with it....would you? I hope you get sorted soon.....is there a diabetes centre you can pop into if your GP doesn't give you better advice? I would log all of your readings and take them in.

 

[jalapino]

What dangerous advice to give someone Whilst it's true that many people may run high levels for a long time without being aware (e.g. if they are undiagnosed), the potential for harm is there. If you actually know your levels are high it really shouldn't be ignored! I wonder if the GP would feel the same if he was running levels in the high teens and 20s all the time?

I hope that the tablets help Ant, but if you don't see much improvement in the next couple of weeks then do go back and insist on getting more treatment - or probably better still, see a different doctor!

This is my worry Alan always having high blood levels, and I think they have been high for a while, I said it,s not easy having a physical job and feeling rubbish, just nodded!

 

[jalapino]

We only have diabetes nurse at are surgery, readings are logged in the meter which I showed the doctor!

 

[Phil65]

....maybe writing them down, maybe high readings 4 or 5 times a day over a 7 day period might stir them into some positive action ...rather than them scrolling through a machine and obviously not giving a flying ****..... is not good enough! And more importantly dangerous to your health.

 

[Redkite]

he is not worried about readings and said you can go months with high readings without damage

Unbelievable! And untrue. Please go elsewhere and get a second opinion. Constantly running high blood glucose levels for months on end IS already damaging your eyes, kidneys, nervous system, and circulatory system. If your doctor is satisfied with waking levels of 17mmol, rising throughout the day, then the first thing you need to do is find yourself another doctor. 😡

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Unbelievable! And untrue. Please go elsewhere and get a second opinion. Constantly running high blood glucose levels for months on end IS already damaging your eyes, kidneys, nervous system, and circulatory system. If your doctor is satisfied with waking levels of 17mmol, rising throughout the day, then the first thing you need to do is find yourself another doctor. 😡

Absolutely!

I thing GPs can get quite blase about horrendous BG levels because so many people with diabetes in the UK miss the recommended targets by a mile.

But this does not mean it is 'safe' to be at those levels - 80% of the money spent on D in the UK is used to treat (largely avoidable) complications.

I think you should request a referral to a specialist hospital clinic. Get infront of someone who knows a *lot* about diabetes and isn't just reading off a tick sheet.

 

[pav]

Afternoon...went to see doc yesterday explained everything and showed him blood readings, he has given me different metformin 750 twice day, he is not worried about readings and said you can go months with high readings without damage, a little confused on that one, so blood test In august, guess I will have to wait and hope tabs work, just told to keep taking blood before and after meals, this morning on wake up was 17.1 1 hour after glass of water and special k was 23.6 so a long way to go!

You have had the same treatment I had from some of my doctors in Jan, in which they did not care that BS was running very high in the 20's and said it was ok.

By chance had an appointment with the diabetic screening nurse for some thing else and when I mentioned it, she got me appointment with a different doc and meds have been changed.

Worth trying a different doctor in the practice or a DN, as staying high will only cause problems sooner or later.

 

[Northerner]

Apart from the danger of possible complications long term, having high levels like that make you feel awful - don't tolerate it Ant!

 

[jalapino]

Im sooooo confused ....he is a really nice doctor, my misses is with him and my 2 kids....but when I said I was worried about high blood readings he said it was ok and not to feel down? well I do and feel bloody rubbish, I said my vision keeps going blurry peeing lots and drinking gallons of water and he said it is basically part of the package, I guess I should be more bold and say I am not happy....and to be honest waiting till august is just another waiting game, yes he has increased dose of meds and put repeat prescription for strips but...arhhh I don,t no, as I said before I work bloody hard and need to keep working hard to provide for my family but I no this is not right because all the time levels are so high it is not doing me any good, I feel a bit lost, and I sorter just let things go and I should not, just reading what every one is saying I need to see someone who will take action now rather than later, im 36 and do not want complications down the line, he did say we have lots of other meds to try but august is a long wait, my review with dn is in july maybe chat with her about all of this?

 

[pav]

You need more support than what he appears to be giving you, especially as your vision is going blurry.

I had an eye test in Dec and new prescription issued for new glasses, then in May I felt my vision was not quite right and had a repeat eye test and as a result my eyes had improved greatly and had returned to a normal shape.

Just hope when I have my annual eye screening which is due shortly there's no damage been done to the blood vessels.

If I had left things as they were and followed docs orig advice and done nothing I would hate to think what damage would of been done to my eyes and other side effects.

Thanks to the nurse and a decent doctor I am get things back on track, still need to sort some things out, and might need more help from the decent doctor and nurse.

If you don't mind saying what meds are you taking?

Others are doing a low carb diet which helps them a lot, some thing I might have to look into.

 

[jalapino]

You need more support than what he appears to be giving you, especially as your vision is going blurry.

I had an eye test in Dec and new prescription issued for new glasses, then in May I felt my vision was not quite right and had a repeat eye test and as a result my eyes had improved greatly and had returned to a normal shape.

Just hope when I have my annual eye screening which is due shortly there's no damage been done to the blood vessels.

If I had left things as they were and followed docs orig advice and done nothing I would hate to think what damage would of been done to my eyes and other side effects.

Thanks to the nurse and a decent doctor I am get things back on track, still need to sort some things out, and might need more help from the decent doctor and nurse.

If you don't mind saying what meds are you taking?

Others are doing a low carb diet which helps them a lot, some thing I might have to look into.

I had eye screening last week all good but was told to see optician, metformin increased to 750 twice daily

 

[pav]

I am no way near a doctor and only going off my own experience. If you don't see an improvement in your BS levels soon I think it won't be long before you will be on the current max of 2000 mg of metformin, though I was on 3000 mg a day for a good few years.

Thinking myself with your high level of BS metformin might not be to control your BS assuming your diet is ok.

I am now on metformin and gliclazide 160 mg and found this has helped me a lot, but not perfect as now have a few hypos, as its a med that does reduce BS levels and the side effect is it can cause a hypo.

 

[jalapino]

I am no way near a doctor and only going off my own experience. If you don't see an improvement in your BS levels soon I think it won't be long before you will be on the current max of 2000 mg of metformin, though I was on 3000 mg a day for a good few years.

Thinking myself with your high level of BS metformin might not be to control your BS assuming your diet is ok.

I am now on metformin and gliclazide 160 mg and found this has helped me a lot, but not perfect as now have a few hypos, as its a med that does reduce BS levels and the side effect is it can cause a hypo.

What you say worries me.....today I woke up with 17.5 before food now it is 23.6.....I am going to call docs on Monday because I no this level is no good can,t wait till august...

 

[Northerner]

What you say worries me.....today I woke up with 17.5 before food now it is 23.6.....I am going to call docs on Monday because I no this level is no good can,t wait till august...

Ant, your main problem is that your base levels are too high, which makes your post-meal levels look even worse - if you were starting at 5 before eating and at 9 two hours later you would probably be much happier. The main task is to get your fasting levels down.

Make that appointment and stand your ground. However nice your GP is, they need to understand your concerns and act to address them. You do not take instructions from your GP, it is a 'team' process - they have to find a solution that is acceptable for you. You wouldn't climb a ladder with dodgy rungs, so stress that you do not feel safe at these levels. Good luck! You can get this under control with the right approach and medication, so don't accept second best! 🙂

 

[pav]

Sorry did not mean to worry you, just seams you are going through what I went through a few months ago.

I was more frustrated with the lack of care some doctors appear to have with type 2's.

Yes I have had a few hypos, but always got warning signs and mostly were down to me getting used to gliclazide after 13 years on metformin and eating when I felt like it, could skip a meal on metformin, not so with gliclazide.

Just hope your doctor is more caring and understanding, and not like some of mine and saying that BS is ok when ones levels are in the 20's. I still have peaks (work in progress) but now these are mostly around the 10.0 mark.