Diabetes and Heart Disease

[VelvetPaw]

I’m wondering if anyone here was diagnosed with heart disease at the same time as diabetes? How did you cope?

I was diagnosed with diabetes just over a week ago and I’m still in the very early stages of taking insulin, adjusting my diet and upping the exercise. I don’t even know what type I am yet as the results will take months to come back.

I’m absolutely terrified that I may already have developed heart disease. My cholesterol is 8 and I’ve got twinges in my chest. It may be anxiety, which I suffer from already and take medication for, but I fear it’s angina.

Have others had this experience? Did you discover heart problems at the same time? The more stressed I get about it the worse it gets and I end up in a vicious circle. I think it might be affecting my blood sugar too - can stress make a significant difference? It seemed to go up this morning after I’d had a panic attack.

 

[trophywench]

A lot of the blood tests most of us have 'around' or diabetes, the results are back with our GP by the next day. If they are also testing to discover properly exactly which 'type' of diabetes yours is, then some of them do take longer because not every pathology lab. can do those tests. If they are needing to do genetic tests (which are hardly run of the mill where diabetes is concerned) then those take 'even' longer.

What did your doc say when you told him about your twinges and your fears? And, what was your BP when he did it, at the time?

 

[helli]

A lot of the blood tests most of us have 'around' or diabetes, the results are back with our GP by the next day

As previously discussed, this varies a lot by CCGs/hospital/surgery.
I am advised to have my blood tests done 2 weeks before my annual review to ensure my tests are back.

it is great that yours are back the next day but this is not the same throughout the UK.

 

[VelvetPaw]

A lot of the blood tests most of us have 'around' or diabetes, the results are back with our GP by the next day. If they are also testing to discover properly exactly which 'type' of diabetes yours is, then some of them do take longer because not every pathology lab. can do those tests. If they are needing to do genetic tests (which are hardly run of the mill where diabetes is concerned) then those take 'even' longer.

What did your doc say when you told him about your twinges and your fears? And, what was your BP when he did it, at the time?

Hi @trophywench, thanks so much for your reply.

My diagnosis was a bit of a drama - the doc called to say that I had to go and see him there and then about the results of some blood tests. The practice nurse explained my blood sugar was high and mentioned a reading of 124, which I later figured out was the Hb1ac test. I was bundled off to hospital and found out when I got there that I was diabetic.

In the aftermath I didn’t think about anything but the d

A lot of the blood tests most of us have 'around' or diabetes, the results are back with our GP by the next day. If they are also testing to discover properly exactly which 'type' of diabetes yours is, then some of them do take longer because not every pathology lab. can do those tests. If they are needing to do genetic tests (which are hardly run of the mill where diabetes is concerned) then those take 'even' longer.

What did your doc say when you told him about your twinges and your fears? And, what was your BP when he did it, at the time?

Hi @trophywench, thanks so much for your reply.

My diagnosis was accompanied by unnecessary drama, which left me a bit shell shocked. I’d asked for blood tests and when the GP got the results he called to say drop everything and come to the surgery. After an urgent discussion I was bundled off to hospital: the care there was great and I was given loads of info about diabetes and my treatment.

A week on it’s sunk in a bit and I’m freaking out about the damage diabetes may have done already. I’m worried sick that I have heart disease. The GP surgery is closed until after Easter so I can’t book an appointment yet and will have to sweat it out. I think that might be having an effect on my blood sugar - is that possible? Or just a minimal impact?

Genetic testing has been mentioned because my Dad was diagnosed with diabetes at 37 and died of heart failure at 49. I am 48 now and until last week thought I was in great health. Now I feel like I’m on a precipice

 

[trophywench]

Well - all results from hospital labs are communicated to he who requested it, electronically. Not like they have to wait for the post these days. Admittedly they might have to work out what they need to do about the result before they see the patient so they can tell them - but not for routine tests they do every year for this bloke or lady when the result isn't much different from last time - and of course the lab system highlights the 'too high' and 'too low' results, and the GP in house computer systems are designed to make it easy to see how the latest result differs from that of the previous such test. Of course they aren't all as easy as that to do - but a fortnight?I'm only 71, but 've never had to wait a fortnight for a test result in my life. Even when I was little in the 1950s and GPs weren't open every weekday or weekends, results would be back the next week. Though of course - they hadn't yet invented some of the tests people can have today!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

A week on it’s sunk in a bit and I’m freaking out about the damage diabetes may have done already. I’m worried sick that I have heart disease. The GP surgery is closed until after Easter so I can’t book an appointment yet and will have to sweat it out. I think that might be having an effect on my blood sugar - is that possible? Or just a minimal impact?

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis @VelvetPaw and how upsetting it has been for you.

Please do try not to worry about any damage that may have occurred already. Diabetes is generally a slow-moving foe, and it’s unlikely that your experience thus far will have had any lasting effect. We have members on the forum who have been living with diabetes for decades and are still in excellent health. Anxiety and worry are very common, but they won’t be helping you. It’s much easier said than done, but do try to take a step back and calm yourself.

What matters really is trying to manage your blood glucose levels, blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight in the long term.

And along with your diagnosis come lots of regular monitoring and checks to spot any changes in risk factors nice and early 🙂

 

[VelvetPaw]

Thank you @everydayupsanddowns, your message has really helped me.

I’m trying very hard to keep everything in perspective, especially my worries about diabetes complications. My chest pain eased after I went for an ECG and got normal results, so it’s probable that stress was a key factor.

I suspect that until I get my blood glucose under control I’ll continue to be anxious. My insulin levels aren’t quite right yet and remain under review, but at least I can be calmer if I know that it’s not an urgent race against time. Even if my lifestyle changes haven’t brought my blood glucose into range yet hopefully they will be having a positive impact on my heart health.

Thanks again for your advice, I really appreciate it

 

[PattiEvans]

I suspect that until I get my blood glucose under control I’ll continue to be anxious. My insulin levels aren’t quite right yet and remain under review, but at least I can be calmer if I know that it’s not an urgent race against time. Even if my lifestyle changes haven’t brought my blood glucose into range yet hopefully they will be having a positive impact on my heart health.

Thanks again for your advice, I really appreciate it

Hi there VelvetPaw. You haven't mentioned previously that you are on insulin, but do I gather from the post above that you have been put onto insulin? If so can you tell us which insulin(s) and what doses please?

Reading between the lines of your posts it sounds as though they think you may be Type1 and the tests you are waiting for may be GAD65 (antibody test) and CPeptide. If so then I can understand why they are taking time. These tests do, whereas an Hba1c test (which measures the amount of glucose stuck to your red blood cells) will likely be back very quickly. You mention a reading of 124 and that will be your Hba1c test results. It's high, but not so high that you need to panic unduly. Hope this helps a bit, but a bit more information from you will make it easier for us to comment.

 

[VelvetPaw]

Hi @Pattidevans, thanks for your reply.

I am on insulin - 24 units of Levemir and 4 units of Novorapid before each meal.

My nurse explained that the insulin doses aren’t right yet and need to be gradually adjusted, so I’m trying to be patient and not get over anxious. It’s hard though!

I think that Type 1 is suspected until it’s proved one way or another, so I’m preparing myself for that possibility.

Currently my blood glucose readings baffle me. I’ve adopted a low carb / no added sugar diet and regular exercise but I’m still in the 11 - 15 mmol range at the moment, with occasional outliers. Yesterday it shot up from 8 to 17 before and after dinner. I blame the half banana The day before I skipped breakfast just to see what would happen by lunchtime - it went up

I feel like my poor body needs a break. I’m stressed which I know won’t help, but it’s hard not to worry when I can’t get it under control.

Thanks for listening

 

[PattiEvans]

Hi there @VelvetPaw firstly stress is an absolute PITA for blood sugars it really is. It can send you high and keep you there, which in it's turn gives you more stress. So do try to relax, have a nice hot bath or do a bit of pampering.

Is your nurse in more or less constant contact with you and is she helping to adjust your insulin doses. Or have you been left to it yourself?

Yes the half banana is more than likely the culprit for your rise before dinner. I've avoided bananas (along with grapes) for the last 18 years for that very reason! Fruit is good for you of course, but you will generally find the berry fruits have less of an affect on your BGs.

It may be that, along with your anxiety, your body has been used to high BGs so your liver is helping it to stay at the 11 - 15 range. Keep persisting though, it will eventually get the message!