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Trying to explain my glucose levels (was Diazepam)
- Thread starter Becka
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A graph of how quickly Metformin stops working (first vertical line) and restarts working (second line). The gap in the red line was the worst possible time to forgot to test.
Friday night it looked like it was working as it did before, but it tricked me.
Still no blood tests forms.
Friday night it looked like it was working as it did before, but it tricked me.
Still no blood tests forms.
So.
Having still not received any blood test forms, I complained on Wednesday and asked if there is anything else the surgery can do. Yesterday they confirmed the second form had been sent, but also included one I could print myself. Why did they never offer they at in the first place? As the usual ones include stickers for the phials I never even assumed that was possible to be able to ask.
So today, for the first time since the middle of March, I went outside. In the phlebotomy waiting area they have taped off chairs to ensure distancing, but the chairs are not fixed to the floor. So where they could have moved them to ensure more seating, it just lead to more standing around the entrance-cum-reception-cum-corridor to the consultation rooms. And though most people were wearing masks, plenty were not. So that was not a fun experience.
Now I am sitting in the chair, and the phlebotomist does not know what colour cap to use for a c-petitide test. Which in not unreasonable as it is not a common test, so she looks in the book. It is not in the book. She calls someone to find out it needs to be put on ice, which is a problem because they do not have ice. And therefore they cannot do the test, nor can they do any of the other tests. This includes a long overdue one for a hospital in a different borough, in a different health trust, whose test form cannot be accepted.
For any blood tests in my borough there are only three places anyone can go for blood tests. There is a centre in the south of the borough, which is where I went. It is a five minutes walk from where I live. Very socially distanced to get to, I do not even have to go on a main road. The other two centres are in the north of the borough, at least five miles from me, in central London, on the river Thames. Not social distanced at all, it means 40 minutes on a bus. An Oxford Street-bound bus. A busy bus.
To keep slightly within the topic of this thread, last night I took two Diazepam to load up my system and then three this morning. The prescription says to take up to three times a day, but the information leaflet says the dose for anxiety is 5–30 mg per day, and the tablets are only 2mg. So I assume it is safe to take more, and I am still not feeling any effects from them.
Yet on the walk to the test centre I was breathing quite heavily and I cannot tell if that was the mask (probably not, it is a medical mask and I am not a conspiracy theorist), I had difficulty breathing (I am unfit after over four months indoors, and which was in part due to a chronic lung disease that could be showing), or hyperventilation (I was feeling anxious and it is not an uncommon symptom for me).
So if they do have an effect on my glucose levels it will be interesting to find out, if they do not kill me first.
But as one of the blood tests is a glucose one, I needed to fast for it. So I have only had a little water since last night, which means the choice is either eat or go now. And these test are already long overdue and the world is not going to be any safer tomorrow Monday. In fact, according to a local councillor there has been a rise in the infection rate borough this week. Probably much like everywhere else as the government does whatever it is or is not doing. So now is likely the safest time to go, on a bus for 40 minutes, to a major central London hospital.
On the positive side, with my immunosuppressant prescription have run out because it is waiting on these blood tests, it probably takes away one of the reasons I needed to shield. Now I just have a rare chronic lung disease with co-morbid uncontrolled diabetes. Yay!
Having still not received any blood test forms, I complained on Wednesday and asked if there is anything else the surgery can do. Yesterday they confirmed the second form had been sent, but also included one I could print myself. Why did they never offer they at in the first place? As the usual ones include stickers for the phials I never even assumed that was possible to be able to ask.
So today, for the first time since the middle of March, I went outside. In the phlebotomy waiting area they have taped off chairs to ensure distancing, but the chairs are not fixed to the floor. So where they could have moved them to ensure more seating, it just lead to more standing around the entrance-cum-reception-cum-corridor to the consultation rooms. And though most people were wearing masks, plenty were not. So that was not a fun experience.
Now I am sitting in the chair, and the phlebotomist does not know what colour cap to use for a c-petitide test. Which in not unreasonable as it is not a common test, so she looks in the book. It is not in the book. She calls someone to find out it needs to be put on ice, which is a problem because they do not have ice. And therefore they cannot do the test, nor can they do any of the other tests. This includes a long overdue one for a hospital in a different borough, in a different health trust, whose test form cannot be accepted.
For any blood tests in my borough there are only three places anyone can go for blood tests. There is a centre in the south of the borough, which is where I went. It is a five minutes walk from where I live. Very socially distanced to get to, I do not even have to go on a main road. The other two centres are in the north of the borough, at least five miles from me, in central London, on the river Thames. Not social distanced at all, it means 40 minutes on a bus. An Oxford Street-bound bus. A busy bus.
To keep slightly within the topic of this thread, last night I took two Diazepam to load up my system and then three this morning. The prescription says to take up to three times a day, but the information leaflet says the dose for anxiety is 5–30 mg per day, and the tablets are only 2mg. So I assume it is safe to take more, and I am still not feeling any effects from them.
Yet on the walk to the test centre I was breathing quite heavily and I cannot tell if that was the mask (probably not, it is a medical mask and I am not a conspiracy theorist), I had difficulty breathing (I am unfit after over four months indoors, and which was in part due to a chronic lung disease that could be showing), or hyperventilation (I was feeling anxious and it is not an uncommon symptom for me).
So if they do have an effect on my glucose levels it will be interesting to find out, if they do not kill me first.
But as one of the blood tests is a glucose one, I needed to fast for it. So I have only had a little water since last night, which means the choice is either eat or go now. And these test are already long overdue and the world is not going to be any safer tomorrow Monday. In fact, according to a local councillor there has been a rise in the infection rate borough this week. Probably much like everywhere else as the government does whatever it is or is not doing. So now is likely the safest time to go, on a bus for 40 minutes, to a major central London hospital.
On the positive side, with my immunosuppressant prescription have run out because it is waiting on these blood tests, it probably takes away one of the reasons I needed to shield. Now I just have a rare chronic lung disease with co-morbid uncontrolled diabetes. Yay!
I am not sure what time I got home, but it was a about a couple of wickets to the end of the innings for England. I was feeling so tired though I fell asleep at about one wicket past the start of Pakistans innings and woke up at 7pm. Which is know side effect of the medication, no wonder they say do not operate heavy machinery, which I am never sure if that includes a washing machine. It seems heavy, but the worst you can do is select the wrong cycle.
So I am also going to blame the surgery for missing that Pakistan innings now too. Even though as well as the Diazepam, I really hate hot weather. And today's weather was really hot. I just slow down and become very unproductive. When I got back I just stripped back and could barely move. When I woke up it was still 90 °F and 32 °C in my front room.
I had to go on the main road to catch a bus, and not many people are wearing masks. Nor keeping two metres. They are still randomly stopping in the middle of pavements to chat, phone calls, or fuss with buggies too. All of which is why it was never realistic to go out that time during shielding when the government did one of their late night tweets from a Privy Councillor. Keeping two metres in an urban area is impossible. On the bus, when I turned to get off it seems someone was sitting right behind me. And the hospital was not much better, where masks were worn but even one metre distancing was ignored.
Anyway, I have finally done the blood tests, so now I wait. The HbA1c period will mostly cover since starting just before taking Sitagliptin, but I was originally diagnosed at 11.2% so it will be interesting to see how close I am to that now with medication. (As far as I am aware, my best result was 5%)
As for the potential effects on my glucose levels from Diazepam. This morning I started at 13.8, when I got back from the hospital it had fallen to 9.7 (nothing but sips of water since 10pm last night), and when I woke up it was 21.2 (M&S tofu and bean sandwich and a small beer). That is around a four-hour fasting reading, so I am still thinking the rug is having an effect.
And it is still far too hot.
So I am also going to blame the surgery for missing that Pakistan innings now too. Even though as well as the Diazepam, I really hate hot weather. And today's weather was really hot. I just slow down and become very unproductive. When I got back I just stripped back and could barely move. When I woke up it was still 90 °F and 32 °C in my front room.
I had to go on the main road to catch a bus, and not many people are wearing masks. Nor keeping two metres. They are still randomly stopping in the middle of pavements to chat, phone calls, or fuss with buggies too. All of which is why it was never realistic to go out that time during shielding when the government did one of their late night tweets from a Privy Councillor. Keeping two metres in an urban area is impossible. On the bus, when I turned to get off it seems someone was sitting right behind me. And the hospital was not much better, where masks were worn but even one metre distancing was ignored.
Anyway, I have finally done the blood tests, so now I wait. The HbA1c period will mostly cover since starting just before taking Sitagliptin, but I was originally diagnosed at 11.2% so it will be interesting to see how close I am to that now with medication. (As far as I am aware, my best result was 5%)
As for the potential effects on my glucose levels from Diazepam. This morning I started at 13.8, when I got back from the hospital it had fallen to 9.7 (nothing but sips of water since 10pm last night), and when I woke up it was 21.2 (M&S tofu and bean sandwich and a small beer). That is around a four-hour fasting reading, so I am still thinking the rug is having an effect.
And it is still far too hot.
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Thank you.
No unusual reading this morning, though I was worried between sleeping for so long in the afternoon and the heat I would be unable to sleep last night. Instead I fell asleep fairly quickly and did not wake until 9:30am. Otherwise I have not felt any benefit from Diazepam, although I cannot prove a negative so maybe yesterday would have been more difficult without it. So hopefully I will never need to take it again given the risk of addiction and it seeming to cause spikes to my levels.
No unusual reading this morning, though I was worried between sleeping for so long in the afternoon and the heat I would be unable to sleep last night. Instead I fell asleep fairly quickly and did not wake until 9:30am. Otherwise I have not felt any benefit from Diazepam, although I cannot prove a negative so maybe yesterday would have been more difficult without it. So hopefully I will never need to take it again given the risk of addiction and it seeming to cause spikes to my levels.
I have an entirely random question, but what does the date on a post mark mean?
For example, if I received a regular stamped letter today with a postmark of 06-08-2020, would that be the date it was received by the Royal Mail — such as when the sack from a post box is emptied onto the conveyer belt (I assume is how it works) — or maybe it is once it has gone through the system and marks it as ready to be assigned to someone to deliver?
Looking on Google it seems American post if the former, but I could not see anything for the U.K.
Not that this should necessarily be taken to mean I received two blood test forms today, both dated 06-08-2020, and that the dates make me suspect that the surgery never actually posted one on July 24th like they said they had, and another on July 30th like they also claimed to have done, but instead only sent them after I complained on August 5th, and so had been lying to me. Because they would be a very worrying situation if true, and it would much better for everyone if the Royal Mail had just severely messed up somehow.
For example, if I received a regular stamped letter today with a postmark of 06-08-2020, would that be the date it was received by the Royal Mail — such as when the sack from a post box is emptied onto the conveyer belt (I assume is how it works) — or maybe it is once it has gone through the system and marks it as ready to be assigned to someone to deliver?
Looking on Google it seems American post if the former, but I could not see anything for the U.K.
Not that this should necessarily be taken to mean I received two blood test forms today, both dated 06-08-2020, and that the dates make me suspect that the surgery never actually posted one on July 24th like they said they had, and another on July 30th like they also claimed to have done, but instead only sent them after I complained on August 5th, and so had been lying to me. Because they would be a very worrying situation if true, and it would much better for everyone if the Royal Mail had just severely messed up somehow.
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It seems that there are people who are very interested in postmarks 🙂
The postmark is distinct from the 'killer' or 'dumb cancellation' mark that cancels a stamp so that it can't be used twice; you might have seen this as four or five wavy lines on an envelope. In contrast, the postmark carries information: the date, time, location of the originating post office and names of additional post offices en route.
What is the British Postmark Society? - The Oldie
The study of snail mail postmarks is alive and well reports Deborah Nash
www.theoldie.co.uk
Who knew?!Apparently it marks the point at which the fee for the postage is cancelled, and where and when the mail servoce accepted responsibility for the item.
When I was searching there is a Royal Mail page for postmarks, and they issue bulletins for them, but it is only for when special edition marks are being used.
www.royalmail.com
As for my question, in the end I found a video about the journey taken by a letter. It does not show the postmarking, but they do indeed just empty the sack onto a conveyor belt. This then separates out normal sized letters, and first from second class. They then go into a second machine to read the address, and the video shows the envelopes already postmarked at this stage.
Which makes it reasonable to conclude that the surgery never posted out the blood test forms and lied to me. So my upset yesterday seems valid.
I am not sure if Covid-19 is slowing down the labs, but normally I would expect the surgery to get the results tomorrow or Tuesday. And I am still not sure what result to consider good news or bad. But whatever it is, I just want to be able to stop taking Sitagliptin because I have definitely put on weight since I started taking it.
Postmarks | Royal Mail
See the Royal Mail postmarks, which appear on our letter and parcel deliveries
As for my question, in the end I found a video about the journey taken by a letter. It does not show the postmarking, but they do indeed just empty the sack onto a conveyor belt. This then separates out normal sized letters, and first from second class. They then go into a second machine to read the address, and the video shows the envelopes already postmarked at this stage.
Which makes it reasonable to conclude that the surgery never posted out the blood test forms and lied to me. So my upset yesterday seems valid.
I am not sure if Covid-19 is slowing down the labs, but normally I would expect the surgery to get the results tomorrow or Tuesday. And I am still not sure what result to consider good news or bad. But whatever it is, I just want to be able to stop taking Sitagliptin because I have definitely put on weight since I started taking it.
mikeydt1
Well-Known Member
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- Other Type
it is not the sitagliptan it is the gliclazide which can cause weight gain. also sitagliptan does take quite a while to work or doesn't do much at all which is why more often another medication is needed.
i am on both sitagliptan and glic.
also be careful taking too many diazapem it can slow the heart down a wee too much and is also addictive.
i am on both sitagliptan and glic.
also be careful taking too many diazapem it can slow the heart down a wee too much and is also addictive.
That seems unlikely as the weight gain happened after I stopped taking Gliclazide and started taking Sitagliptin!
I was put on Gliclazide and Metformin when I was first diagnosed (resulting from a blood tests for something else, I was not slim but not overweight and had no symptoms). And everything was under control perfectly, save an occasional random hypo, until around the start of the year when the Gliclazide just stopped working. Whilst I obviously cannot say I did not carry more weight because of taking it, there had never been any notable increase in my weight.
Because my surgery has been very unhelpful (so the lies above are unsurprising), I carefully increased my Gliclazide dose to the maximum myself. It made no change to my glucose levels, literally the same effect at 320 mg as not taking it at all. So in April the practice pharmacist added Sitagliptin to my prescription, and I have definitely gained weight since then.
Having been shielding all this time could have been part of the problem. Though I am not especially active due to pain that it feels the it of walking I was missing could not account for it alone. And although it is only a couple of reports, weight gain is listed under Sitagliptin on the Yellow Card site, so it could be a rare side effect.
But although it has helped reduce my levels a few mmols/L, my readings are still mostly in double figures. So a new treatment is needed, which I am assuming it will mean insulin. Even if the blood tests do not show LADA, it is the next treatment after three therapeutics on the N.H.S. type 2 pathway. Although my G.P. did mention an SGLT2 inhibitor as an option before I asked about the tests. Just hopefully not with Sitagliptin.
I was put on Gliclazide and Metformin when I was first diagnosed (resulting from a blood tests for something else, I was not slim but not overweight and had no symptoms). And everything was under control perfectly, save an occasional random hypo, until around the start of the year when the Gliclazide just stopped working. Whilst I obviously cannot say I did not carry more weight because of taking it, there had never been any notable increase in my weight.
Because my surgery has been very unhelpful (so the lies above are unsurprising), I carefully increased my Gliclazide dose to the maximum myself. It made no change to my glucose levels, literally the same effect at 320 mg as not taking it at all. So in April the practice pharmacist added Sitagliptin to my prescription, and I have definitely gained weight since then.
Having been shielding all this time could have been part of the problem. Though I am not especially active due to pain that it feels the it of walking I was missing could not account for it alone. And although it is only a couple of reports, weight gain is listed under Sitagliptin on the Yellow Card site, so it could be a rare side effect.
But although it has helped reduce my levels a few mmols/L, my readings are still mostly in double figures. So a new treatment is needed, which I am assuming it will mean insulin. Even if the blood tests do not show LADA, it is the next treatment after three therapeutics on the N.H.S. type 2 pathway. Although my G.P. did mention an SGLT2 inhibitor as an option before I asked about the tests. Just hopefully not with Sitagliptin.
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Postmarked at the main sorting office local to where it was actually posted, before whizzing through the Postcode reader, then being despatched to wherever it needs to go either UK or abroad, then when it reaches the local office, being sorted into the individual Postal delivery rounds.
I typed this right after the OP - but have only now noticed that I didn't click 'Post reply' LOL
I typed this right after the OP - but have only now noticed that I didn't click 'Post reply' LOL
Yesterday I received a message from the surgery saying my results had been received and to book an appointment with a practice pharmacist. Which I did, for today.
Today I received a message from the surgery saying my results had been received and to book an appointment with a clinician.
This is quite normal, results come in a different times and reviewed and acted on separately.
I considered cancelling the pharmacist appointment but not knowing what each message specifically referred to I decided against it. Maybe I should have.
However it seems I cannot make an appointment with the doctor I always used to see in person, the doctor who is my named doctor in charge of my care, the doctor who I trust, the doctor who actually ordered the tests. Apparently appointments with him can only be done through the fancy new app, which only works on newer phones, so I am unable to use.
Thankfully there is another doctor I like, who I used to always see and was my named doctor before she left the practice (though has since returned), and I could make an appointment with her for Thursday.
I am now very curious to what they is about, because according to the pharmacist everything is okay except my HbA1c being raised and I am slightly anaemic. Apparently I had good control last summer at 7.2% (55 mmol/mol) but this has risen to 9.3% (78). All things considered, that does not sound good control when for a long time I was around 6% (42), whilst my current levels sounds excellent when it is th equivalent of 12.2 mmol/L, which is roughly my fasting levels.
It was not quantified but I was told my C-peptide result was normal as it showed I was producing insulin, although that was not in doubt, the question was by how much. And there was mention of the antibody test, although maybe that has not come back yet.
So the conclusion of the pharmacist is that Gliclazide was working, because my control was good last summer when I was taking it, and it is not good now because I am not taking it.
The answer to why I was averaging a fasting levels upwards of 13 mmol/L on 80mg of Gliclazide, fasting levels upwards of 13 mmol/L on 320mg of Gliclazide, and fasting levels upwards of 13 mmol/L without Gliclazide, is that finger prick tests are just a snapshot, and so unless you test hourly they are not reflective of the overall response.
Which is obviously true, but it would mean that those tests I have taken at least twice a day, every day, all year, just happened to be unrepresentative every single time. It is just a coincidence that at the moment I test they are always spiking much higher than what the HbA1c result shows they normally are.
No matter what I asked or said about how can that make any sense, he was very insistent that the as a snapshot they do not show anything. The only issue, and treatment, is to start taking Gliclazide again then my levels will be back to normal. He was very insistent about that.
I am not very good with conflict, do not like talking on the phone, and have the call with a G.P. to come anyway, so I left it at that.
I never asked if maybe the glucometer is wrong, and they should issue another one. Although I have no reason to doubt it. I never asked if maybe they should retest my HbA1c level given the discrepancy. And I never asked about the GAD antibody test, or what the results was for the fasting glucose test that was taken.
It was quite clear nothing I could have said would have made any difference anyway. He was already complaining that he had spent too long explaining it.
He never mentioned anything about the anaemia, so I am not sure if I am supposed to do anything or worry about that.
Also today I got a message from the surgery saying my images will be sent to a dermatologist. Even though I have not raised any skin issues or provided any with any images. I am starting to think they might not be a good practice.
Hopefully I will get a more helpful and productive outcome on Thursday. Right now I feel rather fed up with the whole situation.
Today I received a message from the surgery saying my results had been received and to book an appointment with a clinician.
This is quite normal, results come in a different times and reviewed and acted on separately.
I considered cancelling the pharmacist appointment but not knowing what each message specifically referred to I decided against it. Maybe I should have.
However it seems I cannot make an appointment with the doctor I always used to see in person, the doctor who is my named doctor in charge of my care, the doctor who I trust, the doctor who actually ordered the tests. Apparently appointments with him can only be done through the fancy new app, which only works on newer phones, so I am unable to use.
Thankfully there is another doctor I like, who I used to always see and was my named doctor before she left the practice (though has since returned), and I could make an appointment with her for Thursday.
I am now very curious to what they is about, because according to the pharmacist everything is okay except my HbA1c being raised and I am slightly anaemic. Apparently I had good control last summer at 7.2% (55 mmol/mol) but this has risen to 9.3% (78). All things considered, that does not sound good control when for a long time I was around 6% (42), whilst my current levels sounds excellent when it is th equivalent of 12.2 mmol/L, which is roughly my fasting levels.
It was not quantified but I was told my C-peptide result was normal as it showed I was producing insulin, although that was not in doubt, the question was by how much. And there was mention of the antibody test, although maybe that has not come back yet.
So the conclusion of the pharmacist is that Gliclazide was working, because my control was good last summer when I was taking it, and it is not good now because I am not taking it.
The answer to why I was averaging a fasting levels upwards of 13 mmol/L on 80mg of Gliclazide, fasting levels upwards of 13 mmol/L on 320mg of Gliclazide, and fasting levels upwards of 13 mmol/L without Gliclazide, is that finger prick tests are just a snapshot, and so unless you test hourly they are not reflective of the overall response.
Which is obviously true, but it would mean that those tests I have taken at least twice a day, every day, all year, just happened to be unrepresentative every single time. It is just a coincidence that at the moment I test they are always spiking much higher than what the HbA1c result shows they normally are.
No matter what I asked or said about how can that make any sense, he was very insistent that the as a snapshot they do not show anything. The only issue, and treatment, is to start taking Gliclazide again then my levels will be back to normal. He was very insistent about that.
I am not very good with conflict, do not like talking on the phone, and have the call with a G.P. to come anyway, so I left it at that.
I never asked if maybe the glucometer is wrong, and they should issue another one. Although I have no reason to doubt it. I never asked if maybe they should retest my HbA1c level given the discrepancy. And I never asked about the GAD antibody test, or what the results was for the fasting glucose test that was taken.
It was quite clear nothing I could have said would have made any difference anyway. He was already complaining that he had spent too long explaining it.
He never mentioned anything about the anaemia, so I am not sure if I am supposed to do anything or worry about that.
Also today I got a message from the surgery saying my images will be sent to a dermatologist. Even though I have not raised any skin issues or provided any with any images. I am starting to think they might not be a good practice.
Hopefully I will get a more helpful and productive outcome on Thursday. Right now I feel rather fed up with the whole situation.
Bruce Stephens
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- Type 1
It puts the HbA1c figure in some doubt, for one thing. (Maybe if it's "slightly" then that would indicate the HbA1c would only be "slightly" higher than expected.)
By the end of the call I had forgotten all about it, though I just wanted it over at that point anyway. So I have no idea if it is slight as in nothing to worry about, whether something might be wrong with my kidneys, or anything else. It could be a Metformin side effect. He just never came back to it.
One of my kidney levels, creatinine I think, always used to be better than normal. But the good G.P., the one who I cannot see, noticed that on the hospital tests monitoring my immune system it had risen to the far end of the normal range. I guess to the hospital as it was in the normal rage it was not a concern.
After being referred to a nephrologist it seems the doctor had caught chronic kidney disease early enough to prevent it becoming a problem. I only needed to stop the immunosuppressant causing it. I am not sure if that experience could have any sort of lasting effects, or maybe there are problems again. But it seems like there is a reason to feel some worry! If hospital doctors did not spot a problem last time, I doubt a pharmacist who thinks a single test dismisses all other evidence could.
I will just have to make notes for Thursday's call with the other doctor to make sure I do not forget anything, and just ignore what the pharmacist said today. I only realized later this evening that if Gliclazide was working, why did I not hypo at 320 mg? I always used to have occasional ones without any obvious external cause on 80 mg, which made me very cautious about increasing the dose at first. I do not have the medical training to say he is a pillock, so I will need to find some other words.
Ironically, my fasting levels this evening were the lowest they have been for a long time at 8.8 mmol/L (my 7-day evening average is 14.0, and 12.8 in the morning). Partly because I barely ate today as I wanted to try Sainsbury's fake-fish fingers (which are mushroom and jackfruit-based) for tea. In keeping with the theme of the day, they were not a good experience.
One of my kidney levels, creatinine I think, always used to be better than normal. But the good G.P., the one who I cannot see, noticed that on the hospital tests monitoring my immune system it had risen to the far end of the normal range. I guess to the hospital as it was in the normal rage it was not a concern.
After being referred to a nephrologist it seems the doctor had caught chronic kidney disease early enough to prevent it becoming a problem. I only needed to stop the immunosuppressant causing it. I am not sure if that experience could have any sort of lasting effects, or maybe there are problems again. But it seems like there is a reason to feel some worry! If hospital doctors did not spot a problem last time, I doubt a pharmacist who thinks a single test dismisses all other evidence could.
I will just have to make notes for Thursday's call with the other doctor to make sure I do not forget anything, and just ignore what the pharmacist said today. I only realized later this evening that if Gliclazide was working, why did I not hypo at 320 mg? I always used to have occasional ones without any obvious external cause on 80 mg, which made me very cautious about increasing the dose at first. I do not have the medical training to say he is a pillock, so I will need to find some other words.
Ironically, my fasting levels this evening were the lowest they have been for a long time at 8.8 mmol/L (my 7-day evening average is 14.0, and 12.8 in the morning). Partly because I barely ate today as I wanted to try Sainsbury's fake-fish fingers (which are mushroom and jackfruit-based) for tea. In keeping with the theme of the day, they were not a good experience.
How is it possible to have the worst possible surgery with the best possible G.P.? I feel like I if I stay a patient with them it will kill me, but without access to him it will also kill me.
So, the [other good] doctor called.
As I said before, the surgery sends messages with calls to action for tests as they come in. So you do get duplication and it turned out there was nothing extra that needed to be discussed. But I said I was unhappy with the experience with the pharmacist, so went through everything again.
She obviously realized that Gliclazide could not have been working, but also said my c-peptide results were at the top of the normal range. However because she was unsure what would be best treatment, as it is was not her normal area, she would consult with a colleague and call back.
I still did not know what outcome I wanted or what would be good or bad news. Although it is obviously good that my pancreas is working okay, it did not feel like good news because it still left everything unexplained.
Anyway, she has already called back having consulted with the good doctor. It seems it is my kidney levels all again. My results look normal in isolation, but when taken in context are a sign of a problem. And only that one doctor is capable of seeing it.
It turns out, that my really good c-peptide levels are really good for normal glucose levels. But because my glucose levels, as tested alongside them, were not good it meant they should have been much higher. So in fact they were too low.
It is probably the wrong reaction, but it is such a relief to know mystery pancreas is giving up.
After all these months — and twice being dismissed by that idiot of a pharmacist, as he was also the one who prescribed Sitagliptin after dismissing my concerns in April — everything finally makes sense. And I really needs to be able to understand things and for them to make sense to be able to cope with the world.
Except now I still do not know whether to change surgeries.
I did also mention the anaemia, so some more tests will be ordered for that and I am being referred to the diabetic clinic.
Meanwhile I will have to make my second trip out since lockdown as my rheumatologist forgot to order a necessary blood test so I need to go to the other hospital — 40 minutes by bus in the opposite direction — for that so I can get a new prescription. And then back to the old fortnightly testing after that.
Which together all feels like a clichéd culmination with the the main story concluding just as everything else returns to normal. And yet the anaemia plot line remains for a potential sequel.
The end.
So, the [other good] doctor called.
As I said before, the surgery sends messages with calls to action for tests as they come in. So you do get duplication and it turned out there was nothing extra that needed to be discussed. But I said I was unhappy with the experience with the pharmacist, so went through everything again.
She obviously realized that Gliclazide could not have been working, but also said my c-peptide results were at the top of the normal range. However because she was unsure what would be best treatment, as it is was not her normal area, she would consult with a colleague and call back.
I still did not know what outcome I wanted or what would be good or bad news. Although it is obviously good that my pancreas is working okay, it did not feel like good news because it still left everything unexplained.
Anyway, she has already called back having consulted with the good doctor. It seems it is my kidney levels all again. My results look normal in isolation, but when taken in context are a sign of a problem. And only that one doctor is capable of seeing it.
It turns out, that my really good c-peptide levels are really good for normal glucose levels. But because my glucose levels, as tested alongside them, were not good it meant they should have been much higher. So in fact they were too low.
It is probably the wrong reaction, but it is such a relief to know mystery pancreas is giving up.
After all these months — and twice being dismissed by that idiot of a pharmacist, as he was also the one who prescribed Sitagliptin after dismissing my concerns in April — everything finally makes sense. And I really needs to be able to understand things and for them to make sense to be able to cope with the world.
Except now I still do not know whether to change surgeries.
I did also mention the anaemia, so some more tests will be ordered for that and I am being referred to the diabetic clinic.
Meanwhile I will have to make my second trip out since lockdown as my rheumatologist forgot to order a necessary blood test so I need to go to the other hospital — 40 minutes by bus in the opposite direction — for that so I can get a new prescription. And then back to the old fortnightly testing after that.
Which together all feels like a clichéd culmination with the the main story concluding just as everything else returns to normal. And yet the anaemia plot line remains for a potential sequel.
The end.
There are several surgeries local to me, the one I am with now was because it was the only one offering online appointment bookings at the time I joined.
And that was after I had to leave one of the other ones. My G.P. there said they did not know enough about my condition so could not help me. And then said on a benefit form I was unwilling to help myself because I stopped seeking help from them!
But if I do change I would likely go to the one closest to my back door, they offer online services though the app my current one used to use. And I do not thing they are likely to change to the app I cannot use as that seems tied to the particular surgery group.
However my diabetes situation is "solved" only because of the one particular G.P. at that surgery. Had it not been for him I would still be trying other type 2 meds and getting nowhere, instead he has seems to have confirm LADA which is getting me referred to the clinic for treatment. Much like previously he spotted C.K.D. when otherwise it would have been allowed to become serious before being identified.
So changing surgery may mean a better surgery, but I would still be worse off with a different G.P.
And that was after I had to leave one of the other ones. My G.P. there said they did not know enough about my condition so could not help me. And then said on a benefit form I was unwilling to help myself because I stopped seeking help from them!
But if I do change I would likely go to the one closest to my back door, they offer online services though the app my current one used to use. And I do not thing they are likely to change to the app I cannot use as that seems tied to the particular surgery group.
However my diabetes situation is "solved" only because of the one particular G.P. at that surgery. Had it not been for him I would still be trying other type 2 meds and getting nowhere, instead he has seems to have confirm LADA which is getting me referred to the clinic for treatment. Much like previously he spotted C.K.D. when otherwise it would have been allowed to become serious before being identified.
So changing surgery may mean a better surgery, but I would still be worse off with a different G.P.
- Status