Newish …

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ruby/London

Ruby/London

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I am having my first face to face diabetic review tomorrow since before lockdown. … Initially managed my T2 into remission within 4 months. Post covid, 2 serious infections, 3 vaccinations and Bell’s Palsy I arrive at this point chronically tired and demoralised.
…Will use test results as a reset and go back to basics. i’m finding it hard to get motivated due to fatigue but hoping coming back to the Forum will generate self motivation and self accountability.
 
Lovely to see you again @Ruby/London

Sorry to hear about the difficult time you’ve been having recently, and especially the post-covid infections.

Everything crossed for you as you try to rediscover your motivation.

We are rooting for you 🙂
 
Hi and welcome back. Sorry to hear that you are struggling with so many health issues. Is the fatigue linked to your BG levels ie are they high or do you not test your levels yourself? Many people here find self testing helps them with motivation, so that might be something to consider if you don't already. Maybe even apply for a 14 day free trial of the Freestyle Libre sensor system if you haven't done so. That could help you to engage better with your diabetes management and understand better how your body responds to various factors but particularly food and exercise although I appreciate that with your current health challenges and fatigue that latter may be low on your agenda. All you need to qualify for the free trial is to be diabetic, not have used the system before and have a suitable phone to scan the sensor.
It really can shine a light on your diabetes and help you to find what works for you as an individual and what doesn't..... but obviously there are some people who find information causes them anxiety, so I appreciate that it isn't for everyone, but with diabetes, knowledge and self management is a key factor in being successful and we are all quite individual in what we eat and how our bodies react to that food (and medication) and without testing we are mostly working blind, so testing and Libre can really shine a light on our diabetes and help us to be able to see it and make better choices.
 
Thank you both for your warm responses. I have tested consistently sInce my diagnosis in 2017 It’s difficult to say what’s going on. My bg was very well controlled, prior to covid infections/vaccines and steroids for Bell’s Palsy. have controlled my T2 by diet to good effect but since my run of infections last year they significantly and persistently higher. I changed testing machine in case it was faulty but still the same high results despite no significant change in low carb diet measures. Not sure if I have some, post viral issues going on or if my fatigue is down to erratically high bg levels or post covid burn out at work. It could be a combination of all three. The test results should clarify matters. I am already considering medication, as diet doesn’t seem to be enough at present.
 
It is good that you are testing and important to consider medication if your dietary measures are no longer working. It is not a failure on your part that you may need medication now and this may be a temporary or possibly permanent situation. Best to approach it with an open mind.
I do wonder if perhaps Covid has changed something within your body but whether that is a short term or a permanent change, is probably impossible to tell other than by time. Obviously the steroids will not have helped matters. I think you are very wise to be thinking of medication to help you out. Do you have a good rapport with your practice nurse or GP to discuss options? Have you done any research into the medication options? Obviously Metformin is generally the first thing to be prescribed as it helps with insulin resistance and liver output. I know many people get concerned about side effects but if you take it mid meal with a significant amount of food, it is fine for most people and if you find it doesn't suit you, you can always explore other options. I was on both Metformin and Gliclazide for a few months and whilst I had a bit of a dicky tummy occasionally with the Metformin it wasn't anything to be overly concerned about.... just a bit of colic pain and wind and sometimes worrying that it might be more than wind 🙄 so a bit reluctant to let rip 😱 when not within range of toilet facilities, to relieve the colic spasm. I never had an accident or anything desperate like that and I was on full dose and these incidents where I felt a bit "potentially explosive" were rare and manageable. Not sure if that will help put your mind at rest or not but many people get no side effects and very occasionally some get really bad ones, so I think my experience is probably somewhere in the middle. I personally would not hesitate to take them again if I felt I needed to, so I don't think it was a bad experience.
 
Hope the test results clarify things for you @Ruby/London

Meds may well help support your BG management strategies at the moment. We have quite a few members who use or have used meds off and on as the need arises, and others whose diabetes just seemed to shift such that meds became helpful. It’s not necessarily forever.

While some are (quite naturally) reluctant to start on meds, that isn’t really an option for a T1 so I guess I have a different perspective. They can just be what your body needs for now. For me I think it’s about having the right toolkit to make achieving my BG management goals more viable, and sometimes that involves a balance of meds and menu. 🙂
 
Last edited:
Again, thank you all for your warm responses.

I have to say that I had a fairly easy lockdown and didn't really have any problems until this time last year when I had my second serious covid infection. Between covid and the steroid treatment I have never quite got back to where I was prior to these events. I am not an anti vaccer by any stretch of the imagination bit I am not convinced that the vaccine itself has not had some impact. I am also aware that more people are being diagnosed with long covid, retrospectively. It could all be in the mix, I guess along with two years of sedentary home working and getting teams back into the workplace.

My diabetic review this morning was cancelled for the 4th time but I did manage to get my blood test done by a stand in care assistant. I will have some baseline results by the end of the week to work from and hopefully, a telephone conversation with the diabetic nurse on Monday.

With regard to meds, I am ready to try a new approach. It feels as if my metabolism has become resistant and needs some extra support. I know I have been struggling for the last 6 months hoping that my bg would return to better levels but that just hasn't happened. I will also ask about a ketone test. Thank you all: )
 
RBZ5416 said:
How high? Fatigue could be a symptom of DKA if you're persistently over 15mmol/l. Might be an idea to ask for a Ketone test at your appointment.
Click to expand...
Fasting bg usually about 7 and rarely dropping to below 6.2 before meals and 10/12/13 after meals, even low carb. I will ask about a ketone test, thank you.
 
Ruby/London said:
Fasting bg usually about 7 and rarely dropping to below 6.2 before meals and 10/12/13 after meals, even low carb. I will ask about a ketone test, thank you.
Click to expand...
That is quite an increase just from your meals, are they as low carb as you think? Would you like to post the sort of meals you are having as people may spot something you may have overlooked.
Are you still taking steroids as they can have an impact.
It might be worth you doing some strategic testing of before and 2 hours post meal along with a good record of what you have eaten with an estimate of the carbs in the meal as this could provide useful evidence for deciding on a medication regime as well as helping you see if you could make any changes.
 
I definitely think that covid or the steroids have changed my metabolism in some way …

My diet hasn’t changed much since I started doing low carb - same diet - different results.
 
Ruby/London said:
I definitely think that covid or the steroids have changed my metabolism in some way …

My diet hasn’t changed much since I started doing low carb - same diet - different results.
Click to expand...
That certainly suggests that something else is going on then and you may now need the help of medication to try to get things back on track.
What is your carb intake per day, sometimes people's tolerance to carbs changes and they need to drop the amount they have if wanting to remain dietary managed.
 
I haven't counted carbs for a long time but know what I can tolerate. Typically limited to I slice of homemade bread for breakfast with eggs or avocado around 11am. Evening meal carbs tend to be lentils or new potatoes. Cut our rice, pasta, etc a long time ago. maybe some full fat yoghurt with a pear.

I don't really know how to describe this but I never seem to achieve a low base line. Always starting from an inflated level and even moderate eating causes that to rise more than it used to and not so moderate eating can reach a spike of 12/13... and by not so moderate eating I am talking about some extra bread or a few chips on occasion.

I have my suspicions... post viral/vaccine material causing inflammation in the gut or low vit d. The tests should rule out any vit d deficiency and I am taking a course of pro biotics to support my biome and boost my immune system. Interestingly, Metformin has been cited as achieving positive outcomes for GI inflammation and post covid fatigue. Meds could be a win win on both fronts. Results next week: )
 
Well, the results are in and my GP wants to speak with me. Not urgent - late July.

A1C 53 - last test was 47
Cholesterol 6 - last test was 5.5
Vit d level - abnormal - below normal level
Lymphocytes - abnormal - below normal level
Full blood count and kidney function normal

I looked at my medical records online. Looking at past test results low lymphocytes and low vit d seem to coincide with raised A1C. I’ve re-started a therapeutic dose of vit d and a course of probiotics. Will speak to the diabetic nurse on Monday about A1C. The low lymphocytes are a mystery but seem to crop up quite regularly over the years.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top