- Messages
- 4
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hello everybody. I am 45 Diagnosed type 2 in April. I'm no literary giant, so I'll just tell my "story" as it comes to me...
I had a routine blood test for cholesterol in April this year. I hit a score of 13.4 on my blood sugar level and was told I was diabetic. Now I had the test on a Monday, the Saturday and Sunday previous I had a couple of bbq's and had a good few beers. I got my results on a Friday and explained I didn't think it was a true reflection due to the "exceptional" consumption of the weekend before. The nurse smiled and said I could have another fasting test but I was, in her opinion, diabetic. "ok" I said, "so what do I do?" I was told to "eat healthy, reduce sugar and salt intake".
I went away and looked at the sugar, salt and fat content in processed foods and promptly had a melt down. Even milk has sugar! I went a bit over board, I had a 2 egg scrambled egg for breakfast, a mackerel salad for lunch and dinner. Now I was 18 stone 9lb and use to a more substantial food intake. All I could think about was diabetes. The Mrs was telling me I was being silly, but I thought "what do you know" and became more anxious. I had the blood test on the Monday.
The following Tuesday, whilst in work, on a nightshift, I felt odd. It was while I was having lunch, a plain salad, my throat felt tight, I had a wave of feeling that something was really wrong and felt a bit detached from reality. I thought it was obviously diabetic related and got myself in to see my occupational health nurse. I explained I had just be diagnosed the Friday before and told her how I was feeling. She took my sugar level, which was 12.4, my temperature and my blood pressure. Then she calls an ambulance and I am taken to hospital. In the ambulance they took my sugar levels and it had gone down to 11.2. Now I was feeling a little bit more relaxed, being in the hands of experts. They were very reassuring.
In A&E I had my bloods taken and also a urine test. The sugar was 13.8 and my urine showed keytones(I think that's what they said). I had a doctor examine me and while listening to my chest I was asked if I had chest pains. Which I didn't. They gave me an ECG and again asked if I had chest pains or shortness of breath. I had another blood test and was then informed they were getting conflicting results. It was at this stage I was told I was in because I showed symptoms of heart attack!! The ECG was showing an irregularity in the electrolytes (I think) and the bloods were not showing an enzyme that is released during heart trauma.
Anyway, after a long and very worrying 20 hours of tests and questions I was discharged. I had an appointment with a cardiologist, as an outpatient. Well this was worrying but the only thing on my mind was FOOD!! Every time I ate I was worried. I had been signed off work so had more time to be obsessed.
I had my fasting test back and it was 8.4 but I needed another because a Hb1ac had not been done. I felt better because 13.4 to 8.4 was a big difference. However I still had food issues, I had cut out nearly all carbs, I was feeling really ****, had no energy and kept feeling light headed. But I was loosing weight.
I then got a phone call from my diabetic nurse to say my Hb1ac test was back and it was 72. She wanted to put me on Metformin because 72 was high. I went in to pick up my prescription and have a chat. She explained that the test reflected the past 3 months. I thought this was odd and pointed out that the result would be from 2 and a half months of pre diagnostic and surely it would be high? Especially as I had been finishing up the treats and drink left over from Christmas(as you do), during the time scale of the Hb1ac test. Fell on deaf ears.
"How about testing?"
"Don't need to."
"How do I know what foods are doing to me?"
"Doesn't matter, you are on Metformin."
"What foods should I be eating?"
I was given a picture of a plate with 3 sections. Meat, veg and carbs(I think) and referred to a Desmond course.
I got my own test kit. Test strips! OMG but for peace of mind I paid the price. My levels never went above low 6.
Now we're in mid May and I have still got food issues, Desmond course was set for mid September! I had an echocardiogram and was waiting for the results. I had also been referred for cognitive behavioural therapy, because I was showing symptoms of anxiety!
June comes and I'm still worried about food, still living on salads. After 6 weeks being signed off work(because of cardio exploration) the doctor received the results from the echo. I watched him frown and reread the notes, listen to my chest and back, reassure me everything was fine but wanted me to have an ECG. Had the ECG and found out I had a left bundle branch blockage. "Take it easy" the doctor told me and looked to send me on my way!
"TAKE IT EASY!?" I exclaimed. "You want to elaborate on that?".
"don't exert yourself" he said.
"what does that mean? Can I work?".
"I'll sign you off again, if you want" he says.
"what I want, is to know what it means and how EXACTLY this impacts my life"
"I'll refer you to a cardiologist" was his reply.
Well when I walked in to the reception area the receptionist asked me if I was ok, as I "didn't look right". I explained to her what happened and she suggested seeing another doctor in the practice but had no appointments until next week. So I booked one. For a week I was scared to bloody cough!
I saw the doctor, he explained a bit more and I was reassured enough to decide to go back to work but on light duties. Being at home just allowed me time to constantly mull things over and was driving me crazy! He also prescribed me test strips!
I had a routine blood test for cholesterol in April this year. I hit a score of 13.4 on my blood sugar level and was told I was diabetic. Now I had the test on a Monday, the Saturday and Sunday previous I had a couple of bbq's and had a good few beers. I got my results on a Friday and explained I didn't think it was a true reflection due to the "exceptional" consumption of the weekend before. The nurse smiled and said I could have another fasting test but I was, in her opinion, diabetic. "ok" I said, "so what do I do?" I was told to "eat healthy, reduce sugar and salt intake".
I went away and looked at the sugar, salt and fat content in processed foods and promptly had a melt down. Even milk has sugar! I went a bit over board, I had a 2 egg scrambled egg for breakfast, a mackerel salad for lunch and dinner. Now I was 18 stone 9lb and use to a more substantial food intake. All I could think about was diabetes. The Mrs was telling me I was being silly, but I thought "what do you know" and became more anxious. I had the blood test on the Monday.
The following Tuesday, whilst in work, on a nightshift, I felt odd. It was while I was having lunch, a plain salad, my throat felt tight, I had a wave of feeling that something was really wrong and felt a bit detached from reality. I thought it was obviously diabetic related and got myself in to see my occupational health nurse. I explained I had just be diagnosed the Friday before and told her how I was feeling. She took my sugar level, which was 12.4, my temperature and my blood pressure. Then she calls an ambulance and I am taken to hospital. In the ambulance they took my sugar levels and it had gone down to 11.2. Now I was feeling a little bit more relaxed, being in the hands of experts. They were very reassuring.
In A&E I had my bloods taken and also a urine test. The sugar was 13.8 and my urine showed keytones(I think that's what they said). I had a doctor examine me and while listening to my chest I was asked if I had chest pains. Which I didn't. They gave me an ECG and again asked if I had chest pains or shortness of breath. I had another blood test and was then informed they were getting conflicting results. It was at this stage I was told I was in because I showed symptoms of heart attack!! The ECG was showing an irregularity in the electrolytes (I think) and the bloods were not showing an enzyme that is released during heart trauma.
Anyway, after a long and very worrying 20 hours of tests and questions I was discharged. I had an appointment with a cardiologist, as an outpatient. Well this was worrying but the only thing on my mind was FOOD!! Every time I ate I was worried. I had been signed off work so had more time to be obsessed.
I had my fasting test back and it was 8.4 but I needed another because a Hb1ac had not been done. I felt better because 13.4 to 8.4 was a big difference. However I still had food issues, I had cut out nearly all carbs, I was feeling really ****, had no energy and kept feeling light headed. But I was loosing weight.
I then got a phone call from my diabetic nurse to say my Hb1ac test was back and it was 72. She wanted to put me on Metformin because 72 was high. I went in to pick up my prescription and have a chat. She explained that the test reflected the past 3 months. I thought this was odd and pointed out that the result would be from 2 and a half months of pre diagnostic and surely it would be high? Especially as I had been finishing up the treats and drink left over from Christmas(as you do), during the time scale of the Hb1ac test. Fell on deaf ears.
"How about testing?"
"Don't need to."
"How do I know what foods are doing to me?"
"Doesn't matter, you are on Metformin."
"What foods should I be eating?"
I was given a picture of a plate with 3 sections. Meat, veg and carbs(I think) and referred to a Desmond course.
I got my own test kit. Test strips! OMG but for peace of mind I paid the price. My levels never went above low 6.
Now we're in mid May and I have still got food issues, Desmond course was set for mid September! I had an echocardiogram and was waiting for the results. I had also been referred for cognitive behavioural therapy, because I was showing symptoms of anxiety!
June comes and I'm still worried about food, still living on salads. After 6 weeks being signed off work(because of cardio exploration) the doctor received the results from the echo. I watched him frown and reread the notes, listen to my chest and back, reassure me everything was fine but wanted me to have an ECG. Had the ECG and found out I had a left bundle branch blockage. "Take it easy" the doctor told me and looked to send me on my way!
"TAKE IT EASY!?" I exclaimed. "You want to elaborate on that?".
"don't exert yourself" he said.
"what does that mean? Can I work?".
"I'll sign you off again, if you want" he says.
"what I want, is to know what it means and how EXACTLY this impacts my life"
"I'll refer you to a cardiologist" was his reply.
Well when I walked in to the reception area the receptionist asked me if I was ok, as I "didn't look right". I explained to her what happened and she suggested seeing another doctor in the practice but had no appointments until next week. So I booked one. For a week I was scared to bloody cough!
I saw the doctor, he explained a bit more and I was reassured enough to decide to go back to work but on light duties. Being at home just allowed me time to constantly mull things over and was driving me crazy! He also prescribed me test strips!
