First Hospital Appointment since diagnosis

[belladonna]

Hi,
Just been for my first appointment and Doc pleased with levels, but concerned about too many hypos. On Metformin and Glicazide. To come off Glicazide and double up with Metformin. Actually had a hypo in the clinic after blood tested. They came with digestive biscuits and lucozade!. But bad news is my eyesight in left eye. Seems I have a bad cataract which will have to be seen to. I just put blurred vision down to the high sugar levels at the start. I am a bit worried about this treatment, a bit scared actually. thanks for listening. xx Is

 

[Northerner]

Hi belladonna, I hope that the change of medication keeps you hypo free and with good levels 🙂 Try not to worry too much about the cataract (easy to say, I know), but it is common and so therefore treatments are well-practised and successful. Hopefully other members will be able to reassure you about the procedure 🙂 Did they give you an idea of when you might receive treatment for it, and what it would entail?

 

[Andy HB]

They can do wonders with cataracts these days. Both my Mum and Dad have had cataract operations in the past with excellent results.

I think it's a good thing that you've come off the gliclazide now. I was very happy to come off it (a long time ago now) because I was never comfortable about something stimulating an already stressed organ! (stop tittering at the back there!).

Andy 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Hiya - I've been told I have the sign of cataracts in both eyes - they don't know 'when' just that I will definitely have them sometime.

Any treatment will be done at the hospital. They put local anaesthetic drops into your eye and really once they do that you won't know what they are doing and certainly won't feel it - just see a bright light and at some times during the procedure, be aware of pressure on the eye. But NOT pain!

Think it takes about 20 mins, but of course they aren't physically operating for all that time.

In and out!

 

[Copepod]

By the way, do you realise that Belladonna is a very appropriate name - belladonna plant extract was used by Italian "beautiful ladies" to dilate their pupils - so they looked alluring, but couldn't focus on anything.

More modern versions of belladonna medication is used today to dilate pupils so opticians and technicians can see retinae to take digital photos to assess health of blood vessels etc.

Hope what others have said about cataract surgery has reassured you? Things are a lot more routine these days, with daycases (actually only in for a few hours), local anaesthetic etc. Still scary, of course.

 

[belladonna]

Hi again

Thank you for all your replies, especially trophy wench. That procedure doesn't sound too bad, very glad for the information though. I think I should get a letter in a couple of weeks, or so they said. And was interested about what you said copepod about Belladonna, the other name is Deadly nightshade - its a poison, I think. My name is Isabel, hence choosing that name. I have a quirky sense of humour you see! Was thinking though, if I'm off the Glicazide I will have to be more vigilant with my diet to keep the sugar levels down. Maybe that's why I've to double up on the Metformin. Strangely, my husband is Type 2 Diabetic too. He's on Humalog and Metformin. He has been a great help to me this past month. Now I can appreciate what he's been going through these last few years. This is only my second post, but I do come on here a lot and read a lot of the posts. xx Is