Lanny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
It’s been a tough Autumn/Winter for me although I wasn’t constantly ill like I was the year before, my liver got progressively worse causing more digestion problems despite my low fat diet.
Have been getting regular blood tests to keep an eye on my liver, kidneys & cholesterol every 6-8 weeks since March 2019 when GP referred me to gastroenteritis. Without statins, after being taken off them because of my liver, my cholesterol was rising very high. It got to the point that I HAD to be put back on statins despite the impact on my liver end of Nov. 2019. Had blood tests a month after restarting statins start of Jan. 2020. My cholesterol has started going down with just a slightly bigger impact on my liver.
The gastro team finally phoned me at the start of March 2020 but, it was only to ask me if I still wanted to be seen after being on the waiting list for a year. The waiting list will be another 2 to 3 years before I get to the top of it & needs a second referral by my GP if I need to be seen sooner. I told my GP so they know where I’m at on that waiting list &, depending on continuous blood tests, can expedite things if needs be.
I had 3 diabetic reviews: 1st in Aug. 2019 was only an Hba1c blood test along with my liver tests at that time that I didn’t know were done at a slight increase of 65 from 63; 2nd was hospital review Oct. 2019, with me JUST starting to dial up insulin for Winter, & Hbac had gone up to 73. 3rd at my GP practice’s diabetic nurse Feb. 2020 when it had risen even more to 77 despite, me having dialled up my insulin doses all Winter.
I had increasingly more bouts of abdominal discomfort at shorter intervals in between each bout: one lasted for 16 hours after I’d eaten; discovering by chance after doing a poo that a whole tablet was passed because it was on the surface. I kept checking my poo thereafter by poking through it with a chopstick.
I kept telling my GP when I ordered my prescriptions online asking if I should change from SR, slow release, to the normal ones. It’s finally only just been changed for a bit more than a week now.
I’ve noticed the difference almost straight away & my BS & insulin doses are starting to come down when they had been going up despite, it being Spring: should be going down at this time.
I think the SR metformin not being digested also made me more hungry as well: not overnight but, as my liver & digestion got steadily worse; metformin suppresses appetite as well. Again not overnight but, my weight crept up as I went from 3 to 4 to 5 meals a day. I went from my usual 78 kilos in Oct. 2019 to 83 kilos last week.
It’s only just been over a week but, I noticed that I’m eating less now with 2 500mg of normal release metformin twice a day, at lunch & dinner, instead of the 2 1000mg SR tablets once a day: had tried splitting the dose to 1 twice a day; didn’t help so, GP changed the tablets.
BS has come down a bit & hopefully I can work with getting it & my insulin doses down now that I’m eating less. My weight has also, come down slightly to 82 kilos this week. Most importantly: much less discomfort & no tablets in the poo; can finally stop checking it now?
I should have had my latest liver blood tests at the end of March 2020 but, didn’t go with the Lockdown. But, note from GP in my last prescription tells me I NEED to go get them done before my next one in about 6 weeks. I’m hoping the Lockdown will be over by then but, will have to go regardless.
Another close family member has Cancer now: my eldest sister in law; married to my eldest brother so, eldest in the pecking order regardless of actual age. She found a lump at the start of Feb. 2020, had a biopsy the end Feb. & had the tumour removed mid March just before the Lockdown & is recovering at home while shielding.
My eldest brother’s sons, my nephews, are only a few years younger than my younger sister, my younger brother & I. My youngest brother became an uncle at the age of two & I an aunt at 6 years old: they’re more like my younger siblings; my eldest SIL is like a 2nd mum & she regards my two younger siblings & I as her children too as we all grew up together! All 6 of us, including my 3 nephews, were all equally rewarded, when we were good, & punished, when we were bad by my SIL when we were kids! I haven’t been able to see her & just talk on the phone. Getting a Cancer diagnosis is NEVER pleasant but, is SO much more worse NOW in this COVID19 crisis! I’ve already lost my mum, mid July 2015, & my sister, start of June 2018, to Cancer & now this too!
Have been getting regular blood tests to keep an eye on my liver, kidneys & cholesterol every 6-8 weeks since March 2019 when GP referred me to gastroenteritis. Without statins, after being taken off them because of my liver, my cholesterol was rising very high. It got to the point that I HAD to be put back on statins despite the impact on my liver end of Nov. 2019. Had blood tests a month after restarting statins start of Jan. 2020. My cholesterol has started going down with just a slightly bigger impact on my liver.
The gastro team finally phoned me at the start of March 2020 but, it was only to ask me if I still wanted to be seen after being on the waiting list for a year. The waiting list will be another 2 to 3 years before I get to the top of it & needs a second referral by my GP if I need to be seen sooner. I told my GP so they know where I’m at on that waiting list &, depending on continuous blood tests, can expedite things if needs be.
I had 3 diabetic reviews: 1st in Aug. 2019 was only an Hba1c blood test along with my liver tests at that time that I didn’t know were done at a slight increase of 65 from 63; 2nd was hospital review Oct. 2019, with me JUST starting to dial up insulin for Winter, & Hbac had gone up to 73. 3rd at my GP practice’s diabetic nurse Feb. 2020 when it had risen even more to 77 despite, me having dialled up my insulin doses all Winter.
I had increasingly more bouts of abdominal discomfort at shorter intervals in between each bout: one lasted for 16 hours after I’d eaten; discovering by chance after doing a poo that a whole tablet was passed because it was on the surface. I kept checking my poo thereafter by poking through it with a chopstick.
I kept telling my GP when I ordered my prescriptions online asking if I should change from SR, slow release, to the normal ones. It’s finally only just been changed for a bit more than a week now.
I’ve noticed the difference almost straight away & my BS & insulin doses are starting to come down when they had been going up despite, it being Spring: should be going down at this time.
I think the SR metformin not being digested also made me more hungry as well: not overnight but, as my liver & digestion got steadily worse; metformin suppresses appetite as well. Again not overnight but, my weight crept up as I went from 3 to 4 to 5 meals a day. I went from my usual 78 kilos in Oct. 2019 to 83 kilos last week.
It’s only just been over a week but, I noticed that I’m eating less now with 2 500mg of normal release metformin twice a day, at lunch & dinner, instead of the 2 1000mg SR tablets once a day: had tried splitting the dose to 1 twice a day; didn’t help so, GP changed the tablets.
BS has come down a bit & hopefully I can work with getting it & my insulin doses down now that I’m eating less. My weight has also, come down slightly to 82 kilos this week. Most importantly: much less discomfort & no tablets in the poo; can finally stop checking it now?
I should have had my latest liver blood tests at the end of March 2020 but, didn’t go with the Lockdown. But, note from GP in my last prescription tells me I NEED to go get them done before my next one in about 6 weeks. I’m hoping the Lockdown will be over by then but, will have to go regardless.
Another close family member has Cancer now: my eldest sister in law; married to my eldest brother so, eldest in the pecking order regardless of actual age. She found a lump at the start of Feb. 2020, had a biopsy the end Feb. & had the tumour removed mid March just before the Lockdown & is recovering at home while shielding.
My eldest brother’s sons, my nephews, are only a few years younger than my younger sister, my younger brother & I. My youngest brother became an uncle at the age of two & I an aunt at 6 years old: they’re more like my younger siblings; my eldest SIL is like a 2nd mum & she regards my two younger siblings & I as her children too as we all grew up together! All 6 of us, including my 3 nephews, were all equally rewarded, when we were good, & punished, when we were bad by my SIL when we were kids! I haven’t been able to see her & just talk on the phone. Getting a Cancer diagnosis is NEVER pleasant but, is SO much more worse NOW in this COVID19 crisis! I’ve already lost my mum, mid July 2015, & my sister, start of June 2018, to Cancer & now this too!
I hope that your SIL recovers well and isn't unduly impacted by the current situation, and I also hope that things begin to improve for you as the days get longer and warmer {{{HUGS}}} Stay sunny on the inside! 
