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Hi all ...

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I

inthemix69

Member
I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes just oover a year ago, following the both the deaths of my wife and also my Mother from cancers. Obviously, I had gone through a terribly streesful time for jjust over two years prior to this diagnoses, as both my Mother and also my wife were diagnosed with cancers just six weeks apart. They died six months apart also. I had my two young daughters to provide for after my wife died. I had been feeling quite unwell over the two period of my wife's and my mother's cancers, but I put this down to just being very, very strressed and low on energy as I was running around ragged - I was looking after my two young daughters, whilst dealing with my wife's daily care needs and also driving 40 miles a day three times a week to cover my Mother's help needs too. One month after my wife died, I went to my ( rather useless ) GP and told him I was feeling utterly awful ... no energy, varying stomach pains and hungry a lot. I was overweight at around 19stones ( 6ft tall ). He suggested that the stress of everything was to blame and that I needed rest. However, I went back a week later, after not sleeping at all ... urinating through the night too. He asked me to go for a blood test, which was not easy for me as I am genuinely very tripanaphobic ( needlephobic ). However, I felt so ill, I went into the surgery, had the blood tes and passed out as expected ( lol ). I was told I'd be contacted within 2-3 weeks , but was infact called back that same afternoon and asked to come down to the surgery urgently. I was told that my blood sugar reading was at 28.1% ... I asked if that was bad and the doctor just laughed. I was placed on Metaformin.
It's been a year since being on metaformin and I currently take 3 500mg tablets a day, but I seem to have anumber of issues which I am growing very concerned about. My eyuesight is all over the place, one day really quite blurred vision, especially in my right eye ... and then it's kid of ok for a few days - this cycle just continues. I have had my diabetic eye scan and they have said all looks fine, but the I'm not so sure ? I also suffer pains in my stomach on the right side under the rib cage ... Having looked into this it seems it could be 'bile retention' which can be caused in some by metaformin. I did try Stigmaltpin, but that caused an serious increase in migraine headaches, so I had to go back to metaformin.
My weight dropped by 3 stone initially, which was great, but I am back up at 18 and half stones ... but the bizarre thing is, I am not eating any more and I struggle to eat 2-3 times a day as it is.
I did undergo an echo cardiogram about 7 months ago and this confirmed I had an enlarged spleen and slightly fatty liver. Other hospital tests revealed some breathing issues ( enlardged tonsil, uvula and crowding at the back of the throat. Was also diagnosed with sleep apnae and a couple of structuaral problems at the back of the nose which makes my nasal breathing quite bad when laying down, if at times almost impossible. Now have a cpap machine, but not remotely helping anything ...
I am still utterly knackered and without any energy at all most of the time, although I don't get daytime sleepiness oddly. Really confused here ...
 
Hi ITM,
A warm welcome to the forum ,I am really sorry for all that you have been through and it is still recent to, it must of been an unbearble nightmare for you all. xx with regards to your eye sight when did you actually get a eye check at the opticians maybe have one just to put your mind at rest, altho if the retinopathy picked no issues up I guess that wont but nevertheless the test is free for diabetics. Yes 28.1 is dangerously high and running at those levels no wonder you were ill. Have you any other family remotely close for support?
 
Hi Steff ... and thanks fot your reply.
Yes, I took the precaution of having a standard eye test about six weeks ago and my prescription had slightly changed, but not by much. I explained what was going on to the optician, but he said my eye health looed very good and he couldn't really offer an explanation, beyond possible early signs of a cattaract in the right eye. And, as stated, I just underwent my yearly diabetic eye screening and they said all looked ok on basic examination ... I'm stuck for an explanation.
 
Welcome to the forum 🙂
It sounds like you have had an incredibly stressful time, my condolences to you for your losses.
With regards to your diabetes, fuzzy eyesight can be connected to high blood glucose levels, do you test your own blood glucose levels at home? Many doctors won't give glucometer to type 2s, so if they won't provide one, it may be worth investing in one. Many people here find the codefree meters to be very useful. Available from Amazon and home health, the strips are the cheapest commercially available, and has good reports of reliability. Restring your own blood glucose is an invaluable took in controlling diabetes.
How is your diet? Lowering carbs, and especially 'bad carbs' white bread/pasta etc etc can help hugely. It would be worth asking your diabetes team about sending you on a diabetes education course, to learn about food etc, if you haven't already done so. Have you had a HbA1c lately?
 
Hi Mini Vicki ... and thanks for your response.
I am very needle phobic and I have largely avoided the diabetic nurse since diagnoses ( hangs his head in shame ! ). I use Diastick urine strips to test my sugar levels at home - couldn't wilfully stick any kind of needle in myself, unfortunately. I have alrgely opted for a plant based diet over the last few weeks ( yep, still early days, I know ). I do eat too much meat still, I feel, but have cut down an awful lot on complex carbs ( rice, potatoes and bread ). I do still occasionally drink a coca cola when I'm feeling a little down, but I must stop doing this. HbA1c - I've no idea since the reading we got when I was first diagnosed.
 
inthemix69 said:
I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes just oover a year ago, following the both the deaths of my wife and also my Mother from cancers. Obviously, I had gone through a terribly streesful time for jjust over two years prior to this diagnoses, as both my Mother and also my wife were diagnosed with cancers just six weeks apart. They died six months apart also. I had my two young daughters to provide for after my wife died. I had been feeling quite unwell over the two period of my wife's and my mother's cancers, but I put this down to just being very, very strressed and low on energy as I was running around ragged - I was looking after my two young daughters, whilst dealing with my wife's daily care needs and also driving 40 miles a day three times a week to cover my Mother's help needs too. One month after my wife died, I went to my ( rather useless ) GP and told him I was feeling utterly awful ... no energy, varying stomach pains and hungry a lot. I was overweight at around 19stones ( 6ft tall ). He suggested that the stress of everything was to blame and that I needed rest. However, I went back a week later, after not sleeping at all ... urinating through the night too. He asked me to go for a blood test, which was not easy for me as I am genuinely very tripanaphobic ( needlephobic ). However, I felt so ill, I went into the surgery, had the blood tes and passed out as expected ( lol ). I was told I'd be contacted within 2-3 weeks , but was infact called back that same afternoon and asked to come down to the surgery urgently. I was told that my blood sugar reading was at 28.1% ... I asked if that was bad and the doctor just laughed. I was placed on Metaformin.
It's been a year since being on metaformin and I currently take 3 500mg tablets a day, but I seem to have anumber of issues which I am growing very concerned about. My eyuesight is all over the place, one day really quite blurred vision, especially in my right eye ... and then it's kid of ok for a few days - this cycle just continues. I have had my diabetic eye scan and they have said all looks fine, but the I'm not so sure ? I also suffer pains in my stomach on the right side under the rib cage ... Having looked into this it seems it could be 'bile retention' which can be caused in some by metaformin. I did try Stigmaltpin, but that caused an serious increase in migraine headaches, so I had to go back to metaformin.
My weight dropped by 3 stone initially, which was great, but I am back up at 18 and half stones ... but the bizarre thing is, I am not eating any more and I struggle to eat 2-3 times a day as it is.
I did undergo an echo cardiogram about 7 months ago and this confirmed I had an enlarged spleen and slightly fatty liver. Other hospital tests revealed some breathing issues ( enlardged tonsil, uvula and crowding at the back of the throat. Was also diagnosed with sleep apnae and a couple of structuaral problems at the back of the nose which makes my nasal breathing quite bad when laying down, if at times almost impossible. Now have a cpap machine, but not remotely helping anything ...
I am still utterly knackered and without any energy at all most of the time, although I don't get daytime sleepiness oddly. Really confused here ...
Click to expand...
Warm welcome to the forum.
 
Ah yes, sorry I forgot you mentioned your needle phobia. Well, meat doesn't have a huge impact on your BGs, protein does raise your level, but not by much, and much slower than carbohydrates, so they are the main focus. Have you had any counselling for your phobia? Because if you can get past the fear, testing at home would help massively 🙂 what do the urinestix indicate?
 
I've had CBT and targetted counselling to try and deal with the tripanaphobia, but no joy.
Diastic shows levels of sugar in urine.
 
Hi Inthemix and welcome to the forum. It must be very difficult with the needle phobia. Unfortunately because you are still feeling so unwell another hba1c test would be helpful. Your initial one was so very high. If you could put yourself through that at least it would be a gauge as to whether the medication and changes you have made so far are helping enough. Maybe you could take the blood form request to your local hospital where the staff are more used to taking blood from nervous patients and it might be easier? Just a suggestion.
Good luck 🙂
 
IHi Linda ...

Yes, sadly, my experience with hospitals is no better at all ... my passing out ability is indiscriminate to location. Although I am being rather trivial about it, the process of passing out is just awful and something I do not likely face up to.
 
I'm so sorry you've been through so much inthemix and that you've got ongoing health issues. You're bound to be exhausted if you can't sleep properly due to these issues with your throat and structural issues. You really need the services of a good ENT surgeon if the CPAP machine isn't helping. Sometimes they can use gas to sedate you before using a needle for procedures. They've had to do that with my son. Obviously they won't do it for standard blood tests.

In terms of your blurry right eye, like me you may may have the start of a cataract. I paid to see an Consultant ophthalmologist because it wasn't picked up elsewhere. You mention a pain under your right rib cage which could be gallstone related. A swollen spleen pain is felt on the left.

I feel for you because the needle phobia clearly hampers consistent attempts to help. So many conditions necessitate blood tests and I could imagine you try to avoid them. It's a real fear and awful for you!

The Diastix only register when your BG is over 10 so you can be sure your levels are running too high. The metformin doesn't seem to be helping you as much as you need and perhaps your diet too. Not eating regularly can actually make the levels worse if the liver keeps pushing out the glucose so try smaller meals more often.

I'm so sorry you're in this situation but I think they're some underlying health issues you need addressing. I'm not sure if you're still with the not so helpful GP but you need much better health advice generally. I think you know you're avoiding help because of your fear but please don't do that because it's not doing you any good.

I'm sorry you've been through such a hellish time and wish you better times ahead.
 
Amigo .... Wow, thanks so much for your understanding - you've just hit the nail on the head with me : I have avoided most medical help my entire life due to my utter phobia and distrust of hopsitals. This situation was only worsened by what I saw both my wife and mother go through with the NHS - terrible mistakes for both of them at times. You can imagine just how much this knocked my already fragile confidence with anything medical related. My GP(s) - it's a group practise - really are quite dismissive of my general fears and I try to limit my contact with the surgery, as a consequence -sometimes it's all I can do to contain my anger with them, honestly ...
However, every day seems to bring newer issues or some kind of furtherence of existing worries and I jst keep looking at my two daughters and then give myself a major kick up the arse !!
 
inthemix69 said:
Amigo .... Wow, thanks so much for your understanding - you've just hit the nail on the head with me : I have avoided most medical help my entire life due to my utter phobia and distrust of hopsitals. This situation was only worsened by what I saw both my wife and mother go through with the NHS - terrible mistakes for both of them at times. You can imagine just how much this knocked my already fragile confidence with anything medical related. My GP(s) - it's a group practise - really are quite dismissive of my general fears and I try to limit my contact with the surgery, as a consequence -sometimes it's all I can do to contain my anger with them, honestly ...
However, every day seems to bring newer issues or some kind of furtherence of existing worries and I jst keep looking at my two daughters and then give myself a major kick up the arse !!
Click to expand...

I know you don't expect anyone to come up with the answers inthemix because you're obviously an intelligent man and if there were any easy fixes, you'd have found them by now. Sometimes we live with bad health situations because the fear and frustrations associated with trying to fix them can seem even worse. And you've had more than your fair share of sitting in hospitals and being dragged through a health system that isn't always responsive or even right at times! I've got that t-shirt in every colour!

I'm mindful though that you need to fix these things to be well for your daughters and to get the basics like bettter diabetes control, you may need to find a way to move out of your comfort zone.
Just a suggestion, CBT isn't always the right therapy for tripanaphobia. Have you considered or tried hypnotherapy? Regards, Amigo
 
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