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Clueless and concerned

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
P

Patrick Mahoney

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi, I`m 57, overweight but very active. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in November 2016. My GP simply said your diabetic type 2, take these and gave me a prescription for metformin. 500mg twice a day. I have no idea how to take blood sugar levels, what they mean if I did etc...as no advice has EVER been offered/given. This week I was in hospital for an unrelated matter and a doctor told me that blood tests had shown my sugar levels were high 10.8 and my medication simply wasnt working. I have `frostbite feeling in my toes and fingers` (hot and numb) my right eye is `dry` and sore, I pee like a racehorse (every hour) but the absolute worst thing is, I simply cannot stay awake for any period of time. If I sit down I literally pass out, I can even fall asleep during a conversation despite having ample sleep. Its so frustrating and dangerous. I know the answer is go back to my GP but is this normal diabetes stuff or am I assuming thats the cause and ignoring the fact it could be something else, thank you in advance. I am not a Forum type but its really starting to impact upon my life in a huge way.
 
Hi Patrick...exactly the same introduction to 'Diabetes' I experienced...I appreciate you are on medication...just wondering what other steps/measures you taken to try to control your blood sugars?...the medication will not work on its own...have you adjusted your diet/activity...both of those can seriously help to lower your blood sugar...and help you manage your diabetes...testing my blood for me is an essential part of controlling my BG...

No doubt as you know...diabetes causes our blood sugars to become too high...so obviously we need to lower them...the medication will help...but...alone will not accomplish that aim...testing your BG regularly will help massively...I test on waking...so I have an idea of my level...eat...then test two hours after eating...this shows me what effect the food I am eating has on my blood sugar...if what I have eaten raises it...clearly that is something I should avoid...the symptoms you complain of can be attributable to your diabetes...but...as you say could be other health issues...

One thing I would strongly recommend you do...get yourself a copy of Type 2 Diabetes The First Year...written by Gretchen Becker...herself a T2 diabetic...who takes you through her first year month by month...explains how testing really is an essential aid to controlling diabetes...what effect different food/activity can have on your blood sugar...will answer many of your questions...

So disappointing yet another of us has been provided with so little support...your level at 10.8 is high...but not insurmountable...mine were 17.4 at diagnosis...now I have an average of 5.9...you can with some work improve that...however...you need to consider your diet...adjust that to suit your condition...possibly some activity if manageable...You have done the right thing coming here...many of us have had exactly the same treatment (or the lack of it) from our health care teams...can you answer those points above...if you would prefer not to...I do understand...but...it would help to hopefully point you in the right direction.
 
Last edited:
Hi Patrick, good advice already given by Bubbsie, so I won't repeat it. It is outrageous though that people are *still* not given proper help but just left to get on with it.

Changing diet will help greatly, giving up or reducing starchy carbs like potatoes, pasta, bread and rice, eating more green leafy vegetables, and losing weight. It won't happen overnight, but if you keep at it these changes should help. Testing regularly is very important - I presume you haven't been offered a meter? The one that is cheapest and is used by many of us is the SD Codefee, available from Home Health (and you don't pay vat on it if your're diabetic) or Amazon - sorry haven't got link. It's dead easy to use - even I can do it!

We are here to support you, so ask any questions you may have, and let us know how you get on. You may of course have other issues that need to be investigated by your GP, but we can certainly offer diabetic support. All the best to you.
 
Hi Patrick, you describe typical, text book high glucose symptoms and I'm sorry you've had such little guidance and support medically to help you. However, also make sure there's no sleep apnoea implicated which would explain the constant need to sleep during the day. Best wishes.
 
Hello Patrick

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis and the lack of information you have been given.

Some of the things you describe could certainly be associated with elevated blood glucose levels.

Once your blood glucose concentration reaches a certain level (approximately 10mmol/L) your kidneys attempt to flush out the extra glucose by peeing it out - hence extra urination.

High blood glucose levels can also many you extremely tired, as you describe.

Changes to nerves (neuropathy) can also cause pain/discomfort and lack of feeling in extremities.

The good news is, that there is something you can do. The medication you have been given can help, but probably a more significant impact could be made by changing what you are eating.

There are really useful links in the 'newbies' thread (https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/ scroll down to 'Type 2')which you can read at your leisure, but essentially your best weapon for pro-active management of your diabetes would be a blood glucose meter so that you can see how well you tolerate different types and amounts of carbohydrate. Test, Review, Adjust (http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html) is a useful starting point.

Anything with carbohydrate will raise your BG levels (so anything like bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, oats, cereals, grains, baked goods, pastry, fruit, root vegetables blah blah blah). How much you can tolerate, what types and at what times of day are frustratingly individual. What is most important at this stage are not the absolute numbers themselves but the before and 1-2hour after eating differences. You will ideally lower your averages over a reasonably long period of time, but too rapid a change over a short time can put a lot of stress on the body, so it's wide to adjust gradually rather than go 'all or nothing'.

Losing weight will really help increase insulin sensitivity, as will activity - so it's great to hear that you are active.

Good luck with it, and keep asking questions here - it's good to face these challenges among people who 'get it'.
 
Hello and welcome to forum
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Hello Patrick

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis and the lack of information you have been given.

Some of the things you describe could certainly be associated with elevated blood glucose levels.

Once your blood glucose concentration reaches a certain level (approximately 10mmol/L) your kidneys attempt to flush out the extra glucose by peeing it out - hence extra urination.

High blood glucose levels can also many you extremely tired, as you describe.

Changes to nerves (neuropathy) can also cause pain/discomfort and lack of feeling in extremities.

The good news is, that there is something you can do. The medication you have been given can help, but probably a more significant impact could be made by changing what you are eating.

There are really useful links in the 'newbies' thread (https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/ scroll down to 'Type 2')which you can read at your leisure, but essentially your best weapon for pro-active management of your diabetes would be a blood glucose meter so that you can see how well you tolerate different types and amounts of carbohydrate. Test, Review, Adjust (http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html) is a useful starting point.

Anything with carbohydrate will raise your BG levels (so anything like bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, oats, cereals, grains, baked goods, pastry, fruit, root vegetables blah blah blah). How much you can tolerate, what types and at what times of day are frustratingly individual. What is most important at this stage are not the absolute numbers themselves but the before and 1-2hour after eating differences. You will ideally lower your averages over a reasonably long period of time, but too rapid a change over a short time can put a lot of stress on the body, so it's wide to adjust gradually rather than go 'all or nothing'.

Losing weight will really help increase insulin sensitivity, as will activity - so it's great to hear that you are active.

Good luck with it, and keep asking questions here - it's good to face these challenges among people who 'get it'.
Click to expand...
everydayupsanddowns said:
Hello Patrick

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis and the lack of information you have been given.

Some of the things you describe could certainly be associated with elevated blood glucose levels.

Once your blood glucose concentration reaches a certain level (approximately 10mmol/L) your kidneys attempt to flush out the extra glucose by peeing it out - hence extra urination.

High blood glucose levels can also many you extremely tired, as you describe.

Changes to nerves (neuropathy) can also cause pain/discomfort and lack of feeling in extremities.

The good news is, that there is something you can do. The medication you have been given can help, but probably a more significant impact could be made by changing what you are eating.

There are really useful links in the 'newbies' thread (https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/ scroll down to 'Type 2')which you can read at your leisure, but essentially your best weapon for pro-active management of your diabetes would be a blood glucose meter so that you can see how well you tolerate different types and amounts of carbohydrate. Test, Review, Adjust (http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html) is a useful starting point.

Anything with carbohydrate will raise your BG levels (so anything like bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, oats, cereals, grains, baked goods, pastry, fruit, root vegetables blah blah blah). How much you can tolerate, what types and at what times of day are frustratingly individual. What is most important at this stage are not the absolute numbers themselves but the before and 1-2hour after eating differences. You will ideally lower your averages over a reasonably long period of time, but too rapid a change over a short time can put a lot of stress on the body, so it's wide to adjust gradually rather than go 'all or nothing'.

Losing weight will really help increase insulin sensitivity, as will activity - so it's great to hear that you are active.

Good luck with it, and keep asking questions here - it's good to face these challenges among people who 'get it'.
Click to expand...
 
Pine Marten said:
Hi Patrick, good advice already given by Bubbsie, so I won't repeat it. It is outrageous though that people are *still* not given proper help but just left to get on with it.

Changing diet will help greatly, giving up or reducing starchy carbs like potatoes, pasta, bread and rice, eating more green leafy vegetables, and losing weight. It won't happen overnight, but if you keep at it these changes should help. Testing regularly is very important - I presume you haven't been offered a meter? The one that is cheapest and is used by many of us is the SD Codefee, available from Home Health (and you don't pay vat on it if your're diabetic) or Amazon - sorry haven't got link. It's dead easy to use - even I can do it!

We are here to support you, so ask any questions you may have, and let us know how you get on. You may of course have other issues that need to be investigated by your GP, but we can certainly offer diabetic support. All the best to you.
Click to expand...
Thank you PM...but...apparently my post had to be 'edited for lack of clarity'...my line spacing...it was felt the lack of them could have confused Patrick...so...Patrick let me apologise if I caused any confusion...if I have...get back to me and I will be happy to clarify any points you wish
 
Hello and welcome to the forum Patrick. 🙂
 
Hi. Metformin never has that much effect on blood sugar so the highest priority for a T2 is to follow a low-carb diet; it should help a lot. There are some other drugs but many not ideally suited to T2 where insulin resistance due to excess weight is the main problem.
 
Patrick hi and welcome very sound advice from bubbsie as ever. I do hope things get better for you
 
Your symptoms are typical of uncontrolled diabetes - I'm afraid that Metformin is not a blood glucose regulator it acts on the liver, apparently, but it is also infamous for causing upset guts, as well as having other side effects - I got just about all of them so I stopped taking it and did not see any difference in my blood glucose levels - I bought a meter so I could test myself.
The good news is that after just over 6 months my readings are normal. My cholesterol went down and my ratios were either good or ideal after just 80 days, but I do not eat any foods which are more than 10 percent carbohydrate, that is starch or sugar.
My weight has reduced, my waist is shrinking and I feel much better than on the cholesterol reducing diet which put weight on all the time.
 
Hello to Patrick.

Believe me you are NOT alone. Not giving info or proper support seems to be the way in Sheffy. Actually no, change that- giving the WRONG info appears to be the norm.
As the forum members have said get a meter and go from there, I ordered one yesterday.
 
Hi Patrick,
It bought a Codefree meter on advice from the forum. It was very reasonably priced, on Amazon, along with the strips and very easy to use. I am not technically minded but I set it up! This is really helping me try and sort out what I can eat.
 
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