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[Hayth22]

hi not sure if I'm posting in the right place but here goes,I'm just wondering if it's just me or wether these things are normal,I was diagnosed the beginning of March and have posted a few times on here and had some good advice.I have been on medication for depression for the last 14 years and although I've had ups and downs I'm normally feel quite good,over the last few weeks I just feel kind of yuk all the time,I've now got my second cold in the last two months,an infection in my belly button(lol) I feel crabby all the time and tired.I still feel confused about conflicting advice all the time when I speak to diabetic nurse about dietary questions she just says she doesn't really know the answers,when discussing how I'm getting on with the metformin as I'm now on three a day and sometimes find the lunch time dose a bit tricky, as the last nurse I saw suggested people can do,she had to look in her book about different options ( eg taking 2 in the morning and 1 at night) her lack of knowledge isn't really filling me with confidence as I assume she must see a lot of diabetic patients .My youngest child suffers from anxiety and is currently receiving support for this so this can often be quite draining but we are moving in the right direction.Sorry for droaning on lol but I'm not sure if it's just life in general making me feel yuk or wether to see the doctor for an mot

 

[bill hopkinson]

hi not sure if I'm posting in the right place but here goes,I'm just wondering if it's just me or wether these things are normal,I was diagnosed the beginning of March and have posted a few times on here and had some good advice.I have been on medication for depression for the last 14 years and although I've had ups and downs I'm normally feel quite good,over the last few weeks I just feel kind of yuk all the time,I've now got my second cold in the last two months,an infection in my belly button(lol) I feel crabby all the time and tired.I still feel confused about conflicting advice all the time when I speak to diabetic nurse about dietary questions she just says she doesn't really know the answers,when discussing how I'm getting on with the metformin as I'm now on three a day and sometimes find the lunch time dose a bit tricky, as the last nurse I saw suggested people can do,she had to look in her book about different options ( eg taking 2 in the morning and 1 at night) her lack of knowledge isn't really filling me with confidence as I assume she must see a lot of diabetic patients .My youngest child suffers from anxiety and is currently receiving support for this so this can often be quite draining but we are moving in the right direction.Sorry for droaning on lol but I'm not sure if it's just life in general making me feel yuk or wether to see the doctor for an mot

It is really unnerving if a diabetic nurse doesn't have the right answers, or you discover later that they have the wrong answers.
Of course, one of the problems is that there is often no single answer. Your diabetes is not like my diabetes!
Also, very few doctors even are up to speed on the interaction between depression and diabetes, even though diabetics are more prone to depression.
I had problems with metformin early on, and changing to the slow release version solved all the problems, so you could try asking to go on to Metformin SR.

 

[Hayth22]

Thank you bill I'm due back in a couple of weeks might ask about that though not had tests yet t o see how medication is working so might need to wait until then I guess 🙂

 

[Amigo]

Hi Hayth,

We started this journey together and have 'spoken' a few times. I tend to think that any problems we had pre diabetic diagnosis will be intensified by the diagnosis. The psychological impact is much greater than anyone seems to acknowledge. Little surprise then that coping with this has hit you hard and impacted on your family. But from what you've posted so far, you sound to be doing really well!

I'm a relative newbie too but having a badly misunderstood leukaemia has propelled me into becoming an 'expert patient' in learning and challenging. I've found this to be the case with diabetes too. I certainly don't have a downer on medics and positively welcome informed advice but I haven't received any! I've rapidly learned that diabetic nurses aren't necessarily specialist diabetic nurses. In some cases they're the nominated nurse in the surgery and they can't be expected to have the level of knowledge necessary. Perhaps that's the case with your nurse even though she seems to be trying her best?

In terms of infection, I too fight a battle with the fungal type infections which seem to thrive in high glucose environments. Certainly worth discussing those with your GP.

Apart from this site and the massive amount of reading I've done on diabetes, I feel like I'm doing this alone. I lasted 6 days on Metformin and decided to try and tackle this with diet and exercise. I feel like my GP leaves me to it. And that's meant dedicating so much energy to finding out what works and doesn't work for me. Unlike many Type 2's, I'm testing many times a day and assessing what triggers problems. And testing stops me from cheating! I admit that.

Like you I'm having some bad days but I think they're to be expected. However if this turned to despair, I'd soon seek help.

I'm convinced that whilst this condition has many similarities, it's very much unique to each of us as Bill says. That's why I'm committed to testing and 'eating by the meter'. Many wouldn't agree but with cancer of the immune system, I can't afford to get serious infections. I can't automatically rely on my immune system to fight it. I've only spoken to a 'diabetic' nurse once and she told me perhaps I was 'taking it too seriously!' The woman is clearly an idiot and I won't be consulting her again! 🙄

I hope you can get the medical reassurance you need Hayth but I'd say also trust in your own instincts on how you're doing and as you're testing now, learn from the results what works for you.

Best wishes 🙂

 

[Hayth22]

Thank you amigo I love how you are positive and determined to deal with this,you've been through so much and are such a strong person I think I could learn a lot from you,I think sometimes I just need someone to say it's ok and normal the way I'm feeling lol I'm not really moaning about the diabetic nurse as such she is very nice and tries to answer my questions I guess I just find it a little odd that she looks things up in her book ( I want the magic book ) but I suppose I've never really had anything like diabetes before so don't really know what to expect x

 

[KookyCat]

Hey Hayth

Well I'll say it too, it is completely normal to feel any of these in any combination, anger, a lack of control, too much control, constrained, frightened to death, irritated, bored with it, desperate to feel normal, slightly hysterical, bleak about the future, insignificant, unheard. I've felt all of those and more over the last 15 months, and I've been impressed and disappointed by medical professionals. It's a huge deal to be told that you have an ongoing health condition and a massive change, it takes some time to get "there" in your head. You're doing incredibly well, as is Amigo, lots of people run away from it but you guys are grabbing it and trying to wrestle with it and that's really the only way to win in the longer term, despite it being very difficult in the short term. Bill and Amigo are right, one of the most difficult things about diabetes I think is it all depends on how your body works, what I react well to someone else can't tolerate, I spend a good chunk of my life wondering why my bag of bones doesn't seem to behave how everyone expects it to. But do you know what? I actually love my bag of bones more now than ever, because despite everything it just keeps trying 🙂

I had lots of fungal infections leading up to and after diagnosis, yeast eats sugar so they love us when we've got extra glucose running around, and I've found that using a tea tree shower gel helps to keep them at bay and a standard thrush cream once a week in the belly button helps with that. As for feeling yuk, it might well be your body trying to return to "normal" after coping for so long with less than ideal circumstances. I have noticed though from people on here and people I know with type 2 that the medical profession can be variable in how helpful they are, it's the same with type 1 but I think the more immediate potential danger insulin provides forces them to be slightly more attentive. Please don't let anyone tell you that type 2 shouldn't be taken seriously though, because it's a blatant lie, so if you're not happy with the treatment let them know and tell them how you'd like to be treated. It's hard but it's your body and they are there to help not hinder.

Keep going Hayth, it's hard work I know and even harder if your nurse has been named the diabetes nurse without any real training (which as Amigo says is likely) but you can maybe help to guide her a little too. I do hope your youngster is finding help with the anxiety and you get a chance to breath soon 🙂

 

[stephknits]

What Kooky said! I sometimes wonder whether she is my slightly taller alter ego. 🙂. Turning it on its head, if you are thinking seriously about your diabetes and taking it on board ( which you are) it would be odd not to have days when you feel down and overwhelmed with it all. Keep posting, we have all been there and are here for you now 🙂

 

[Hayth22]

Thank you so much for your replies I've decided to just take each day as it comes it's nice to know that what I'm feeling is ok and not just me,I think lots more reading on here will help