Any advice please

[dollyparrot]

I had bloods done in September I was borderline for diabetes at that point. Since then I've been ill with another issue which still isn't resolved. I missed my blood tests which were requested for 3 months later as I was very ill. I have noticed over the past few days I have a rash under my arm pits and bust which is thick, ichy and discolouration is present. I think this may be related to the diabetes im going to contact doctors tomorrow but I will probably not get an appointment for 3 weeks. Should I push to be seen earlier or will I be ok to wait many thanks

 

[Leadinglights]

I had bloods done in September I was borderline for diabetes at that point. Since then I've been ill with another issue which still isn't resolved. I missed my blood tests which were requested for 3 months later as I was very ill. I have noticed over the past few days I have a rash under my arm pits and bust which is thick, ichy and discolouration is present. I think this may be related to the diabetes im going to contact doctors tomorrow but I will probably not get an appointment for 3 weeks. Should I push to be seen earlier or will I be ok to wait many thanks

I would try and get an appointment as soon as you can or the very least try to get a blood test for your HbA1C that you missed as then it would rule out a cause related to diabetes. It sounds as if it might be a fungal infection like thrush which can occur in areas which are enclosed. You could ask your pharmacist to recommend some topical cream to alleviate your symptoms.0

 

[goodybags]

I had bloods done in September I was borderline for diabetes at that point. Since then I've been ill with another issue which still isn't resolved. I missed my blood tests which were requested for 3 months later as I was very ill. I have noticed over the past few days I have a rash under my arm pits and bust which is thick, ichy and discolouration is present. I think this may be related to the diabetes im going to contact doctors tomorrow but I will probably not get an appointment for 3 weeks. Should I push to be seen earlier or will I be ok to wait many thanks

hi @dollyparrot (great username you’ve got there)
as @Leadinglights has already suggested I would pop into a pharmacy, see what they think the rash might be,
make them aware you were back in September diagnosed as borderline Diabetic, also if your happy to disclose the other on-going medical problem that prevented the Hba1c test from happening

how do you book your Blood test / request your GP appointment at your surgery
if it’s online (as a lot of surgeries do these days it might be worth attaching a photo and brief description) but I would say don’t wait long to be seen
hope you get it sorted and hope get your Hba1c test soon

 

[rebrascora]

Can you do an online consultation/referral with your GP surgery. Usually this will get a prompt response if it is something like them booking you in for a blood test. It is how I was originally diagnosed with diabetes. Did the online referral Sunday evening, listing my symptoms and that I was concerned it might be diabetes. The GP looked at it on Monday morning and made an appointment for me for a blood test that afternoon and I had a diagnosis by Wed and an appointment with the diabetes nurse on the Thurs.

Illness can make diabetes worse, so it certainly is possible that things have deteriorated since your last HbA1c and needs checking out. You could also ask a local pharmacist if they can do a finger prick blood test to check your BG levels. Ideally have that done before a meal rather than after. It isn't diagnostic but will give you an idea if things have slipped significantly. You can also get advice on your skin problem at the same time from the pharmacist.

Let us know how you get on and hope it is something easily resolved.

 

[dollyparrot]

hi @dollyparrot (great username you’ve got there)
as @Leadinglights has already suggested I would pop into a pharmacy, see what they think the rash might be,
make them aware you were back in September diagnosed as borderline Diabetic, also if your happy to disclose the other on-going medical problem that prevented the Hba1c test from happening

how do you book your Blood test / request your GP appointment at your surgery
if it’s online (as a lot of surgeries do these days it might be worth attaching a photo and brief description) but I would say don’t wait long to be seen
hope you get it sorted and hope get your Hba1c test soon

Hi I have gallstones that are very tiny the tube that they could easily fit down is damaged I had an mri on the 27th December so they could see better what the damage is but still have no results so im going to chase that at the hospital tomorrow. I cant make an appointment online as the doctors have disable that option

 

[dollyparrot]

Can you do an online consultation/referral with your GP surgery. Usually this will get a prompt response if it is something like them booking you in for a blood test. It is how I was originally diagnosed with diabetes. Did the online referral Sunday evening, listing my symptoms and that I was concerned it might be diabetes. The GP looked at it on Monday morning and made an appointment for me for a blood test that afternoon and I had a diagnosis by Wed and an appointment with the diabetes nurse on the Thurs.

Illness can make diabetes worse, so it certainly is possible that things have deteriorated since your last HbA1c and needs checking out. You could also ask a local pharmacist if they can do a finger prick blood test to check your BG levels. Ideally have that done before a meal rather than after. It isn't diagnostic but will give you an idea if things have slipped significantly. You can also get advice on your skin problem at the same time from the pharmacist.

Let us know how you get on and hope it is something easily resolved.

I will do that thanks

 

[dollyparrot]

Can you do an online consultation/referral with your GP surgery. Usually this will get a prompt response if it is something like them booking you in for a blood test. It is how I was originally diagnosed with diabetes. Did the online referral Sunday evening, listing my symptoms and that I was concerned it might be diabetes. The GP looked at it on Monday morning and made an appointment for me for a blood test that afternoon and I had a diagnosis by Wed and an appointment with the diabetes nurse on the Thurs.

Illness can make diabetes worse, so it certainly is possible that things have deteriorated since your last HbA1c and needs checking out. You could also ask a local pharmacist if they can do a finger prick blood test to check your BG levels. Ideally have that done before a meal rather than after. It isn't diagnostic but will give you an idea if things have slipped significantly. You can also get advice on your skin problem at the same time from the pharmacist.

Let us know how you get on and hope it is something easily resolved.

Tried to do econsult but it said I need to be seen

 

[Lucyr]

Tried to do econsult but it said I need to be seen

Did it say they will call you to arrange an appointment then? Or that you need to call them

 

[rebrascora]

Was worth a try. Sometimes they have a set number of allocations for econsults to be accepted over a weekend period. Could that be why the system rejected it. Just thinking that trying the system again tomorrow might work.

 

[dollyparrot]

Did it say they will call you to arrange an appointment then? Or that you need to call them

It said its not monitored and I need to ring when they open.

 

[dollyparrot]

I went back onto the nhs app and it allowed me to make an appointment for bloods for the 14th Feb ive wrote my new symptoms in the drop down box. So I've mentioned the rash and that I'm getting up multiple times a night to urinate and I'm very very tired but not enough room to write that

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Increased frequency of urination, and tiredness / fatigue can be symptoms of diabetes, so it’s good that you are getting checked out on Feb 14.

Hope they can offer you some relief for the itching / rash. Might still be worth popping to a pharmacy and getting them to take a look and see if it may be thrush or something similar that a topical cream could help with?

 

[rebrascora]

Getting up for the loo a lot through the night is certainly another and more concerning symptom. Do you also have "the thirst"? I will never forget that constant craving for water. Hope you are drinking plenty of low carb drinks like water to keep yourself hydrated as that is really important, even if it feels like it is just running straight through your system and out the other end 🙄 If it is high BG levels due to diabetes, your kidneys will be working overtime to try to remove some of the glucose through your urine and you need to supply a ready flow of fluids to enable them to do that, so don't be tempted not to drink late at night to try to prevent the necessary toilet visits, that fluid is important to keep your kidneys healthy.

You might also want to review your diet if you can't get an appointment for nearly 2 weeks. Slowly cutting back on your carb intake may alleviate some of the strain on your body and lower your levels. You can think about it as a sink that is blocked and overflowing. Reducing your carb intake is equivalent to turning the tap off or at least turning it down to a trickle.

 

[dollyparrot]

Getting up for the loo a lot through the night is certainly another and more concerning symptom. Do you also have "the thirst"? I will never forget that constant craving for water. Hope you are drinking plenty of low carb drinks like water to keep yourself hydrated as that is really important, even if it feels like it is just running straight through your system and out the other end 🙄 If it is high BG levels due to diabetes, your kidneys will be working overtime to try to remove some of the glucose through your urine and you need to supply a ready flow of fluids to enable them to do that, so don't be tempted not to drink late at night to try to prevent the necessary toilet visits, that fluid is important to keep your kidneys healthy.

You might also want to review your diet if you can't get an appointment for nearly 2 weeks. Slowly cutting back on your carb intake may alleviate some of the strain on your body and lower your levels. You can think about it as a sink that is blocked and overflowing. Reducing your carb intake is equivalent to turning the tap off or at least turning it down to a trickle.

 

[dollyparrot]

I have been eating healthy for ages however I do still eat some carbs like potatoes but have been eating loads of veg. Yes im very thirsty all the time I drink loads of water and tea. I've lost weight 2 and a half inches off my hips but im very swollen so my waist is 2 inches bigger than normal. I've never felt so ill if I'm honest

 

[Lucyr]

I have been eating healthy for ages however I do still eat some carbs like potatoes but have been eating loads of veg. Yes im very thirsty all the time I drink loads of water and tea. I've lost weight 2 and a half inches off my hips but im very swollen so my waist is 2 inches bigger than normal. I've never felt so ill if I'm honest

If you feel more ill than you’ve ever felt before in your life then call 111 for out of hours advice.

 

[rebrascora]

I think you need to be more pushy about getting an appointment when you are feeling so ill.

Losing weight in some areas and putting it on around your waist is concerning. Do you have a means of testing for ketones? You can sometimes buy Ketostix over the counter in a pharmacy if they stock them (about £5 for a pot of 50 of them) and you dip them in your urine to test for ketones, which can build up when you are unwell and your Blood Glucose (BG) levels are high. Ketones can be very dangerous, particularly if your BG is high and can be life threatening, so being able to monitor for them and get urgent assistance (A&E) if they get to dangerous levels can be a bit of a life saver. Of course we don't know for sure that your BG levels are high but it certainly sounds like they may be.

 

[dollyparrot]

I think you need to be more pushy about getting an appointment when you are feeling so ill.

Losing weight in some areas and putting it on around your waist is concerning. Do you have a means of testing for ketones? You can sometimes buy Ketostix over the counter in a pharmacy if they stock them (about £5 for a pot of 50 of them) and you dip them in your urine to test for ketones, which can build up when you are unwell and your Blood Glucose (BG) levels are high. Ketones can be very dangerous, particularly if your BG is high and can be life threatening, so being able to monitor for them and get urgent assistance (A&E) if they get to dangerous levels can be a bit of a life saver. Of course we don't know for sure that your BG levels are high but it certainly sounds like they may be.

Sorry to be clear the swelling around my waist is because of my gallbladder as I have two issues going on at the same time. So im in pain with the gallbladder which feels like acid reflux and shooting pains and jaundice. I was taken into hospital and scanned, urine tested, and bloods taken and mri done. Then when I was sent home the other symptoms started which I've assumed is because I've been so ill. I've done some reading on nhs website which is why I'm wondering if these new symptoms are because of my borderline diabetes test in September when I needed to repeat my blood test but couldn't because I was so ill. I'm sorry its all complicated by the gallbladder

 

[rebrascora]

The gall bladder and pancreas are very closely linked and problems with the gall bladder can cause damage or inflammation to the pancreas (pancreatitis) which can lead to temporary or permanent reduction or loss of insulin production which would cause diabetes. This would make you a Type 3c diabetic and if you are unable to produce enough insulin you are at risk of Diabetic KetoAcidosis (DKA) which is a very serious and potentially life threatening condition which can develop very rapidly and I mean in a matter of hours not days or weeks.
When you mentioned the swelling around your waist at the same time as your hips shrinking, this was exactly what I was considering. Do you know the results of the scans?

I really feel even more so now that you need to push to be seen sooner and if you can get some Ketostix and a BG meter in the mean time then you have a means of testing yourself and seeking emergency treatment, if those tests indicate you need it.

 

[dollyparrot]

The gall bladder and pancreas are very closely linked and problems with the gall bladder can cause damage or inflammation to the pancreas (pancreatitis) which can lead to temporary or permanent reduction or loss of insulin production which would cause diabetes. This would make you a Type 3c diabetic and if you are unable to produce enough insulin you are at risk of Diabetic KetoAcidosis (DKA) which is a very serious and potentially life threatening condition which can develop very rapidly and I mean in a matter of hours not days or weeks.
When you mentioned the swelling around your waist at the same time as your hips shrinking, this was exactly what I was considering. Do you know the results of the scans?

I really feel even more so now that you need to push to be seen sooner and if you can get some Ketostix and a BG meter in the mean time then you have a means of testing yourself and seeking emergency treatment, if those tests indicate you need it.

I havent had the results from the mri yet which I'm going to chase tomorrow and I will go to the chemist tomorrow and try and get hold of a way to test myself. I'm going to ring the doctors and see if I can see someone sooner but I thought I would book the blood test while I could. Thanks for your help