What am I doing here?

[OldBuzzard]

Hi to you all,
I've been browsing here for a while now, anonymously to save logging in, but finally I've decided it's time to join in.

Back in March I was feeling rough - really rough, but I didnt know just how bad I was. Finally however, my GP called me in. My last blood test had thrown up something that needed her immediate attention, so she'd sent for me.

Now, I'd been spending my evenings browsing, writing and reading and with my spare hand I was steadily shovelling jelly babies into my ever-eager mouth. And so, as my GP put it plainly - I was feeling so bad because my blood sugar was far too high - so much so that she'd booked me into the local hospital that day. Either that or my days were numbered...
And there they told me that my blood sugar registered at least 550 - as high as their devices could go - so, as they gleefully told me, my blood was 59% sugar!

I was immediately hooked onto an insulin drip and a week later I was released, now reformed and feeling a lot better - and under the care of the local Diabetic Nurse.

So since then I've avoided jelly babies (and other sugary pleasures) and been so good that my normal daily blood sugar readings are usually around 5-6 - too low in fact, for my nurse. So she's just lowered my insulin again.
Naturally I also feel a lot better and am even losing weight slowly.

But does it all matter? I'm 80 next week; I have a bad case of sciatica; I have COPD; I have recurrent prostate cancer (in my shoulder, if that's not an absurdity); I have a hernia and my aortic valve needs replacing again, as well.
So how many more years I have left is anyone's guess - but perhaps, in my 'new' healthier state, I'd like to enjoy them.
So hopefully I'm doing all the right things now, so I'm perhaps good for a few more miles, even if not for long journeys.

So - to me. I'm Chris and I live with my wife (Angie) and 4 cats and 13 tortoises. I'm 'trying' to get our garden under control, if only to attract more wildlife. We already have foxes, a badger, hedgehogs and many mice visiting or resident - my 'other' family.
We live out in the outer suburbs of Taunton - a peaceful and pleasant place. Our daughter visits weekly but apart from her (and assorted delivery men) our life is quiet and perhaps lonely. Thank heavens for the internet.

Right - I've written far too much - but now you know me. I look forward to getting to know some of you too.
Bye.
Oh - just a thought - my HbA1c is 33.88 based on my readings since the end of May.

 

[Docb]

Hi @OldBuzzard and welcome to what I have been known to call the wrinkly end of the forum!

First off, and I have got to say it, whoever told you you had a blood glucose result of 550 and that your blood was was 59% sugar needs to go back to diabetes school because those numbers do not make any sense whatsoever! Whatever was found was enough to put you in hospital and straight onto insulin, so it must have set the alarm bells off.

Did you get the estimate of your current HbA1c from a CGM? They can be a bit out when compared with a lab test but it looks like your diabetes management is pretty good which is a good thing.

You are not alone in having to get a perspective on your diabetes as the body begins to creak with advancing years and you have got a reasonable list of creaky things. My philosophy is to be content with keeping my diabetes within bounds that are a bit more elastic than those these young whippersnappers on the forum aim for. The faff to tighten things up is not worth the effort.

If you have been browsing you will have seen we are a pretty friendly bunch so join in the conversations and show there is still a bit of life (and sometimes a bit of wisdom) in those of us looking at the world from our end of the telescope.

 

[OldBuzzard]

Hello Docb
Thank you so much for your reply - I'm afraid that my own intro probably implied that I was a guy who knew it all - but I don't! It's just that I enjoy writing so a potted intro like that just slipped off my fingers.
To be honest, it was actually my GP who told me those figures but in retrospect, I reckon that she gave me them just to frighten me - to make me realise how badly I was treating my body.

So I've browsed my discharge notes which still tell a sad story - as follows:
I was hospitalised following one month of fatigue and significent weight loss.
I reported polydipsia and increased urinary frequecy.
I was found to be hyperglycamic and hyponatraemic (pseudohyponatraemia due to raised glucose), likely T2DM.
I was started on metformin, gliclazide and insulin with 18 units am and pm.
My HbA1c was 125.

So that's a more accurate description of my clinical condition but I'm pleased to be able to say that I'm a hell of a lot better now.
The estimate of my HbA1c was indeed taken from an online site. No-one has provided me with a clinical figure as yet so apart from my online figure I've no accurate idea of how I'm doing. The Diabetic nurse only praised me for my diligence - while also telling me that my daily figures (typically 5.7 or thereabouts) are rather on the low side.

Regardless, I very much understand your philosophy and accept that my health will control my future, rather than me having a lot to do with it. Anyway, if the diabetes dosn't get me then something else will, that's for sure!

As for how friendly this lot are, I've yet to explore - having concentrated on learning rather that chatting.
Also, I'm still getting to grips with all the diabetic slang and terminology so I'd like to at least sound intelligent before I start joining in.
Anyway, I'm too busy living to spend too much time here, unless I come across some aspect of my health that I just don't understand. I may be heavy on the writing but I tend to be light on chatter unless it's worth it - as in replying to you.
As for wisdom, I'm still considering that side...

So thanks again and take care
And nice to meet you.
Chris

 

[Leadinglights]

Hello Docb
Thank you so much for your reply - I'm afraid that my own intro probably implied that I was a guy who knew it all - but I don't! It's just that I enjoy writing so a potted intro like that just slipped off my fingers.
To be honest, it was actually my GP who told me those figures but in retrospect, I reckon that she gave me them just to frighten me - to make me realise how badly I was treating my body.

So I've browsed my discharge notes which still tell a sad story - as follows:
I was hospitalised following one month of fatigue and significent weight loss.
I reported polydipsia and increased urinary frequecy.
I was found to be hyperglycamic and hyponatraemic (pseudohyponatraemia due to raised glucose), likely T2DM.
I was started on metformin, gliclazide and insulin with 18 units am and pm.
My HbA1c was 125.

So that's a more accurate description of my clinical condition but I'm pleased to be able to say that I'm a hell of a lot better now.
The estimate of my HbA1c was indeed taken from an online site. No-one has provided me with a clinical figure as yet so apart from my online figure I've no accurate idea of how I'm doing. The Diabetic nurse only praised me for my diligence - while also telling me that my daily figures (typically 5.7 or thereabouts) are rather on the low side.

Regardless, I very much understand your philosophy and accept that my health will control my future, rather than me having a lot to do with it. Anyway, if the diabetes dosn't get me then something else will, that's for sure!

As for how friendly this lot are, I've yet to explore - having concentrated on learning rather that chatting.
Also, I'm still getting to grips with all the diabetic slang and terminology so I'd like to at least sound intelligent before I start joining in.
Anyway, I'm too busy living to spend too much time here, unless I come across some aspect of my health that I just don't understand. I may be heavy on the writing but I tend to be light on chatter unless it's worth it - as in replying to you.
As for wisdom, I'm still considering that side...

So thanks again and take care
And nice to meet you.
Chris

That must have been a scary introduction into life with diabetes but good that you are taking things on board and making some progress.
I suspect your nurse said your levels were on the low side as it is often better to bring glucose levels down gradually as a sudden drop can give people issues with their eyes and nerves from an adjustment process. But also when levels are low there is risk of too low blood glucose causing hypo symptoms especially as you are on insulin. Having some hypo treatments always to hand is a good idea, if you feel wobbly then test and treat with something fast acting like full sugar coke or glucose tablets or jelly babies if needed.

 

[OldBuzzard]

Hello Leadinglights
Thank you so much for writing - any reply is great and your comment is both excellent and a fine observation.
I was indeed pretty scared - just to know that I was off to hospital was bad enough, but to be told that I was staying in and going straight onto a drip made it even worse.
I was ignorant and stupid and knew nothing about diabetes back then - I've learned a lot since then. As I said in my intro, I was stuffing jelly babies into me by the bagful and blissfully unaware of the consequences. Yes, I knew that it wasn't good for me but I felt that things like diabetes wasn't for me. Great to be dumb and stupid but I'm so glad that they put me right.

And this is showing my ignorance back then - your comments about eyes and nerves would have been entirely new to me and what's more, so what? But now I do know about such effects but thanks again for mentioning them. I've had eye tests (and new glasses) but haven't had any investigations into my nerves. I ought to mention it to my GP...so thanks.

So far, it seems that I haven't had any real effects from hypo events - even though my lowest reading was just 2.9!
I guess that's because, as I also have cancer, I'm treated with hormone therapy, so I get all uncomfy with hot flushes which would disguise such things as hypo events.
But I am aware of how such events can affect you and cause trouble too - and so I have both the aforesaid jelly babies on hand as well as some glucose tablets.

I am a bit miffed that my nurse hasn't spoken more to me about things such as hypo events but to be honest, she seems to be a dour and abrupt woman, not given to chatter and discussions. This mornings check-up call was just under 7 minutes and there was little in the way of gossip. I guess she's really busy - or perhaps just not a talkative person unlike me. I'll perhaps have words with my GP on the subject some time.

Anyway, I was delighted to find your comment, so thank you so much and here's to many more!
All the best
Chris

 

[Docb]

No problem @OldBuzzard chat whenever you want and say whatever you want in your very lucid writing style.

An HbA1c of 125 is very much on the high side although by no means a forum record. Full marks to your GP for getting you into hospital so that some treatment to get it down could be started with minimal delay.

A couple of pointers.... converting finger prick numbers to HbA1c is a bit of a tricky business so be a bit wary of internet calculators. They are likely to be in the right ballpark but that is about all. An HbA1c of 125 would give finger prick readings mostly in double fiures with 20+ not being unusual. An average of around 8 would be consistent with an HbA1c around the diagnosis level and if you are getting an average around 6 or 7 then that is consistent with an HbA1c around 40. I'm guessing that the insulin was the main reason for the drop in your blood glucose readings and your feeling a hell of a lot better than you were.

Might be worth talking to GP about adjusting insulin doses. Last thing anybody needs is blood glucose levels in hypo territory, and especially so for us wrinklies where the risk of taking a tumble is high enough without exacerbating it with low glucose levels. My DN is happier with my HbA1c being around 50 because I have a tendency to fall over a bit too easily these days. Happened again this morning on my walk for a paper. Not broken anything yet but it tends to shake you up a bit.