Losing my mind

[Eunice Kamau]

Not sure I am doing this right. Oh well...I am from Finland and in October was diagnosed with type 2. But mine is acting so weird. I had gestational diabetes with my first born. Delivered in June and it went away. Then in August I started having the symptoms so was tested in October and wham! Full blown type 2. I never had even prediabetes prior to pregnancy. Now the interesting part, i only get my carbs from veggies..carrots, broccoli, cucumber, and lettuce which I take with protein(meat, fish or eggs) and guess what? My sugars remain high( fasting of 6.5 this morning). Which is confusing me and my doctor! If i eat high carb then levels come down as expected. To add salt to injury, now my feet are on fire at night. I can't sleep and Ibuprofen doesn't even touch the pain. Neuropathy in less than 2 months? Is there anyone out there who can tell me what's going on?

 

[Northerner]

Hi Eunice, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. The fasting level of 6.5 is quite acceptable - in fact many would consider it very good. What may explain your confusion is that food is not the only thing that will raise blood glucose levels - your liver will constantly trickle out glucose from its stores in order to provide energy for your heart, lungs, brain, digestive system etc., all the things that still need enrgy to finction when you are not getting energy directly from food. Often, the liver will give an extra 'boost' of glucose in the mornings to give you extra energy to start the day, so this can also be a reason why your levels rise even though you have not eaten. Usually, eating something 'informs' the liver that you are no longer in 'starvation mode', and this boost of glucose will then slow. People with diabetes also tend to be more insulin resistant in the mornings.

Regarding your feet - this will hopefully be a temporary problem. When you begin improving your levels after diagnosis it's common to suffer from something called 'transient neuropathy'. This happens because your nerves, especially in your feet, become more sensitive and you get this burning pain sensation. As you become more accustomed to the lower levels things should settle down and the pain should ease (hence the term 'transient').

I hope this helps, and that you are soon free of pain and able to get some welcome sleep 🙂 If you have any other questions, please let us know and we will do our best to help! 🙂

 

[Eunice Kamau]

Hi Northerner,

Thank you for the detailed info. My doctor just keeps saying she doesn't know what's happening and I have been very frightened and thought i was gonna lose my legs or something. She has given me a morning target level of below 5.4. Otherwise regardless what I eat i have never measured above 6.7.

Thank you for explaining this to me. I have been in tears not knowing what I am doing wrong.

One more question, is there any medication that i can take that is fast acting? I could take metformin but my GP says it could take 8 weeks to act?

 

[Northerner]

Hi Eunice, it seems your doctor is a little lacking in experience with these things. Firstly, having a waking number below 5.4 is desirable, but is an ideal and you shouldn't feel that having higher levels will be placing you at undue risk. Maintaining levels below 7.0 is usually considered very good, particularly so soon after your diagnosis. If you had presented at a UK doctor's with waking levels consistently below 7.0 you would probably not be diagnosed with diabetes, so you are doing well! 🙂

I also don't think you need any medication. Metformin may help to reduce levels slightly, although it can have some unpleasant side-effects (mostly gastric problems and wind) - it does not have an immediate impact, but 'establishes' itself in your system over a number of weeks. There are other medications that will show a more immediate effect, but I don't think you need them. Think of diabetes as more of a marathon than a sprint, it's not essential to immediately get levels right down, but if you stick to your healthy eating and try and get regular exercise then you should see your levels gradually reduce.

Whilst you shouldn't be complacent, please don't worry - you are doing fine! 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hi Eunice

Just to add the pains in your legs may be due to a relatively rapid reduction in BG levels from before your diagnosis - which may have been elevated for quite some time. I would stick with your reduced/moderate carbohydrate approach and give your body some time to adjust.

 

[Eunice Kamau]

Hi Eunice, it seems your doctor is a little lacking in experience with these things. Firstly, having a waking number below 5.4 is desirable, but is an ideal and you shouldn't feel that having higher levels will be placing you at undue risk. Maintaining levels below 7.0 is usually considered very good, particularly so soon after your diagnosis. If you had presented at a UK doctor's with waking levels consistently below 7.0 you would probably not be diagnosed with diabetes, so you are doing well! 🙂

I also don't think you need any medication. Metformin may help to reduce levels slightly, although it can have some unpleasant side-effects (mostly gastric problems and wind) - it does not have an immediate impact, but 'establishes' itself in your system over a number of weeks. There are other medications that will show a more immediate effect, but I don't think you need them. Think of diabetes as more of a marathon than a sprint, it's not essential to immediately get levels right down, but if you stick to your healthy eating and try and get regular exercise then you should see your levels gradually reduce.

Whilst you shouldn't be complacent, please don't worry - you are doing fine! 🙂

Thank you. This is more information than anybody has given to me. I got my diagnosis over the phone matter of factly, 'yeah, you have diabetes'. And my GP spent all of 10 minutes describing how the disease will keep getting worse and some metformin prescription. You have given me great informatiom and I can't thank you enough. Whilst I get diabetes supplies free here, i have to wait 3 months to see a specialist so I will keep down the glucose with diet and exercise as much as I can. 5.6 this morning. 🙂

Kiitos!

 

[Northerner]

Thank you. This is more information than anybody has given to me. I got my diagnosis over the phone matter of factly, 'yeah, you have diabetes'. And my GP spent all of 10 minutes describing how the disease will keep getting worse and some metformin prescription. You have given me great informatiom and I can't thank you enough. Whilst I get diabetes supplies free here, i have to wait 3 months to see a specialist so I will keep down the glucose with diet and exercise as much as I can. 5.6 this morning. 🙂

Kiitos!

That's a terrific waking number, well done! 🙂 Many healthcare professionals seem to have this attitude that diabetes is progressive, will inevitably get worse and lead to problems and more and more medication as time goes on. This is possibly because they see this happen in a lot of cases - but perhaps what they don't think is that maybe this 'progression' is due to the poor advice and care they give out to people! It doesn't have to be that way, diabetes can be controlled well with the right knowledge and application, so ignore the doom and gloom predictions! 🙂

If you have any more questions, let us know 🙂

 

[Lynn Davies]

Hi Eunice - I was told over the phone in the same way that you were - I had been for a blood test for another reason and wham! Phonecall came one morning and there I was - diabetic! I didn't have any of the classic symptoms so was blissfully unaware - not any more though.

Stick with these guys and you will soon be well informed of what you need to do.

 

[Eunice Kamau]

Thank you Lynn Davies, i am comforted by knowledge that I am not alone. Just sad that at 31 years my life feels like its effectively over.

I have found a wealty of knowledge here and comfort that I can't find in Finland.

Thank you all.

 

[Northerner]

Thank you Lynn Davies, i am comforted by knowledge that I am not alone. Just sad that at 31 years my life feels like its effectively over.

I have found a wealty of knowledge here and comfort that I can't find in Finland.

Thank you all.

Please don't feel sad Eunice! You have your whole life ahead of you and it's more than possible that your diagnosis will lead you to make much better choices in the future than you might otherwise have done. And because there are so many of us, it's very worthwhile for all the scientists to work very hard at finding the best treatments - and maybe a cure - possibly in the not too distant future. 🙂

 

[Mini-Vicki]

Thank you Lynn Davies, i am comforted by knowledge that I am not alone. Just sad that at 31 years my life feels like its effectively over.

I have found a wealty of knowledge here and comfort that I can't find in Finland.

Thank you all.

You are most definitely not alone, and your life is certainly not over! I can empathise with this feeling, as I felt that way for a while.
Management of diabetes has come on leaps and bounds over the last couple of decades. You can live a full, healthy life, you just have to look after yourself, which everyone should anyway 🙂

My own father has had diabetes since a child, and has had it for 55 years this year, and he is fine! Still has all his arms and legs, eyesight and none of the other scary complications the doctors like to tell you all about!

I'm glad you're finding the forum a comfort. I do too 🙂

 

[Lynn Davies]

Oh Eunice sweetheart. Your life isn't over by any stretch of the imagination. All that has changed is the choices you make.

You can sit back and lick your wounds or you can grab it by the throat and run with it.

I know which I have chosen to do. Our 2 month trip away in our motorhome is still happening - just without lovely German breakfast rolls. Mind you - there are plenty of German breads to choose from.

Oh and a 5 day break in Budapest- oh and the weekend in London with a show - oh and several short breaks away in uk.

See - there is life after diagnosis

 

[Eunice Kamau]

That's a terrific waking number, well done! 🙂 Many healthcare professionals seem to have this attitude that diabetes is progressive, will inevitably get worse and lead to problems and more and more medication as time goes on. This is possibly because they see this happen in a lot of cases - but perhaps what they don't think is that maybe this 'progression' is due to the poor advice and care they give out to people! It doesn't have to be that way, diabetes can be controlled well with the right knowledge and application, so ignore the doom and gloom predictions! 🙂

If you have any more questions, let us know 🙂

Yes. One more question, since first posting here, the burning pain in my legs has got increasingly bad. So I have gone from fine to excruciating pain in under a month. I am on a cocktail of medication, tramal, codeine, piroxicam and ibuprofen. Still, the pain is really bad. I have been to the ER 3 times this week. First time doctor says that it could be a prolapsed disc, 2 times the doctor has said she has no idea what is wrong. I have started taking B vitamins as a precaution and my sugars are fine. Consistently below 6 the whole day yesterday and waking level of 5.3 this morning.

My question, could this be anything else other than transient neuropathy? How long does transient neuropathy last and are there any better medication for this pain?

The pain is driving me crazier than diabetes at this point. Help please!

 

[Northerner]

Yes. One more question, since first posting here, the burning pain in my legs has got increasingly bad. So I have gone from fine to excruciating pain in under a month. I am on a cocktail of medication, tramal, codeine, piroxicam and ibuprofen. Still, the pain is really bad. I have been to the ER 3 times this week. First time doctor says that it could be a prolapsed disc, 2 times the doctor has said she has no idea what is wrong. I have started taking B vitamins as a precaution and my sugars are fine. Consistently below 6 the whole day yesterday and waking level of 5.3 this morning.

My question, could this be anything else other than transient neuropathy? How long does transient neuropathy last and are there any better medication for this pain?

The pain is driving me crazier than diabetes at this point. Help please!

I'm very sorry to hear this Eunice In my own caase I'd say the neuropathy pain lasted about 4-6 weeks, but it wasn't of the intensity you describe, and was confined to my feet, and at night. Do you suffer this at all times? There are medications which can more directly help with neuropathy pain (gabapentin and amitriptyline, I believe) so it may be worth asking your GP about these.

 

[Eunice Kamau]

I'm very sorry to hear this Eunice In my own caase I'd say the neuropathy pain lasted about 4-6 weeks, but it wasn't of the intensity you describe, and was confined to my feet, and at night. Do you suffer this at all times? There are medications which can more directly help with neuropathy pain (gabapentin and amitriptyline, I believe) so it may be worth asking your GP about these.

My pain is on the inner parts of both legs including the calf muscles, but doesn't go below the ankle. I only have this pain when I am resting. i.e sitting/lying down as well as at night. I have just come from seeing my GP who has ordered a battery of tests starting with x-ray tomorrow. The GP is not keen on putting me on nerve pain medication because she insists diabetic neuropathy isn't that sudden and my sugars haven't been high enough for nerve damage. I now have this pain on my hands too.. I really don't know what to do.

 

[Northerner]

My pain is on the inner parts of both legs including the calf muscles, but doesn't go below the ankle. I only have this pain when I am resting. i.e sitting/lying down as well as at night. I have just come from seeing my GP who has ordered a battery of tests starting with x-ray tomorrow. The GP is not keen on putting me on nerve pain medication because she insists diabetic neuropathy isn't that sudden and my sugars haven't been high enough for nerve damage. I now have this pain on my hands too.. I really don't know what to do.

I would tend to agree with the doctor Eunice, from my experience of reading what others have said here in the past, it doesn't sound like neuropathy. Are you on any medications that you might have started around the same time as the pain started? Certainly, permanent nerve damage can take many years to establish itself, so it's unlikely to be that given your blood sugar levels and recent diagnosis.

I hope that the tests can establish what the problem is and that you can be offered a good treatment that brings you relief 🙂

 

[Eunice Kamau]

I would tend to agree with the doctor Eunice, from my experience of reading what others have said here in the past, it doesn't sound like neuropathy. Are you on any medications that you might have started around the same time as the pain started? Certainly, permanent nerve damage can take many years to establish itself, so it's unlikely to be that given your blood sugar levels and recent diagnosis.

I hope that the tests can establish what the problem is and that you can be offered a good treatment that brings you relief 🙂

I started supplements. Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, B and C. But i have since stopped all except vitamin B. I was taking piroxicam too for headaches. i have stopped that too. I have really run out of ideas of what it could be.

 

[Amigo]

Eunice your problems could be spine related in terms of disc compression and it would need an MRI to establish that. I have this problem which was compounded by undiagnosed type 2 diabetes but it can cause terrible pains down the legs and burning feet. If surgery isn't indicated sometimes you can have an epidural injecttion into your spine (different to the ones in childbirth) and that can give ease.

Make sure you B12 levels are ok and I've found a magnesium supplement has helped. Piroxicam isn't usually given for headaches...it's an anti-inflammatory. My GP will no longer prescribe piroxicam due to reported cardiac implications. Naproxen can be a good alternative and may be needed if the pain is related to inflammation/disc issues. I'm wondering if the pregnancy left you with some sciatic problems? I'd recommend enquiring about an MRI.

Good luck and don't lose heart, these things can be resolved.

 

[Eunice Kamau]

Eunice your problems could be spine related in terms of disc compression and it would need an MRI to establish that. I have this problem which was compounded by undiagnosed type 2 diabetes but it can cause terrible pains down the legs and burning feet. If surgery isn't indicated sometimes you can have an epidural injecttion into your spine (different to the ones in childbirth) and that can give ease.

Make sure you B12 levels are ok and I've found a magnesium supplement has helped. Piroxicam isn't usually given for headaches...it's an anti-inflammatory. My GP will no longer prescribe piroxicam due to reported cardiac implications. Naproxen can be a good alternative and may be needed if the pain is related to inflammation/disc issues. I'm wondering if the pregnancy left you with some sciatic problems? I'd recommend enquiring about an MRI.

Good luck and don't lose heart, these things can be resolved.

I get tested for B12 levels on wednesday and I have a back x-ray tomorrow. I will insist on an MRI and see if my GP will allow it. I am not sure if I have sciatic issues. my pregnancy was hectic the last days because I was alone. But I am hopeful a solution will be found because i feel totally awful. Thank you for the info.

 

[AlisonM]

Eunice, it might be worthwhile asking your doctor for a review of the medications you're on. The pain you have could be a reaction to one of them, or an interaction caused by any number of them. Some drugs really don't work well together. A look through the drug books might help rule that out.