Anxiety

[pudding123]

Hi I have been type 2 for over 10 years and my control has never been good I saw the nurse today to get my blood sugar results and my reading was 11 so far to high , she is putting me on some tablets to lower my sugar levels fast and I need to go back in About three weeks . The thing I am panicking about is I’m worried that something else that’s serious showed in my blood test she didn’t have much time to go through everything today so my next appointment is for :30
minutes .
I forgot to ask if everything else was ok with my results, she did say my cholesterol was fine, but I’m now terrified that there was something else in my results that she hasn’t told me yet and I have to wait 3 weeks to see her again,
Could the blood test show up other things that she didn’t mention yet as she was in a rush, I suffer from really bad health anxiety and I’m worried when I go back she is gonna say there are other problems with my blood sorry this is long but I’m getting paranoid, has anyone had anything else show up in their blood test.

 

[Docb]

Hi @pudding123 and welcome to the forum. I really doubt if there is anything serious in your blood results to worry about. If there were, then your surgery would have contacted you about it.

Many of us can look up all our results on line so we can find out for ourselves what they were. Does your surgery offer this and would it help with your anxiety?

 

[EmmaL76]

I know exactly how you feel. The anxiety around health can be relentless. I suffer bad my myself. All I can say to possibly help is that with many of these routine tests, if there is something a miss they would usually ask you for repeat test in 2 weeks time. If they haven't done this or prescribed you any new medication, I really don’t think there will be anything in your results that is being kept from you. I know it’s hard, but try and stay positive xx

 

[rebrascora]

I agree with the others, if there was anything serious that needed addressing, then they would have called you back sooner for a retest or to discuss medication for it, so try to relax and focus on improving the things you know about and have control over, like your diabetes..... What steps other than taking medication are you doing to improve your diabetes management? Have you changed your diet and or increased your activity levels. These are things which will actually have a bigger impact than most medication and with only positive side effects, so well worth focusing your attention on what you can do to improve that situation. It is amazing how improving your diabetes management can improve other health issues too. I have had chronic migraines and severe for more than 20 years and I haven't had one since I changed my diet 2.5 years ago. Joint pain is also much improved and I am fitter and slimmer and feel younger and I also feel that my mental health is improved..... walking really helps my mental health and anxiety.

 

[Leadinglights]

There may be somethings you can do yourself to help get your blood glucose levels down. It would be a good idea if you look carefully at your diet and start a food diary noting everything you eat and drink with quantities and estimate of the carbohydrate amount. Reducing your intake of carbohydrates you are having will have a good impact.
You nurse saying 'get your level down quickly' can be a bit risky as that can cause issues with eyes and nerves so a bit more gradually is better.
Let us know what medication she is suggesting.
I assume the 11? was the result of an HbA1C test, they have used the old measurement rather than the result in mmol/mol

 

[pudding123]

Hi thanks for all your replies, i have been given gliclazide 40 mg twice a day i have just picked this up .this morning and have taken my first tablet, i was given a meter and told to test before i drive
i feel less anxious now as you said, if there was a problem the dr would have got in touch with me, so i feel better about that.
also has anyone else had muscle loss, i have loss muscle in my legs, particularly around my knees and arms,i saw a physio and he tested my strength and said im strong so he thinks its to do with my diabetes, does anyone know what exercises i can do to regain some muscle, i look really scrawny. thanks for your help.

 

[rebrascora]

Muscle wastage in arms and legs is often associated with Type 1 diabetes but it is accompanied by more general and rapid weight loss. I remember by thighs and forearms becoming dramatically thinner and even my wrists which you would think are mostly bone and sinew, became like sparrows ankles. I used to look down at my arms and legs and not recognize them. I have always been stocky and muscular so it was quite shocking to see this happening in the space of a few weeks. I was losing about 4lbs a week at the time.... I had a couple of stones to lose but it was the muscle loss in arms and legs which was the most disturbing.... happy to lose some of my stomach.

It is much less common with Type 2 but there is a rare complication known as Diabetic amyotrophy which can cause muscle wastage and weakness due to prolonged poor glucose management I believe. It is reversible in most cases when diabetes management is improved.

It is sometimes possible for people to be misdiagnosed as Type 2 when they are actually a very slow onset Type 1. This is referred to as LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults). It would be unusual for it to go on for 10 years without needing insulin but not impossible and it is something to bear in mind and ask your nurse about, especially if the Gliclazide doesn't improve things.