Recently diagnosed Type2

[getting older]

Hello all, I have just joined this forum and so have lots of research to do, I think I may have posted in the wrong section, my appologies.

I have recently been diagnosed as type 2 and have started my journey of Metformin 2000mg daily along with Gliclazide twice daily.
I have been given the blood test kit and a diary.
2 years ago my GP said I was borderline and the monitoring continued until recently and the findings were I had reached 119 or 13.80 and he said he was surprised I wasn't already in hospital on a drip, that was a shock as I didn't feel unwell however my eyes started to become blurry which has frightened me somewhat.
I'm a 63 year old generally in good health and currently 14.5 stone, dropping over the past 18 months from 15.4.
I am a social drinker as I value my license over drink, I quit smoking 6 years ago so obviously I thought I was leading a healthier lifestyle.
I continue to work by choice and for the Home Office and that brings on a certain level of stress and mental health issues but nothing major.

My question to the well known members of this site, how soon after blurred vision is it likely to take before correction takes place?
Is going from a 14 reading on the blood monitor down to 5.5 considered normal then back up again?

I appreciate any personal experiences to help me understand what to expect.

By the way, no family history of diabetes but we do have heart disease running through some family members.

Thank you

 

[Jodee]

Hi GO and welcome

I was blurry eyed about 3 months ago, at 86 HbA1c about 13mmol finger prick readings., it took about 2 months before vision returned and finger prick mmols between 5.5 and 7.5 on waking. Vision becomes affected around 10mmol I think and often we don*t know we are that high without finger pricking.

Lower carbs, smaller portions and exercise seemed to work for me although after recent 3 mothly HbA1C I am reducing still not ideal.

If you can get on a Desmond course or xpert diabetes course, if you can afford the time from work. It will be helpful I am sure.

Its not good you are fluctuating to such extremes, that would suggest your diet maybe. take blood glucose before food then again 2 hours after from the people here I believe ideally we should not be fluctuating more than 3.0 mmol, so for example with a reading of 5.5 before food, no more than 8.5 mmol 2 hours after food. If its more than that its likely to be what you are eating that may be the reason or the quantiity of food you are eating in one sitting. If you can to start maybe try to eat half the carbs you normally would, that alone will reduce your portion size.

Generally diabetic plate is half veg or salad, quarter protein and quarter carbs.

Hopefully others will be along to advise further, for now its my snoozy time./

Night Night

 

[Drummer]

Did no one warn you that being borderline diabetic meant that you were not dealing with carbohydrate at all well? Sugars and starches are digested to become glucose in the blood, which is not stashed away properly - a lucky type two can, by reducing the amount of carbohydrate they eat or drink lower their levels back to normal.
As you are on Gliclazide you have to have got a test kit, which is lucky as most type twos are just left to get on as best they can, so by testing just before starting to eat and then two hours later you can see how you coped with the meal.
Usually a rise of two whole numbers is considered the safe limit.
I found that I was very sensitive to all high carb foods, but I ate 50 gm of carb a day and got back to normal in 6 months - unfortunately normal for me is to put on weight very easily, but I began low carbing a long time ago, so it is my natural state. I enjoy the salads and stir fries I can eat and maintain my blood glucose and weight, and feel a lot better than when pushed to eat a 'normal' diet.

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @getting older

As others have said it is any carbohydrates that will change to glucose once inside, and so raise your levels. Different foods effect different people in different ways and we each have to find out what works for us. Testing your BG both before and after your meals will help you, and your HCP, to plan changes that you can make to improve your levels.

 

[SueEK]

Hi again, I replied on the other thread advising to start a new one not realising you had done just that, sorry. Like you I had no family history but that doesn’t appear to make any difference. As the others have said diet, exercise and if weight loss is needed then that as well, these changes will make a huge difference to your bg levels and it is absolutely possible to get your levels down and keep them there. For everyone it is a big change and at times really difficult which is why we all support and help each other, particularly during those sticky times. Good luck to you and keep posting x

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

You mention limited drinking and stopping smoking, but you make no mention of diet adjustment which is probably the most important thing with diabetes. Whilst you were pre diabetic, did you make any dietary changes? Can you give us an idea of what an average day's menu for you consists of and perhaps we can then suggest changes which might help you? The fact that you are getting some readings in the 5's at this stage is very encouraging as it suggests that you are probably responding to the medication. YoYoing may make you feel unwell and you are looking to bring those top level readings down a bit, ideally under 10, but the 5's are great. I am guessing you are getting those high readings after food and the 5s are perhaps fasting readings in the morning or before your evening meal ??
It is not just the sweet stuff likes cakes, biscuits, sweets/chocolate and "full fat" fizzy drinks that need to be cut out or significantly reduced but also bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and breakfast cereal etc. Some of us cannot even tolerate porridge. It seems crazy to cut down or cut out those starchy carbs when we have spent our whole lives filling our plates with them and it takes a bit of getting your head around eating other things instead, but it is perfectly possible and enjoyable even once you get your head around it. Eggs, meat, fish, nuts and mushrooms are good. Leafy veg are good and milk, butter and cheese will help improve their taste, if you are not a veggie fan. ie Cauliflower cheese is a great addition to your dinner plate and leeks in cheese sauce or cream too. I always sweat my cabbage/kale/spinach in a little butter in a covered pan on low and then add a dollop of cream cheese and mix it in before serving. Omelettes or full English are better breakfast options than cereal or toast, but include healthy veg like mushrooms, tomatoes courgettes etc. I always have a good plate of salad with my mushroom onion and cheese omelette.
Hopefully this will give you ideas of what is better to eat rather than what not to eat, which always makes me feel so negative.
Good luck.

 

[CathyB]

Hi & welcome! My vision was all over the place when I was diagnosed with a bg of 22, I thought I was going blind! Once I started testing and going low carb, the numbers came down over a couple of months ( keeping a food diary really helped). It took about 3 months for things to go back to normal

 

[getting older]

Thank you all for your input.
Diet is the main thing and I appreciate that and whilst I mentioned drinking and quit smoking 6 years ago you are correct I forgot to give some insight to eating habits.
For a few years now I limit take away foods to roughly once a month, I prefer to eat veg and salads with fish, chicken, steaks and very rarely do I touch burgers.
I do enjoy mushrooms, tomatoes and cauliflower cheese on carvery food twice a week.
I occasionally eat chinese food but I cannot indian type food or spices and so in some ways a relative plain eater preferring salads.
To answer a question from Drummer, no my GP didn't mention carbs to start with I was just informed that I was borderline and they would need to keep tabs on my readings every 6 months. As the recent readings came back so high and things have progressed I am now in the mix so to speak.
I am back with the nurse tomorrow to discuss my first week on the medication supplied and the weeks worth of meter readings.
What is confusing is that when Gliclazide was prescribed it was done I was told to help lower the blood sugar levels rapidly and help restore vision and yet 2 of the side effects state Stomach cramps and blurred vision possible.
I am suffering with both, there are lots of contradictions I'm coming across as I start this journey to correct or manage the symptoms.

 

[rebrascora]

That was a missed opportunity by the GP to perhaps have prevented things getting this far. Surely the whole purpose of catching people in the pre diabetic zone is to give dietary advice to try to push it back or prevent it from developing further.
It is usually the Metformin which gives you the stomach cramps and flatulence and sometimes diarrhoea. It is important to take it with substantial food. If I take it after I have finished my food, I get really bad indigestion/heart burn, too soon and it upsets things at the other end, so I have it slightly more than half way through a meal. Your body sometimes gets used to it but every few days I will have an explosive episode 😱😳.... it made my visit to the theatre tonight somewhat uncomfortable!! I don't think I had any problems with the Gliclazide.

It is great that you already enjoy salad and veg. You don't mention bread, potatoes and pasta/rice etc but those are the things to cut back on if you have already cut the sweet stuff right down.

 

[louloulou]

Hello all, I have just joined this forum and so have lots of research to do, I think I may have posted in the wrong section, my appologies.

I have recently been diagnosed as type 2 and have started my journey of Metformin 2000mg daily along with Gliclazide twice daily.
I have been given the blood test kit and a diary.
2 years ago my GP said I was borderline and the monitoring continued until recently and the findings were I had reached 119 or 13.80 and he said he was surprised I wasn't already in hospital on a drip, that was a shock as I didn't feel unwell however my eyes started to become blurry which has frightened me somewhat.
I'm a 63 year old generally in good health and currently 14.5 stone, dropping over the past 18 months from 15.4.
I am a social drinker as I value my license over drink, I quit smoking 6 years ago so obviously I thought I was leading a healthier lifestyle.
I continue to work by choice and for the Home Office and that brings on a certain level of stress and mental health issues but nothing major.

My question to the well known members of this site, how soon after blurred vision is it likely to take before correction takes place?
Is going from a 14 reading on the blood monitor down to 5.5 considered normal then back up again?

I appreciate any personal experiences to help me understand what to expect.

By the way, no family history of diabetes but we do have heart disease running through some family members.

Thank you

Hello I am Newlly Diabetic 8 months ago I started to lose my eye sight and was really scary for me, I could not drive watch tv and then rushed to intensive care I found that after my levels went from 30 very dangerous to now in 6 and 7 my eye sight is back to normal and can see again they also did tests on my eyes to see if there was any series damage I was very lucky to know damage to my eyes Lou

 

[louloulou]

Hello I am Newlly Diabetic 8 months ago I started to lose my eye sight and was really scary for me, I could not drive watch tv and then rushed to intensive care I found that after my levels went from 30 very dangerous to now in 6 and 7 my eye sight is back to normal and can see again they also did tests on my eyes to see if there was any series damage I was very lucky to know damage to my eyes Lou

 

[louloulou]

have you had a eye scan to see if everything is ok?

 

[getting older]

Hi Lou, Yes I had my diabetes eye scan just after the normal eye test at the back end of November 2018 and there were no signs of deterioration. I only needed glass for small print and computer work, other than that my eyesight has been very good to me over the years. I had booked an appointment at the opticians for last week but cancelled as I was informed by the specialist diabetic nurse that it was certainly my blood sugar levels that was the culprit rather than deterioration itself.
My 16,00 appointment with the nurse today to check how I am getting on with the meds and the readings diary was cancelled by the surgery because she had returned home sick therefore a new appointment for 2 weeks time was made.
Still blurred vision and very frustrating

 

[louloulou]

Hi Lou, Yes I had my diabetes eye scan just after the normal eye test at the back end of November 2018 and there were no signs of deterioration. I only needed glass for small print and computer work, other than that my eyesight has been very good to me over the years. I had booked an appointment at the opticians for last week but cancelled as I was informed by the specialist diabetic nurse that it was certainly my blood sugar levels that was the culprit rather than deterioration itself.
My 16,00 appointment with the nurse today to check how I am getting on with the meds and the readings diary was cancelled by the surgery because she had returned home sick therefore a new appointment for 2 weeks time was made.
Still blurred vision and very frustrating

I am sorry to hear your appointment was cancelled and I hope you get sorted soon I totally understand what its like with my sight I have good days and bad days Lou

 

[Nomad722]

Welcome to the forum getting older.

 

[belugalad]

Hi Lou, Yes I had my diabetes eye scan just after the normal eye test at the back end of November 2018 and there were no signs of deterioration. I only needed glass for small print and computer work, other than that my eyesight has been very good to me over the years. I had booked an appointment at the opticians for last week but cancelled as I was informed by the specialist diabetic nurse that it was certainly my blood sugar levels that was the culprit rather than deterioration itself.
My 16,00 appointment with the nurse today to check how I am getting on with the meds and the readings diary was cancelled by the surgery because she had returned home sick therefore a new appointment for 2 weeks time was made.
Still blurred vision and very frustrating

The eyes can get blury with the changing of BG levels a few months ago I was having problems reading small writing on labels then after about 6 weeks or so it was ok,it has been a little bit cloudy the last couple of days though but nothing too troubling

 

[getting older]

A quick update.
Wednesday 31 July I had a pre op assessment at the QE for gallbladder removal surgery date listed for 12 August.
Today I received a phone call from the consultants nurse to inform me that my HbA1c levels are still very high at 99 and that i=surgery has to be cancelled due to the high risk of losing me on the table.
I am advised to keep taking my medication as it's only been 3.5 weeks and they will send for me again in 3-4 weeks for another pre op assessment.
If my HbA1c was 119 or 13.84 to start with and now the blood results from the hospital are showing 99, this hasn't dropped much in 3.5 weeks !
Am I expecting too much too soon?
The finger prick test at 3 times daily has in fact dropped from 14 and now reads below 8 over the past few days anyhow and I thought things are moving in the right direction albeit slowly

 

[belugalad]

A quick update.
Wednesday 31 July I had a pre op assessment at the QE for gallbladder removal surgery date listed for 12 August.
Today I received a phone call from the consultants nurse to inform me that my HbA1c levels are still very high at 99 and that i=surgery has to be cancelled due to the high risk of losing me on the table.
I am advised to keep taking my medication as it's only been 3.5 weeks and they will send for me again in 3-4 weeks for another pre op assessment.
If my HbA1c was 119 or 13.84 to start with and now the blood results from the hospital are showing 99, this hasn't dropped much in 3.5 weeks !
Am I expecting too much too soon?
The finger prick test at 3 times daily has in fact dropped from 14 and now reads below 8 over the past few days anyhow and I thought things are moving in the right direction albeit slowly

Have you made many changes to your diet,in terms of carb restiction/lowering?I have cut out milk,bread,potatoes,cereal,rice,pasta,baked beans,I wont eat anything with breadcrumbs or batter on it either,knocked any ready meals or sauces on the head,I was 95(not sure what the conversion of that is) on diagnosis and I'm about 5.6 on meter now before meals.
I've got loads of naughty stuff in the fridge as my lads here this weekend but I'm not touching any of that,I'm not saying it's a walk in the park though,you must be stressed with the op etc

 

[getting older]

I made dietary changes 2-3 months ago and have substantially reduced sugar, bread, pasta, potatoes intake on a daily/weekly basis generally anything sweet or overly sweet is not on my menu list.
I eat salads 4 times per week and veg with cooked dinner twice per week.
I am still maintaining weight loss from 15.4 stone to 14.5 stone and so far able to keep any weight gain at bay

 

[Docb]

Hi getting older. the HbA1c gives a measure of your blood glucose over the last 2-3 months so a retest after 3.5 weeks will still have a lot of "old" blood in the sample. A drop of 10 units over 3.5 weeks shows you are heading in the right direction. So keep up what you are doing and see what happens at the next check.