help needed to understand

[nedsram13a]

Hi, I have been suffering with other symptoms for a year and had my Hba1c done in March and this was pre diabetic at 45. In September my eyes went really bluury and within a week I had to get temporary glasses as my vision had gone really blurry (not just a bit). My hba1c came back as 78 so I was started on metformin (1000mg twice a day) and told I had type 2 diabetes, a month later they were re taken and gone up to 98. I have now been on them 2 months and now also taken 80mg glyclazide for 2 weeks. I have just spent 5 days in hospital as I had pains in my chest and one of the ecg and blood tests results came back with an anomoly on (the first tests were ok). I have had ear ache, throat ache, constant headache and pain in my gums all year that after anti bioyics go away for 6-8 weeks then return but since September these have got much worse. is there any other reasons blood sugars would rise quickly from my other symptoms and how long should I expect it to take for my blood sugars to come under control. Is it worth seeing a specialist as the nurse just seems to be adding on extra tablets but the sugars on the finger prick are still between 13 and 21 and don't seem to be dropping.

Thanks for any help as I have been now suffering for the last 12 months although the blood sugars only raised in September

 

[Kaylz]

Hi and welcome to the forum 🙂

Firstly what do you tend to eat in a day? If you are consuming a lot of carbohydrates then that wont help your blood sugars at all as its carbohydrates that turn to glucose in the body xx

 

[Drummer]

As you are taking gliclazide you should have been given a meter and strips - have you seen reduced blood glucose readings in the last few weeks?
If you were not given a meter, go back to your GP, as it can cause hypos and you must test if you are driving.
Infections can cause elevated blood glucose, but it seems quite a jump in Hba1c and high levels in general.

 

[Flower]

Hello @nedsram13a sorry to hear you are having a rough time.

What Symptoms have you had apart from raised glucose and blurry eyes?- weight loss, increased thirst , increased urination, tiredness? I would bear in mind and question whether you might not be Type 2 and could be LADA adult onset Type 1 where the onset of symptoms can be slower but increasingly the medication for T2 just can't work as your insulin producing cells are dying off. That may not be the case but you need to raise the possibily, there is a C Peptide test that can be done to try and determine how much insulin your pancreas is still making.

A Type 1 diagnosis can happen at any age but often Type 2 is assumed because of your age. If things don't start to improve with medication I would ask about your diagnosis. I hope things start to improve for you.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hello @nedsram13a

Welcome to the forum!

Like @Flower I think some parts of your story are sounding rather unusual for T2 where the progress is generally quite gradual over a number of years or even decades. You seem to have seen profound change over a matter of months and you are not getting much apparent benefit from the oral medications.

it would be definitely be worth asking to be checked for possible LADA or late-onset T1. More than 50% of people diagnosed with T1 are adults, and there is no upper age limit!

Having said that, it is worth considering your food intake in either case. The standard Western diet tends to revolve around high levels of carbohydrate, and some people’s metabolisms just aren’t built for it.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I too was thinking what @Flower said - if your blood sugar is going up rather than down it could be slow onset type 1. I would definitely ask to be tested for type 1, and if your surgery is unwilling to do this, ask them to refer you to a hospital specialist.

 

[nedsram13a]

Hi, I have been suffering with other symptoms for a year and had my Hba1c done in March and this was pre diabetic at 45. In September my eyes went really bluury and within a week I had to get temporary glasses as my vision had gone really blurry (not just a bit). My hba1c came back as 78 so I was started on metformin (1000mg twice a day) and told I had type 2 diabetes, a month later they were re taken and gone up to 98. I have now been on them 2 months and now also taken 80mg glyclazide for 2 weeks. I have just spent 5 days in hospital as I had pains in my chest and one of the ecg and blood tests results came back with an anomoly on (the first tests were ok). I have had ear ache, throat ache, constant headache and pain in my gums all year that after anti bioyics go away for 6-8 weeks then return but since September these have got much worse. is there any other reasons blood sugars would rise quickly from my other symptoms and how long should I expect it to take for my blood sugars to come under control. Is it worth seeing a specialist as the nurse just seems to be adding on extra tablets but the sugars on the finger prick are still between 13 and 21 and don't seem to be dropping.

Thanks for any help as I have been now suffering for the last 12 months although the blood sugars only raised in September

Hi and welcome to the forum 🙂

Firstly what do you tend to eat in a day? If you are consuming a lot of carbohydrates then that wont help your blood sugars at all as its carbohydrates that turn to glucose in the body xx

Hi, and thank you for your reply. My carbs have dramatically reduced since the end of September when the hba1c went up to 78, I am not carb free but would say I am now low carb but still learning on some of the things that can affect blood sugar.

 

[nedsram13a]

As you are taking gliclazide you should have been given a meter and strips - have you seen reduced blood glucose readings in the last few weeks?
If you were not given a meter, go back to your GP, as it can cause hypos and you must test if you are driving.
Infections can cause elevated blood glucose, but it seems quite a jump in Hba1c and high levels in general.

Hi and thank you for your reply, I have been on metformin for 7 weeks and 20mg glilazide around 2 weeks. I came out of hospital with a suspected heart attack (they don't think it was but one of my ecg and blood tests had annomolies in so they are treating it as though it was for now). While in hospital they could not control my blood sugars so upped my glyclazide to 80mg day. Today was my lowest it has been in a morning at 11.4 so had scrambled eggs for breakfast (just 3 eggs no milk or sauces) and it is now 13.8. I use my wifes meter so keeping regular checks at the moment and marking them down for the nurse. At the moment I feel the illest I have been in my life. really bad head ache, ear ache, really blurred vision as well as pains in my abdomen and chest.

 

[nedsram13a]

Hello @nedsram13a sorry to hear you are having a rough time.

What Symptoms have you had apart from raised glucose and blurry eyes?- weight loss, increased thirst , increased urination, tiredness? I would bear in mind and question whether you might not be Type 2 and could be LADA adult onset Type 1 where the onset of symptoms can be slower but increasingly the medication for T2 just can't work as your insulin producing cells are dying off. That may not be the case but you need to raise the possibily, there is a C Peptide test that can be done to try and determine how much insulin your pancreas is still making.

A Type 1 diagnosis can happen at any age but often Type 2 is assumed because of your age. If things don't start to improve with medication I would ask about your diagnosis. I hope things start to improve for you.

Hi and thank you for your reply and help. over the last 12 months I have been suffering with on and off headaches, blurred vision, sore throat, earache, gum and toothache. When it started to get quite bad i go to the Gp and they give me antibiotics that clear it all up then 6-8 weeks later it starts again, had 6 lots of antibiotics this year. My gp had suggested brain cancer and I asked him about sugars in September which is the first time they were raised. I had a very brief spell literally 2-3 days of being thirsty and wanting to urinate, up until september I could hold it in all day and can again now. The weight did drop for a few weeks

 

[rebrascora]

I agree that this sounds like you may well be misdiagnosed and need testing for Type 1. If we are correct and this is the case, you will need to start using insulin sooner rather than later. Many GPs do not realise that Type 1 can affect any age (they may well have been taught in medical school that Type 1 exhibits only in children and young adults..... which is now known to be incorrect.) Putting off starting you on insulin is not cost effective as you will likely end up in hospital again, but eating very low carb will help you to manage it until they get that testing done and start you on insulin.... please discuss this with your doctor.
I myself went through a similar situation earlier this year and like you, it was the members of this forum who recognised my misdiagnosis and told me that I needed to be on insulin and to push for that. My doctor, who I greatly respect, was dismissive, especially when I said that I had been advised by members of this forum, but my practice nurse had a case conference with the consultant about me and the insulin was authorised and I tested positive for Type 1.
I still eat low carb and whilst insulin is essential, I prefer to use the minimum necessary as BG being too low is as unpleasant as it is being too high.
Good luck getting something sorted.

 

[nedsram13a]

I agree that this sounds like you may well be misdiagnosed and need testing for Type 1. If we are correct and this is the case, you will need to start using insulin sooner rather than later. Many GPs do not realise that Type 1 can affect any age (they may well have been taught in medical school that Type 1 exhibits only in children and young adults..... which is now known to be incorrect.) Putting off starting you on insulin is not cost effective as you will likely end up in hospital again, but eating very low carb will help you to manage it until they get that testing done and start you on insulin.... please discuss this with your doctor.
I myself went through a similar situation earlier this year and like you, it was the members of this forum who recognised my misdiagnosis and told me that I needed to be on insulin and to push for that. My doctor, who I greatly respect, was dismissive, especially when I said that I had been advised by members of this forum, but my practice nurse had a case conference with the consultant about me and the insulin was authorised and I tested positive for Type 1.
I still eat low carb and whilst insulin is essential, I prefer to use the minimum necessary as BG being too low is as unpleasant as it is being too high.
Good luck getting something sorted.

Thank you for your reply, I have just left the Diabetic nurse after 30 minutes with her and with information your good selves on this forum she is referring me to a diabetic specialist. She did say with my age (50) it is unlikely to be type 1 but I did let her know from advice here that you can be diagnosed type 1 at any age (she didn't like it but iv'e had enough of nothing being done). I have started to keep the carbs as low as I can now so cut out all the normal high carb foods but it must be hard to go zero carb. It is starting to grind me down with all the other symptoms

 

[Drummer]

As I am a standard issue type two, and lucky with it, I'd advise reporting those numbers right away - which I see you have just done.

If you feel any worse, get back in touch with your dr or go to A & E - if you need insulin - no matter what type you are, then it is not something which can wait - it can get serious, so be aware, and alert others - and keep using that meter.
I have my fingers crossed that it will all work out - but please take care.

 

[rebrascora]

Pleased you have fought your corner and are getting a referral to the specialist clinic. The staff there will be much more enlightened. Apparently the consultants in my NHS trust area have a competition between themselves each year for the oldest newly diagnosed Type 1 but at 55 I was not in the running. The winner I believe so far has been an 80 year old!

 

[Deleted member 25429]

Thank you for your reply, I have just left the Diabetic nurse after 30 minutes with her and with information your good selves on this forum she is referring me to a diabetic specialist. She did say with my age (50) it is unlikely to be type 1 but I did let her know from advice here that you can be diagnosed type 1 at any age (she didn't like it but iv'e had enough of nothing being done). I have started to keep the carbs as low as I can now so cut out all the normal high carb foods but it must be hard to go zero carb. It is starting to grind me down with all the other symptoms

I was diagnosed in June of this year following a dka I was 52

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I was 44 when I was diagnosed, but we have several people on here who were diagnosed in their 50s, and I think some in their 60s.

I'm glad to hear the nurse is referring you to a specialist - hope the specialist will be willing to test you for type 1.

 

[nedsram13a]

As I am a standard issue type two, and lucky with it, I'd advise reporting those numbers right away - which I see you have just done.

If you feel any worse, get back in touch with your dr or go to A & E - if you need insulin - no matter what type you are, then it is not something which can wait - it can get serious, so be aware, and alert others - and keep using that meter.
I have my fingers crossed that it will all work out - but please take care.

Thanks again for your help and I will keep this thread updated

 

[nedsram13a]

I was diagnosed in June of this year following a dka I was 52

Thanks, reading the thread many health proffessionals are unaware type 1 can happen in later life such as the diabetic nurse I saw. So glad I joined this friendly helpful group as otherwise I would have not known any of your kind advice

 

[nedsram13a]

Pleased you have fought your corner and are getting a referral to the specialist clinic. The staff there will be much more enlightened. Apparently the consultants in my NHS trust area have a competition between themselves each year for the oldest newly diagnosed Type 1 but at 55 I was not in the running. The winner I believe so far has been an 80 year old!

Wow 80 is some age to be diagnosed, can't wait to tell the nurse that one. Thanks for your comments they are appreciated

 

[Deleted member 25429]

Thanks, reading the thread many health proffessionals are unaware type 1 can happen in later life such as the diabetic nurse I saw. So glad I joined this friendly helpful group as otherwise I would have not known any of your kind advice

I had a DKA was told I was type 1 saw a consultant two months later who stated I was too healthy to be type 1 and decided to put me on met form in and take me off insulin . Luckily she also ordered blood tests and these confirmed I was type 1 . My SDN has changed my consultant and I can’t fault the SDN she is amazing very very supportive.