What next?

mazowe

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I got diagnosed in early July with Type 2 by my GP. I was put on normal Metformin 500mg once a day (told to increase to twice a day if I had no problems). Within a few days, I got problems - every side listed on the information leaflet - especially abdominal pains, feeling really tired, constipated, muscle pain. Tried to contact my GP again - she only seems to work one day a week, so dropped a note into the practice for either her or the Duty Doctor. It seems Duty Doctor (and others) didn't want to get involved, so eventually my GP contacted me and switched me to Metformin SR - 500mg once a day.

I was fine on this for two weeks but then side effects started - muscle and joint pain, cramps in leg and ankles, major sweating, abdominal discomfort, constipation, migraine, pain behind the ribcage when swallowing liquids - and putting weight on despite eating less and ore healthily and doing more exercise. . I was about to go on holiday and again couldn't get hold of my GP, so decided to come off the tablets whilst away. Within 48 hours, I felt so better and the gentle steady weight loss was back. Came back from holiday, tried tablets again (and still can't get hold of GP as she's now on holiday for 2 weeks) and all the symptoms started again straight away, so stopped it all until I CAN see my GP - whenever that might be.

Now the only thing things have happened since the diagnosis (which was after the initial fasting blood test and urine test and then another blood test which was also fasting but required me to drink some sweet drink and be re-tested after 2 hours) was to be told I had diabetes Type 2, put on the medications and given a leaflet to try and get on an X-PERT course - and go back for another blood test in 6 weeks (which is slightly overdue but will go the hospital next week to get done. All local X-PERT courses are full - earliest date available at present is January 2016. I have not been offered anything else - what comes next?
 

rosserk

Well-Known Member
Messages
288
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi welcome to the forum. While you're waiting to get an appointment with your GP to review your medication, the best thing you can do is restrict your carbs as low as possible and hopefully you will start to feel the benefits.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. A few people do react to Metformin badly and have to stop it. Whilst it does help reduce insulin resistance and helps with blood sugar a bit it is not a miracle cure. A low-carb diet is the highest priority. There isn't a pill which replicates what Metformin does.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome,

I wouldn't worry that you can't get on the X-Pert course till January. They can be useful, but aren't wholly essential. Yu can learn much of what you need to know on this forum and by reading up about what happens to the body when you have diabetes. The more you understand, the better you will be able to control it.

Metformin helps to a very limited extent, and is mainly an appetite suppressant. If you can't cope with the side effects your doctor may prescribe something else, or let you try without. Your best medication is your food. The role of carbohydrate is very important to diabetics. All carbs convert to glucose once inside the system, so it makes sense not to eat too many. The main culprits are bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals and flour. We also need to be careful with milk and fruit.

If you don't have a home glucose meter then I suggest you buy one. This will be your best tool in controlling the disease and learning which foods your body can tolerate. Many of us use the Codefree from here. http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm because it has the cheapest test strips on the market, and initially you will need a lot. There is a discount code if you buy 5 or 10 boxes.

5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

Have a good read round and ask as many questions as you like.
 
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ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Welcome. I will tag @daisy1 who has some info she can post for newbies.

If your doctor wants you to take a diabetes medication other than metformin, then I suggest reading up on them as much as you can before starting them. It's possible for most T2 diabetics to avoid these meds by changing their diet.

Here is some info about the other meds (and this is a good website for general info about T2):
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/17977284.php

Usually after trying metformin, gliclazide is the next drug they suggest. However, this drug can increase appetite and cause weight gain.
 
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daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@mazowe

Hello and welcome to the forum :) As mentioned above, here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions you like and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Welcome. I will tag @daisy1 who has some info she can post for newbies.

If your doctor wants you to take a diabetes medication other than metformin, then I suggest reading up on them as much as you can before starting them. It's possible for most T2 diabetics to avoid these meds by changing their diet.

Here is some info about the other meds (and this is a good website for general info about T2):
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/17977284.php

Usually after trying metformin, gliclazide is the next drug they suggest. However, this drug can increase appetite and cause weight gain.
Probably worth adding that Glic works by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin which is great if you are T1 but if you are an overweight T2 then it can add when there is already too much. It can cause hypos if the dose is too large. I was on max dose for years before insulin.
 
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JenniferW

Well-Known Member
Messages
561
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
About the X-PERT course - I went to the first session of mine today. I was diagnosed back in May, and thought waiting for 4 months would make it seem a bit irrelevant, and after today's session think I was wrong! There was a group of around 20 of us, and as well as literally 'teaching' us all sorts, we had time to get to know each other, and what a difference it made to have some face-to-face contact with other people battling with the same problems! And what a mixture of people! Made me realise how much it's something that can happen to anyone. So I went in wondering if I'd be going back to the other sessions, and came away thinking it would be daft to turn my back on it. So even if you do have to wait months, I'd say don't scorn a place on a course.
 
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