Tiredness Is Kicking In...

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lucytrustno1

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Having only just been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last week, which came as a surprise as I didn't think that I displayed any of the initial symptoms is that for a while now I have been suffering with extreme tiredness at work always around 1.30pm - at first I put it down to working on the computer, as I am a data entry clerk, but I do not smoke/drink and I always go to bed at roughly 9pm every night (as I have to get up early to catch my bus to work) but yet I am still experiencing the tiredness every day. When I mentioned this to my diabetic nurse she didn't comment, but it's really getting me down now as I can't afford to be tired especially at work, has anyone else experienced this? and if so is there anything that I can take to help ease the tiredness? I am still in the early stages and have been told that I can control my diabetes by diet and exercise. Thanx
 
Hi Lucy

The tiredness factor and a lack of comment from the nurses at my surgery (i'm blowed if i can be bothered to talk to my GP about it) bugs me too. I used to feel much worse, back when i was first diagnosed i was like you, and i asked my DSNs any they had no explaination other than "it's because you're diabetic and newly diagnosed) i still get pretty tired from time to time but i think that's when i'm trying too hard with diet and exercise, and i don't eat enough calories to keep me going. I wish i had some good advice, but unfortunately all i can do is say "yeah, i was like that, it used to annoy me a lot too." I suppose that maybe your energy levels will go up as you get used to your new lifestyle and things. I didn't really notice it going, i just gradually got less tired.

Rachel
 
Hi Lucy,

welcome to the forum, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. But now you know whats wrong you can take steps to feeling better, including tiredness!

Im sure others will be along soon to go in more depth as to why it happens. But basically tiredness is a sympton of diabetes, it happens when the blood glucose level is too high. Making you feel tired and lethargic. You are probably experiencing this around 1.30 due to your lunch?

I take it you have been advised on diet and exercise? Also, its a good idea to get a glucose meter so you can assess how certain foods affect you bg levels.

Hope this helps and keep asking questions, we are all here to help and support each other
 
Sorry i cant relate entirely but i do get tired in the afternoon about 2ish, have you any plans to tell work about your diabetes? hopefully if you decide to they will be supportive x
 
Before diagnosis I was often unable to stay awake after lunch (and it was never a heavy lunch!). I could be sitting in front of my pc just trying to concentrate staying awake and not actually doing anything!

After diagnosis I was given a glucose meter and was able to use that to help me get my levels under control. After that, the tiredness did diminish substantially and I can concentrate well into the evening on most days. I think that my regular daily exercise (mostly just walking) has helped with that too.

I'm sure that it will be the same for you too.

Good luck.

Andy 🙂
 
Hi Lucy

Welcome to the site I have only recently been diagnosed with Diabetes as well and had great support and advise from this forum you have defintely come to the right place.

I can't really help you with the tiredness as this is a symptom I haven't suffered with quite the oppiste a bit of a night owl:D
 
Hi there. I too used to get the after lunch exhaustion when my blood glucose levels were too high. I'm fairly well controlled now with medication and it is better but if I eat a lunch with too many carbs it still affects me. I try to stick to a lowish carb consumption.
If you can get hold of a meter it will enable you to see what your blood is doing at this time and hopefully experiment with foods to keep it lower. I was chatting to my nurse the other day and told her that if only I had been given a meter and strips so much earlier I'm sure I would have got control so much sooner. She agreed that some patients would be better with them but it's the cost that means they can't give them out. It will be up to you to explain that you want to find out which foods enable you to keep those BG levels down. It is a waste of money giving strips to those who test and then don't use the results to inprove their condition.
 
I'm an early stater too. I get very tierd around 1.30-2pm. It depends how long ago it was isnce lunch, but find it helps to go wash my hands, get a drink of water and have a short wander. My GP said 'you'll get used to that, you work full time.'
 
Hi Lucy

I think all the changes you are getting used may be contributing to your tiredness. The advice to get a meter and test is a good idea to fine tune your foods to see what suits you best but it is early days - don't get too down about things. If your diet was "bad" before diagnosis, your body needs time to adapt and you should feel the benefit of a healthier eating pattern once it all settles - your body probably feels a bit deprived right now!

In my case, too much starchy foods, especially white bread bloats me out lunch time and I get tired and very uncomfortable so I now have something like Ryvita - you will find what suits you in time. If all this is affecting your work, could you book some time off maybe and give yourself a chance to concentrate on you just for a while?

Good luck x
 
Hi everyone thank you so much for the advice and warm welcome, I have not really been told anything apart from being given a fold which tells you about type 2 diabetes it doesn't really advise on what foods I should be eating - at the moment at lunch I've been eating wholemeal pasta, olives, toms, chicken but I don't know what I should be eating now type 2, lunches are really awkward cos I only 30 mins and I usually try to take everything ready made rather than having to heat foods up as there can be a bit of a queue lol mid morning about 11.30am I eat an apple or banana, but then afternoon I don't generally eat anything until dinner at 5pm. I drink water as I don't like hot drinks much... any lunch suggestions welcome plse? Also what is a glucose meter? is it expensive to buy and how do you use it plse? Many thanx 🙂
 
lucytrustno1 said:
Hi everyone thank you so much for the advice and warm welcome, I have not really been told anything apart from being given a fold which tells you about type 2 diabetes it doesn't really advise on what foods I should be eating - at the moment at lunch I've been eating wholemeal pasta, olives, toms, chicken but I don't know what I should be eating now type 2, lunches are really awkward cos I only 30 mins and I usually try to take everything ready made rather than having to heat foods up as there can be a bit of a queue lol mid morning about 11.30am I eat an apple or banana, but then afternoon I don't generally eat anything until dinner at 5pm. I drink water as I don't like hot drinks much... any lunch suggestions welcome plse? Also what is a glucose meter? is it expensive to buy and how do you use it plse? Many thanx 🙂
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Hi Lucy, have a look at the Type 2 section and General section of this post:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=10406

The two articles will tell you how best to approach testing your blood with a meter to find out how different foods affect you, and the book will be a very useful guide to Type 2 diabetes and what to expect - much better than your leaflet! Also, the General section gives a couple of recommendations for GL diet books to give you a good idea of what food works best.

Meters only cost around ?10-25, but the test strips are expensive at around ?25 per 50 strips, so it is good to learn how they need to be used and try and persuade your GP to prescribe them. Unfortunately, because of the cost, many GPs are reluctant to prescribe so you need to make it clear that they will help you get manage your diabetes and improve your quality of life.
 
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