Frustrated!

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angeladalton

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I am type to, on insulin, metformin and dabigliflozin. About a month ago I started getting hypos with no symptoms. My licence has been revoked due to this. Saw the diabetic nurse yesterday who can't explain why it is happening. My insulin has been halfed and I have to keep a food dairy for 2 weeks. I am so frustrated, I feel iam not in control of my life. I feel my freedom has been taken away from me and I am going to be judged by what I eat! I know its for my own good but I hare it! I am now 3 month from being off antidepressants and don't want to go back on them. I have a car just outside my house doing nothing. Feeling sorry for myself and frustrated
 
Take comfort in the fact that you did the right thing @angeladalton You’re a good, responsible person - and not everyone is, so be proud of that.

How are you doing without the insulin? Is your blood sugar ok? Has the nurse looked into whether it might be a digestive issue? For example, coeliac disease can cause unexpected hypos, and could cause a loss of hypo symptoms in theory.
 
In my twenties a nurse told me that the female body goes though changes around every 7 years. Never found medical backup to this statement, but it has proved to be the pattern throughout my life. Each time my body has changed, such as hormone levels changing as I’ve aged, my diabetes has gone through dramatic changes to adapt to whatever my body was going through. Each time I’ve had to learn to listen to my body and find the new medication levels that work for whatever has changed. Hypo warning symptoms in particular have changed dramatically, I thought at one point I wasn’t getting any, until I realised they had changed and become a lot more subtle. My husband sees my warning signs long before I’m aware of them, I had to listen to him to refind the signs myself. I have always found being mindful and taking time to be calm and inwardly reflective has always helped me to adjust.
 
Inka said:
Take comfort in the fact that you did the right thing @angeladalton You’re a good, responsible person - and not everyone is, so be proud of that.

How are you doing without the insulin? Is your blood sugar ok? Has the nurse looked into whether it might be a digestive issue? For example, coeliac disease can cause unexpected hypos, and could cause a loss of hypo symptoms in theory.
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Today my blood sugars are in range. Hope this continues. Sorry for moaning x
 
My hypo signs have changed too even over just he 4.5 years I have been diagnosed. How the most common sign is slight indigestion or stomach butterflies.... like going down in a lift and my tinnitus sometimes gets worse. It used to be my peripheral vision going slightly blurry as my first sign and I used to regularly check up on that when I was out for a walk on my own, to keep myself safe. Other signs are less consistent, like tingly lips, tongue or nose. I get them very occasionally but not at all consistent. The shaky legs and pounding heart and sweating etc only happen at really low levels or when I am dropping very fast which rarely happens these days and to me, those are my body reacting to adrenaline release as a result of a hypo rather than hypo warning signs which to me are the subtle sensations before my levels get low enough to trigger adrenaline release. Mostly I get those signs about 4 but have had them as high as 5 recently (according to Libre) but sometimes mid - high 3s. I think it depends how fast levels are dropping as to how obvious they are but also how engrossed I am in what I am doing and how physical or otherwise that activity is.

Understanding hypo awareness is important and is confusing for many people and I do wonder if perhaps @angeladalton has not fully attuned herself to those subtle signs and assumed the hypo reaction of sweating and shaking etc is hypo awareness. For me those effects kick in when levels get below 3.5 but it is the subtle earlier signs which to me are hypo awareness and they vary for everyone and over time.

@angeladalton I am really sorry that you are feeling so unsupported and isolated by your diagnosis and treatment. I know it is tough but it is possible to work at restoring your hypo awareness if you have indeed lost it and hopefully get your licence back. That said, if you no longer have hypos I am not sure how you prove you have regained your hypo awareness. I think there is an element of "Catch 22" with it.

Hopefully your reduced insulin will help to stabilize your levels which will help you both physically and mentally as it is emotionally draining when levels are erratic. Sending (((HUGS)))
 
rebrascora said:
My hypo signs have changed too even over just he 4.5 years I have been diagnosed. How the most common sign is slight indigestion or stomach butterflies.... like going down in a lift and my tinnitus sometimes gets worse. It used to be my peripheral vision going slightly blurry as my first sign and I used to regularly check up on that when I was out for a walk on my own, to keep myself safe. Other signs are less consistent, like tingly lips, tongue or nose. I get them very occasionally but not at all consistent. The shaky legs and pounding heart and sweating etc only happen at really low levels or when I am dropping very fast which rarely happens these days and to me, those are my body reacting to adrenaline release as a result of a hypo rather than hypo warning signs which to me are the subtle sensations before my levels get low enough to trigger adrenaline release. Mostly I get those signs about 4 but have had them as high as 5 recently (according to Libre) but sometimes mid - high 3s. I think it depends how fast levels are dropping as to how obvious they are but also how engrossed I am in what I am doing and how physical or otherwise that activity is.

Understanding hypo awareness is important and is confusing for many people and I do wonder if perhaps @angeladalton has not fully attuned herself to those subtle signs and assumed the hypo reaction of sweating and shaking etc is hypo awareness. For me those effects kick in when levels get below 3.5 but it is the subtle earlier signs which to me are hypo awareness and they vary for everyone and over time.

@angeladalton I am really sorry that you are feeling so unsupported and isolated by your diagnosis and treatment. I know it is tough but it is possible to work at restoring your hypo awareness if you have indeed lost it and hopefully get your licence back. That said, if you no longer have hypos I am not sure how you prove you have regained your hypo awareness. I think there is an element of "Catch 22" with it.

Hopefully your reduced insulin will help to stabilize your levels which will help you both physically and mentally as it is emotionally draining when levels are erratic. Sending (((HUGS)))
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I have had type 2 diabetes for over 20 years. Up until a month ago I was fully aware of hypos. Having no symptoms with hypos is a new issue for me.
 
angeladalton said:
Today my blood sugars are in range. Hope this continues. Sorry for moaning x
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Glad to hear that your levels have returned to range.

Hopefully if your levels stabilise a little, and can avoid readings below 4.0 as much as you can for a few weeks or months, then your hypo warning signs will recover.

Your type of insulin wasn’t changed recently was it?
 
@angeladalton as a personal example, not suggesting this for yourself. When I was originally diagnosed three years ago (incorrectly as a type 1 later changed to type 2 and 3 years later to remission) I was put on insulin and other stuff and my blood glucose was all over the place. It was crazy and very frightening. It got so low at times that I rang 111 and with their advice/blessing I came off all diabetic meds immediately (probably not a good idea in hindsight. Slower reductions might have been better). From that moment on though my blood glucose settled into the normal range and has stayed there!

I don't drive (through choice tho)

Interestingly similar to you in some ways. I will be very intetested to see how you get on going forwards
 
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