Hi - very new-awaiting confirmation and test results -a couple of questions

[Sweetmadriana]

Hi -I had bloods taken for the first time in 5 years last week. 5 years ago my Hba1c result was 40; now it is 81. I had gone to the GP because, since having a bad bout of Covid in Sept, coping with my father's death, supporting my mother-in-law with a house move, two more bouts of flu, Christmas etc - I was feeling very washed out -in fact very similar to when I have been quite anaemic in the past.
The GP is sending me for a CAT scan to rule out pancreatic involvement -bit scary.
He has also arranged for me to meet with a nurse on the 11th Feb.
I have started on a very low dose of gliclazide
This just leaves me feeling a bit in limbo - my 'symptoms' don't really clasically fit either a type 1, type 2 or 3c diagnosis as far as I can see from research on this site and NHS site. I am immediately taking steps to reduce carbohydrate intake.
My main queries/requests for support are:
i) somebody to understand just how frustrating the feeling of fatigue is!
ii) some guidance as to how much exercise/activity is sensible atm
iii) what should I expect to happen next.
iv) how quickly could that rise in Hb1ac have happened? i.e. could I have been coping, unknown, with high blood sugar for 6 months? several years?
Many thanks to you all in advance nd for all your previous posts that have already helped, educated and reassured me.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Hello @Sweetmadriana,

i) fatigue is frustrating. It gradually becomes totally debilitating. So your GP is bang on the money to arrange for a CAT scan and help rule out many things, including pancreatic issues.

ii) exercise and activity can only be a good thing - within the boundaries of what your body will physically allow and as progression on where you are starting from. Don't set yourself an impossible target. Set yourself achievable goals and pat yourself on the back for achieving those. Take bonus pats for anything you can do out of the house, for the fresh air and interaction with nature as well as helping to break the mould of previous months. Variety and interacting with other people is always beneficial to one's mind as well as body.

iii) next .... before 11 Feb stay calm. I'm sure the Nurse will provide clear medical guidance for the way forward.

Meanwhile, well done on the steps to reduce carbs. All carbs metabolise into blood glucose - hence your elevated HbA1c. Don't get too extreme. 130 gms of carbs, all carbs not just sugars, is often considered low carb; that might be a good starting point.

I'm sure others will be along to offer further help and the Learning Zone (orange tab from the drop down menu) has plenty of bite sized chunks which might help you.

Welcome to the forum. Keep asking questions, no question is stupid.

 

[Sweetmadriana]

Hello @Sweetmadriana,

i) fatigue is frustrating. It gradually becomes totally debilitating. So your GP is bang on the money to arrange for a CAT scan and help rule out many things, including pancreatic issues.

ii) exercise and activity can only be a good thing - within the boundaries of what your body will physically allow and as progression on where you are starting from. Don't set yourself an impossible target. Set yourself achievable goals and pat yourself on the back for achieving those. Take bonus pats for anything you can do out of the house, for the fresh air and interaction with nature as well as helping to break the mould of previous months. Variety and interacting with other people is always beneficial to one's mind as well as body.

iii) next .... before 11 Feb stay calm. I'm sure the Nurse will provide clear medical guidance for the way forward.

Meanwhile, well done on the steps to reduce carbs. All carbs metabolise into blood glucose - hence your elevated HbA1c. Don't get too extreme. 130 gms of carbs, all carbs not just sugars, is often considered low carb; that might be a good starting point.

I'm sure others will be along to offer further help and the Learning Zone (orange tab from the drop down menu) has plenty of bite sized chunks which might help you.

Welcome to the forum. Keep asking questions, no question is stupid.

Thank you - all very good advice, much appreciated.

 

[sheridan]

Firstly take a deep breath, you’ve got this and have made the first move by seeking help from your doctor.

You’ve had a lot going on recently and it sounds like your GP is trying to rule things out. The nurses appointment is not too far away but if you're anxious see if you can get an earlier appointment or a telephone appointment. My GP surgery seems to prefer telephone appointments at the moment and I can usually get one quicker than a face to face.

When I was first diagnosed I’d gone to get an over 50s “MoT” at my Health Centre and not having any symptoms of diabetes at all it was a bit of a shock, yes I was (and still am, but working on it) overweight and not very active and T2 is in the family, but still a shock. I started to eat healthier and do some exercise but I knew I needed to start slowly and build up exercise gradually. I found walking was the best for me. I started walking around town in my lunch hour, a gentle stroll to start with and built up from there. I now walk at my local ParkRun. A free to join international event every Saturday morning which start at 9:00am. Don’t be put off by the name, there are plenty of walkers who walk around the courses. A Google search for ParkRun will get you to the main site where you can find a local event. Each event will have some form of contact method so you can find out if there are any walkers at that particular event.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t over do it with either exercise to start with, your body will tell you what it can cope with. When it comes to diet, I looked at all the things that weren’t good for me, cakes, chocolate, biscuits the list goes on and started to cut down on them. I haven’t cut them out completely but I now ask myself do I really need that piece of Victoria Sponge Cake or will the coffee suffice and usually now when out a coffee is all I need.

If you haven’t already, check out the main website too, there lots of helpful information on there too.

 

[saffron15]

@Sweetmadriana welcome to the forum. I was tested in 2014 ( although not told) and was 40 ( but not told ) I have high blood pressure and had a blood test once a year. I assumed i was being tested for diabetes but when I had a discussion about creeping cholestral I discovered I hadn't been and asked for a test as I was peeing a lot. My reading was 69 and 4 weeks later having cut some things 64. The previous year I remember having blurry eyesight and feeling overwhelmingly tired and now suspect my blood glucose was high then. I have occasional flares of uveitis and self refer to casualty. It often causes tiredness and blurry eyesight and I received treatment for it but still believe my BG was high.
I have been a fatty since an early menopause when 41 and gradually got fatter though hadn't put on weight for a decade.
I don't know when your BG increased or how quickly. It's good your doctor is checking for pancreas problems.
I had a cataract op last October and asked my consultant if they could tell how long I had had diabetes. I had been referred in March before I was diagnosed. She said no but eyesight problems didn't usually happen until at least 10 years after increased blood glucose.

In your shoes I would increase exercise if you have avoided it, but more short walks outside and swimming as you need to manage your stress. You've spent a lot of time looking after others. Prioritise your own wellbeing.
I don't know if you have weight to lose. I try to eat lowish carb eg fish veg etc but I'm now on an SGLT2 which means I need at least 130 gms carbs. I think your medication would rule out keto diets and you probably need at least 130 carbs.
As far as my comment about eyesight you will be referred for a check I was trying to offer guidance as to how.long you may have had it. I am not saying all people have problems at 10 years and obviously problems are treated
If you have been reading through the diabetes UK site and our posts I have found the website of a new forest GP enlightening and have posted it a few times, it includes links to other websites, Having said that your GP has acted well and quickly
Generally the suggestion is whatever you do, do gradually as it is a shock to the body if you lower too quickly
I've onlyhad flu once when I was 12 and haven't yet caught covid. Your body has done a lot of fighting so do prioritise your well being, plenty of veg lean meat and fish. I have full fat yoghurt for breakfast.
Whatever diagnosis comes your way you will feel better once treated,
Good luck

 

[Leadinglights]

This link will give you some ideas for painlessly reducing your carb intake but as you are taking gliclazide just go gradually and use your blood glucose monitor which you should have been prescribed as you are taking that medication to check.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.com

I am surprised that you hadn't had any HbA1C checks for 5 years so it may just have gradually gone up but the body accommodated until a point where you were getting symptoms.

 

[Sweetmadriana]

Firstly take a deep breath, you’ve got this and have made the first move by seeking help from your doctor.

You’ve had a lot going on recently and it sounds like your GP is trying to rule things out. The nurses appointment is not too far away but if you're anxious see if you can get an earlier appointment or a telephone appointment. My GP surgery seems to prefer telephone appointments at the moment and I can usually get one quicker than a face to face.

When I was first diagnosed I’d gone to get an over 50s “MoT” at my Health Centre and not having any symptoms of diabetes at all it was a bit of a shock, yes I was (and still am, but working on it) overweight and not very active and T2 is in the family, but still a shock. I started to eat healthier and do some exercise but I knew I needed to start slowly and build up exercise gradually. I found walking was the best for me. I started walking around town in my lunch hour, a gentle stroll to start with and built up from there. I now walk at my local ParkRun. A free to join international event every Saturday morning which start at 9:00am. Don’t be put off by the name, there are plenty of walkers who walk around the courses. A Google search for ParkRun will get you to the main site where you can find a local event. Each event will have some form of contact method so you can find out if there are any walkers at that particular event.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t over do it with either exercise to start with, your body will tell you what it can cope with. When it comes to diet, I looked at all the things that weren’t good for me, cakes, chocolate, biscuits the list goes on and started to cut down on them. I haven’t cut them out completely but I now ask myself do I really need that piece of Victoria Sponge Cake or will the coffee suffice and usually now when out a coffee is all I need.

If you haven’t already, check out the main website too, there lots of helpful information on there too.

Thank you -really appreciate the support

 

[Sweetmadriana]

@Sweetmadriana welcome to the forum. I was tested in 2014 ( although not told) and was 40 ( but not told ) I have high blood pressure and had a blood test once a year. I assumed i was being tested for diabetes but when I had a discussion about creeping cholestral I discovered I hadn't been and asked for a test as I was peeing a lot. My reading was 69 and 4 weeks later having cut some things 64. The previous year I remember having blurry eyesight and feeling overwhelmingly tired and now suspect my blood glucose was high then. I have occasional flares of uveitis and self refer to casualty. It often causes tiredness and blurry eyesight and I received treatment for it but still believe my BG was high.
I have been a fatty since an early menopause when 41 and gradually got fatter though hadn't put on weight for a decade.
I don't know when your BG increased or how quickly. It's good your doctor is checking for pancreas problems.
I had a cataract op last October and asked my consultant if they could tell how long I had had diabetes. I had been referred in March before I was diagnosed. She said no but eyesight problems didn't usually happen until at least 10 years after increased blood glucose.

In your shoes I would increase exercise if you have avoided it, but more short walks outside and swimming as you need to manage your stress. You've spent a lot of time looking after others. Prioritise your own wellbeing.
I don't know if you have weight to lose. I try to eat lowish carb eg fish veg etc but I'm now on an SGLT2 which means I need at least 130 gms carbs. I think your medication would rule out keto diets and you probably need at least 130 carbs.
As far as my comment about eyesight you will be referred for a check I was trying to offer guidance as to how.long you may have had it. I am not saying all people have problems at 10 years and obviously problems are treated
If you have been reading through the diabetes UK site and our posts I have found the website of a new forest GP enlightening and have posted it a few times, it includes links to other websites, Having said that your GP has acted well and quickly
Generally the suggestion is whatever you do, do gradually as it is a shock to the body if you lower too quickly
I've onlyhad flu once when I was 12 and haven't yet caught covid. Your body has done a lot of fighting so do prioritise your well being, plenty of veg lean meat and fish. I have full fat yoghurt for breakfast.
Whatever diagnosis comes your way you will feel better once treated,
Good luck

Thank you so much - hope your catarct op went well. The bit about slow and steady with all the changes sounds good

 

[Sweetmadriana]

This link will give you some ideas for painlessly reducing your carb intake but as you are taking gliclazide just go gradually and use your blood glucose monitor which you should have been prescribed as you are taking that medication to check.

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.com

I am surprised that you hadn't had any HbA1C checks for 5 years so it may just have gradually gone up but the body accommodated until a point where you were getting symptoms.

Thanks -that link looks good! Don't have a glucose monitor atm but on a very low dose of gliclazide

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Sweetmadriana

I can still remember the crushing fatigue brought on by my high glucose levels before diagnosis. It was like wading through treacle, and everything felt uphill and laboured. Rest was never restful, and even simple straightforward tasks seemed like a mountain to climb.

Exercise isn’t ideal at very high glucose levels (as reported by a fingerstick meter) and T1s are advised not to exercise if BGs are 12+

The HbA1c you have had is more of a 3-month overview than the ‘moment in time’ of a capillary glucose BG meter, so it’s not really easy to say what your levels might be like day-to-day at your current HbA1c level.

Hope you get some reassurance, and some answers as to what is happening at your appointment in a week or two.

 

[JimmyBlue]

@Sweetmadriana firstly welcome to the forum, come what may this is a great place for information support and suggested guidance to dealing with diabetes, it is my first point of research before looking elsewhere these days.

With regards to the question of how long you might have had a high HbA1c, the answer is no one can tell you. My diabetes nurse told me that the illness can build over time if not decades and as it is a metabolic disorder saying when it actually started is nigh on impossible.

I was diagnosed last September/October and spend the first couple of weeks trying to figure out how I got diabetes but soon realised it wasn't an answer that I needed. The more important one was how do I get this under controls so I can continue to live a healthy and enjoyable life. You appear to have started to seek the answer to that question and taken the necessary steps so congratulations and as others have said, make sure you take time to look after yourself.

 

[Sweetmadriana]

Welcome to the forum @Sweetmadriana

I can still remember the crushing fatigue brought on by my high glucose levels before diagnosis. It was like wading through treacle, and everything felt uphill and laboured. Rest was never restful, and even simple straightforward tasks seemed like a mountain to climb.

Exercise isn’t ideal at very high glucose levels (as reported by a fingerstick meter) and T1s are advised not to exercise if BGs are 12+

The HbA1c you have had is more of a 3-month overview than the ‘moment in time’ of a capillary glucose BG meter, so it’s not really easy to say what your levels might be like day-to-day at your current HbA1c level.

Hope you get some reassurance, and some answers as to what is happening at your appointment in a week or two.

thank you -yes! That is exactly the feelling! And yes - I was concerned about whether or not exercise is good at high BG, can't say that my body feels like it would be good atm!

 

[Sweetmadriana]

@Sweetmadriana firstly welcome to the forum, come what may this is a great place for information support and suggested guidance to dealing with diabetes, it is my first point of research before looking elsewhere these days.

With regards to the question of how long you might have had a high HbA1c, the answer is no one can tell you. My diabetes nurse told me that the illness can build over time if not decades and as it is a metabolic disorder saying when it actually started is nigh on impossible.

I was diagnosed last September/October and spend the first couple of weeks trying to figure out how I got diabetes but soon realised it wasn't an answer that I needed. The more important one was how do I get this under controls so I can continue to live a healthy and enjoyable life. You appear to have started to seek the answer to that question and taken the necessary steps so congratulations and as others have said, make sure you take time to look after yourself.

Thank you- that is avery good point re it doesn't matter when and how - just deal with the now and the future.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks -that link looks good! Don't have a glucose monitor atm but on a very low dose of gliclazide

The dose of gliclazide is not relevant to the fact you should be provided with a monitor and strips on prescription as it is a medication that could cause low blood glucose so you need a means of testing particularly if you drive to make sure you are safe./

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Agree, but there is perhaps a typo in this reply. Gliclazide is relevant. Testing is mandatory, hence the means should be provided on prescription.

 

[Leadinglights]

Agree, but there is perhaps a typo in this reply. Gliclazide is relevant. Testing is mandatory, hence the means should be provided on prescription.

I meant that even though it is a low dose a monitor should be prescribed, regardless of the dose.

 

[Sweetmadriana]

Thank you for the info re the glucose monitor - I have already taken the decision not to drive atm - just feel like my reactions are a bit slower. I will ring GP today.

 

[mashedupmatt]

HI @Sweetmadriana and welcome to the forum - most has already been said but your diagnosis (or lack of, so far) is not uncommon at all, but it can be very disconcerting (I've gone through it myself in the beginning) - if you do have lots of glucose in your blood, it is very tiring - but once your healthcare team have done the tests you've mentioned, they will be able to give you the right tools to manage your condition - hope you get the results/answers soon

 

[Sweetmadriana]

HI @Sweetmadriana and welcome to the forum - most has already been said but your diagnosis (or lack of, so far) is not uncommon at all, but it can be very disconcerting (I've gone through it myself in the beginning) - if you do have lots of glucose in your blood, it is very tiring - but once your healthcare team have done the tests you've mentioned, they will be able to give you the right tools to manage your condition - hope you get the results/answers soon

Thank you -patience is not my greatest virtue but coming on the forum is very reassuring and encouraging!

 

[trophywench]

Sorry mate, no getting away from it, once you have diabetes it's essential for your own sanity to try and be a patient patient!