Back on the wagon- clinging on with finger nails!!!!

[Sunny]

Haven't been on here for a good while & of course related to that I guess- I've fallen off the wagon.
Was diagnosed nearly 4 years ago (week of my 50th birthday) Type 2.
Following support/ information on here I halved my Hba1c in less than 6 months & was doing great.
I have complicated medical conditions- including - severe hard to control asthma & severe allergies with frequent anaphylactic episodes (weekly?!!) for which I am on long term steroids & have to have large doses whenever my asthma is bad or I have a bad allergic reaction.
I was ill-health retired from a career I absolutely loved a number of years ago & things have been fairly challenging since.
Was started on Metformin about a year ago - really to help me lose weight- o yes - I have 'exercise-induced-anaphylaxis' - where if I exercise without great care I have a massive allergic reaction?!!

Anyway had gradually almost stopped testing & over Xmas was eating whatever really!!!

Last weekend after an exacerbation of my asthma I had to have high dose steroids!! I started to feel really peculiar- couldn't quite put my finger on it- but felt confused & really tired. After a few days my peripheral vision went really blurry. I thought I should check my BS but couldn't find the charger for my meter!!!
Anyway on Monday I felt really unwell, checked my BS & it was 32!! I calibrated my meter rechecked & it was 33!! I rang 111 & they said they would send me a 999 ambulance. I spent the night in A&E & my levels slowly came down. They did all my bloods etc & finally let me come home in the morning as long as I went to GP's in morning to get them to increase my Metformin & check Hba1c.
GP put my Metformin up to 3x / day.

Well I've been eating really well LCHF since, drinking loads of water & taking the Metformin but my levels are still between 16 & 20 & I'm still feeling rubbish.
My biggest worry is that I've screwed things up permanently & im going to end up on Insulin now. (I am coming down on my steroids & should be back onto my maintenance dose in next couple of days)
Any thoughts please?

 

[ladybird64]

Hiya Sunny. I'm assuming we are talking about Prednisolone here, I know it well (was on it for nearly thirty years!) so, first things first - don't panic. You haven't been feeling well, you know that it takes quite a while for things to settle in general after coming back down to maintenance (10mg?) so if you carry on drinking plenty, trying not to stress and eating what you know works, I'm sure it will be ok - but you do need to give yourself time. Even if you were to take insulin, it's really not the end of the world (although depressing if you're on a shed load of other meds!) and a lot of people find life more manageable when their numbers are under control.
But, no jumping the gun. Get as well as you can be then worry about the rest. As long as you are eating good food, that's the most important thing you can do, as well as make sure that you get support from your HCP.

Take care

 

[Debmcgee]

Hi
Poor you. It's hard enough without all the additional stuff going on. Obv I'm not an expert but I wonder if the drugs caused your bg to get so high?

As I was reading, type1 came to my head but I don't know why. If you've have allergies could this be a pointer towards it as it's an immune disease? No idea but thought I'd throw it out there....

Do whatever you can food wise to really rid those carbs and think about maybe fasting too. Have you seen Jason Fung on YouTube?

Hope you get sorted xxx

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

GP put my Metformin up to 3x / day.

Is that 3 X 500mg? I've heard from other diabetics, on a different forum, that they didn't show any notable changes in BG until they were taking 2 gms a day and it could take several days before a change was noticed.
In the meantime, keep up the lower carb, that will help anyway. As others have said, the other drugs you have to take aren't helping. Take care.

 

[ladybird64]

Hi
Poor you. It's hard enough without all the additional stuff going on. Obv I'm not an expert but I wonder if the drugs caused your bg to get so high?

As I was reading, type1 came to my head but I don't know why. If you've have allergies could this be a pointer towards it as it's an immune disease? No idea but thought I'd throw it out there....

Do whatever you can food wise to really rid those carbs and think about maybe fasting too. Have you seen Jason Fung on YouTube?

Hope you get sorted xxx

Hiya Debbie, just a quick comment, only for info. Regarding the fasting, it's not a good idea when taking steroid meds. Unfortunately one of the side effects (apart from pushing appetite and bg's into the stratosphere!) is that it can cause damage to the stomach lining, they usually advise eating with food but that doesn't make much difference. I think the low carb is brill but fasting is something that should be avoided while on these Meds,

 

[Debmcgee]

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. I am concerned for myself for taking my anti inflammatory meds on an empty stomach but I've been ok so far. I was prescribed omezeraprol (doubt that's spelled right!) but it interfered with my other meds so I stopped.

Xxxx

 

[jpscloud]

I'm a newbie but I'll still say welcome back

I totally understand where you're coming from both with the falling off the wagon and with asthma and steroids. I've had a few hefty doses of steroids in my time too. I am sure they are at least partly behind the binge eating and overeating I am prone to.

Glad to hear you're getting control back and again, I am very aware myself of how fragile that control can be, I suppose we have to see the loss of control as the temporary condition, not being off the wagon - if that makes sense. Keep climbing back on!

 

[Sunny]

Thanks SO much to you all for your support- I already feel less lost & hopeless!!!!
Yes it is Prednisalone & my maintenance dose is 10mg.
The Metformin dose is 3x 500mg. My levels today have been under 12 so it is is starting to take effect with my eating. Despite feeling awful & having to be careful with exercise I have been walking the dogs for an hour & a half/day too.
The steroids do make me SO hungry- I wake at 0400 craving porridge (I make do with Greek yogurt?!!)
I do take esomeprazole & ranitidine & domperidone for reflux mainly due to steroids so wouldn't want to fast.
Things get so complicated when you've a few things going on don't they? I take over 20 drugs up to 4 times per day - some just to counteract the effects of others!!
Warning 'too much information to follow' .......

Bad asthma exacerbation- increase steroids.....BGL increase......steroids cause horrendous reflux.... continuous coughing....... incontinence.....increase in Metformin ....... unbearable diahorrea ........ raised blood sugars........ thrush?!!!!!!!
It's all such fun!!!!

Thanks again for your input, thoughts & support. I will be 'popping' in daily now instead of burying my head in sand.

 

[Debmcgee]

Do keep checking in - it's the only way I stay 'sober' lol!!! X

 

[Oldvatr]

Thrush will certainly push your bgl up. I had it when I went on Forxiga, and it really spiked me. Had to get tabs from doc since creams don't work so well on a guy !

 

[Shar67]

Do you take any vitamin d and calcium supplements

 

[Sunny]

Unfortunately I'm allergic to the thrush tablets!!!
I do take calcium but not Vit D - should I, do you think?

 

[Oldvatr]

Unfortunately I'm allergic to the thrush tablets!!!
I do take calcium but not Vit D - should I, do you think?

By thrush tabs, are you talking OTC remedies such as Canestan? I had to have a very short course of Deflucane, and that cleared it up almost overnight. Have you tried Deflucane? It does have contra-indications with some meds, so may not be suitable in your case. I had to suspend statins in order to take it. Thrush will push your bgl up and you will struggle to control it whilst any infection remains active.

 

[Sunny]

Oldvatr- yes it was Clotrimazole that I reacted to!! I've spoken to GP's this morning & they're going to ring me back - but probably in the morning. I would go & just buy something but after last time & with my history it's maybe best with their input!! I'll ask re Diflucan.
I think with my thrush its kind of the other way round to yours?!! I've got it because my blood sugars are high. With Forxiga the mechanism of action kind of 'draws' the sugar down & gives you thrush?!!
Thanks

 

[Oldvatr]

Oldvatr- yes it was Clotrimazole that I reacted to!! I've spoken to GP's this morning & they're going to ring me back - but probably in the morning. I would go & just buy something but after last time & with my history it's maybe best with their input!! I'll ask re Diflucan.
I think with my thrush its kind of the other way round to yours?!! I've got it because my blood sugars are high. With Forxiga the mechanism of action kind of 'draws' the sugar down & gives you thrush?!!
Thanks

You need to get it (Deflucane) from Doc. I was ok with it, but you might be sensitive. Also need to stop statin while on it. Is more powerful than OTC, but there may be others better suited to your allergy problem.

Yes my problem was too much sugar excreting, but then again, this happens naturally if your bgl is high (usually >15mmol/L) This is after all how the dipsticks work.