Help - has this happened to anyone else

[Hazel]

Hello

I am T2, text book readings for 6 years, since diagnosis. Then 2 years ago, they slowly began creeping up. Then, following the death of my Mam in early 07 and being made redundant in early 2008 - the readings snowballed. My GP (who is the practice diabetic doctor) changed my meds, more than once, but still the readings are not what the should be, at worst my HBa1c was
11.7, now back down to 10.1 - but she is now referring my to the local hospital diabetic unit.

Don't know what to expect - but I think insulin could be on the cards.

Has anyone else encountered something similar. I would appreicate any thoughts or comments.

Many thanks

 

[Lizzie]

I am not sure how to sort it out but I know stress can definitely affect blood sugars. Do you think you may have become depressed and for example become less active or eaten less healthily due to the traumatic experiences? How is your food and exercise now and how are your stress levels? Do you test your blood sugar regularly or just rely on the HBA1? If it were me I would test at regular intervals to see if there was any pattern. It is good that your HBA1s seem to be going down, maybe with time they will return to what they should be. In any case, it is good that you are going to the hospital to see some experts - I wouldn't trust my GP to manage my diabetic care.

 

[Hazel]

Thanks for your comments Lizzie

I do record my readings daily, and give them to my GP every 8 weeks when I go for my repeat prescription.

Stressed perhaps more than depressed, but certainly, as an only child, my mother dying within 5 days of a cancer diagnosis, certainly took it's toll.

I 'phoned the hospital today to ask what to expect. Apparently there is an injection prescribed which is not insulin, just neek to wait now till I see them. As they say, keep taking the pills.

Hazel

 

[sofaraway]

that injection which is not insulin is probably byetta, very effective for alot of people.

http://www.byetta.com/index.jsp

 

[Jules A]

If your HbA1c is above 10 and you are on anything like maximum doses of oral meds it is likely that you will be put on insulin. Byetta is another possibility but not all PCTs fund it as it's not been approved by NICE yet.

DON'T WORRY though - it's certainly not the end of the world. The injections don't hurt as much as finger pricks and you soon get used to it. I was actually relieved to be put on insulin because, after years of failing to get my levels right with D&E and oral meds, I now feel I have control of my condition not vice versa.

If you are put on insulin try to get put on multi dose insulin (4 or 5 jabs a day) rather than mixed insulin (2 jabs a day). This is because you can't adjust your dose for what you eat with mixed insulin so most people end up eating to 'feed the insulin' so they don't go hypo and as a result put on lots of weight. With MDI however I have managed to lose more than 2 stone by carb counting, restricting (but not cutting out) carbohydrate and not snacking (I have a strict rule that if I have a snack I take another insulin jab to cover the carb - it's surprising how the prospect of another injection stops you feeling hungry).

 

[C*5_Dodger]

Hello

I am T2, text book readings for 6 years, since diagnosis. Then 2 years ago, they slowly began creeping up. Then, following the death of my Mam in early 07 and being made redundant in early 2008 - the readings snowballed. My GP (who is the practice diabetic doctor) changed my meds, more than once, but still the readings are not what the should be, at worst my HBa1c was
11.7, now back down to 10.1 - but she is now referring my to the local hospital diabetic unit.

Don't know what to expect - but I think insulin could be on the cards.

Has anyone else encountered something similar. I would appreicate any thoughts or comments.

Many thanks

Dear Hazel,
Do you eat plenty of carbohydrate? If you do it is just possible that you beta-cell function has declined to the point that you do not have sufficent insulin to cover the carbs. If you choose to restrict carbohydrate you could well find that you have to decrease your diabetic meds rather than increase them!

Regards Dodger

 

[Caroline Wilson]

I'm type 2, and stress affects my readings a lot.

I have been home this week (off sick), and my readings have been between 5and 8. When at work my readings are between 6 and 10.

I have had a lot of stress for about the last 4 or 5 months with the childminder letting me down and getting time off work to be here for child care and stuff. I am more relaxed when at home so readings are lower...

 

[Hazel]

Thank you to all who have replied - I appreciate you each taking the time .

I checked locally, and Byetta is covered by our NHS, so if indeed the hospital, once the hospital runs the tests, prescribes Byetta, I am covered.

Thanks again and God bless

Hazel

 

[mcmoby69]

byetta user

hi chaps and chapesses. i am new to the forum and type 2, have been for 5 years. changed gp recently and was referred immediately to a consultant after my recent hba1c result. i was on 144 lantus and max metformin dose per day. my consultant has 25 people on his books using byetta and halving the insulin dose. my daily tests have dropped significantly before and after meals. byetta also has a side effect where it stops your appetite which helps me out because of hunger pangs even when sugars are high. bad side effects are nausea(which i have had) vomiting and diahorrea (which i havent had). it was explained to me that byetta wasnt licensed for use with insulin and was expensive but the costs of insulin dropped per month which help to offset it. after a 30 day initial dose of 5 units(twice daily) this will be upped to 10 twice daily. i personally feel better after being on it just under two weeks and having lost 5kg in weight! and sugar results although not stable are much better. one woman already on the treatment has lost 5 stones.

 

[redrose]

Hello

I am T2, text book readings for 6 years, since diagnosis. Then 2 years ago, they slowly began creeping up. Then, following the death of my Mam in early 07 and being made redundant in early 2008 - the readings snowballed. My GP (who is the practice diabetic doctor) changed my meds, more than once, but still the readings are not what the should be, at worst my HBa1c was
11.7, now back down to 10.1 - but she is now referring my to the local hospital diabetic unit.

Don't know what to expect - but I think insulin could be on the cards.

Has anyone else encountered something similar. I would appreicate any thoughts or comments.

Many thanks

Hazel, reading your post was like reading my own.
I too had my sugars under control for a good few years then in 2007 I lost my dad to cancer after a horrific 8 months of him being ill in hospital. I lost 3 stone and was eating just 3 small meals a day (no snacking or treats). I went to hos for my next blood tests thinking my HB1A's would be even lower but I was wrong. They had shot up to 10.9 (usually between 5 and 6). I explained that nothing had changed to make the result so high. Doc just said we will see you again in a year and see if it has come down. Went a year later and the result was still high (10.5).
I was so frustated cause I truely wasnt doing anything different. My doc came to the conclusion that it maybe my medication (metformin) that had "stopped working " in controlling my levels and I may need something else.
In jan this year I was put on the Byetta injections (and still taking metformin) and so far so good. My day to day readings are slightly lower and in April I will be at the hos to get my HB1A results, so fingers crossed!!!
Debbs xxx