Constantly ill ??? help

[Kash2001]

Hi guys

I need some advice of a way forward as this is driving me nuts. I have been ill on and off over the last 18mths plus. Let me clarify ill :

Constant bouts of chest infections, repeat episodes of bad stomachs / diarrhoea. Eyes watering and nausia and feelings of exhaustion. Temperatures dropping and rising from 35 to 39 every time I'm ill. Weight lose due to the above bouts of gastric problems.

I am a physical person my job entails training physically with and alongside students three times a week, however I have not been able to train very hard for over the past year and my muscles feel tired even before training.

I have been wishing to start back running for the past year, but have said to my self "wait till you feel a bit better first but" that day has not come yet.

I work in the day and teach and train in the evening and have late nights, fortunately business is busy.

I have spoken to my doctors who have drawn a blank, although I had not had any tests as yet. They say you are bound to be ill at least 7 times a year anyway !!!

Medical Hist.

When I was a baby I drank mercury and was poisoned by it although I received no medical attention after drinking it I came out in a sever rash for several weeks. Doctors said if i'm not dead I would get over it ! Had Diabeties 27 years type 1, basal bolus system, in short stints between illness sugar levels are ok, but when ill they swing from 1.8 to 20's. Im over 40 but a young 40 LOL
No real allergies.

Been taking vits and omega 3 and auto immune boosting vits, but they don't seem to help much ??

I just feel I role from one thing to another, but the illnesses are driving me nuts, my personal feeling is my auto immune system is to weak to fight the infections to start with, whether the mercury poisoning is having some kind of effect on my resistance or its just an effect on long term diabeties.

None of the doctors can suggest a auto immune specialist that deals with type of thing. My doctors to be honest either are disinterested or may be think I just moaning for the sake of it.

I'm not - I love life and would like to start training hard again, but i literally feel to ill and weak to do anything, and going from bad stomachs to chest infections just seems to be like chinese water torture.

Any help, thoughts or recommendations I would be grateful, if further info might help either post here or pm.

Many thanks
Kash2001

 

[hanadr]

The only suggestion I can make as a "mere" T2 in excellent health, is keep that blood glucose in the non-diabetic range, ie around 5. It may not be the specific answer, but it can't hurt and MAY help. Some T1s would say it's too low or impossible, but just look up Fergus, who is a T1 diabetic of long standing and maintains his blood glucose at that level.
You don't say anything about your blood glucose control. So often it's less than optimal control which puts stress on the metabolism and upsets everything.
Hana

 

[sugarless sue]

Mercury poisoning has life long ramifications. You really need to see a specialist in heavy metal poisoning.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/mercury- ... ptoms.html

 

[Kash2001]

Hi Thanks hanadr I did mention that if I am well usually not more than 4-5 days before I go down with something again that lasts for a few weeks then after recovery a few days later if have something else.

Sugar levels are ok my hpa1c is around 8 which for me is very good considering training raises my sugar levels by quite a bit, but overall its under control. Its not that I'm pretty sure. I mean chest infections, flu like symptoms, glands up on throat, exhaustion like feeling when ill.

I dunno it feels that Ive been ill for so long i can't remember what its like to be well !!!

People around me of course get ill and I just seem to pick up everything going within a few days I'm down with similar symptoms. Just seems my auto immune is too weak to fight off the infections. But the Doctor says "well your fighting them off so its not the immune system" but most of the time I wouldn't be, if I wasn't taking antibiotics to recover from these infections.

Unfortunately because I keep getting ill I am passing it on to my kids and father who is old and susceptible to illness now, so I have to constantly avoid him to prevent cross infection to him - Happy days.

Thanks for the advice though.

ATB
Kash2001

 

[Kash2001]

Mercury poisoning has life long ramifications. You really need to see a specialist in heavy metal poisoning.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/mercury- ... ptoms.html

Thank you for this, is there any such doctors that deal with this in the UK, I didn't think it could be got rid off from the body just absorbed and stayed within the system ??? Apparently I came out in a red rash for two week after consuming the mercury, some of the symptoms on the website do relate to me. But my doctors approach is my immune system is working for me as i'm not in hospital fighting the infection. Although it almost killed me once from a viral infection about 6 years ago.

Thanks for the help.

Kash2001

 

[cugila]

As Sue stated, you need to see a Specialist in this type of poisoning. If your GP won't 'play ball' then you need to see another who will refer you. I am sure there are many specialists in the UK and it is your GP's job to refer you to one for investigations. It looks like your GP isn't really bothered........

You should be........

Ken

 

[CarbsRok]

y

 

[Kash2001]

Thanks Ken

I'll speak with my doctor, I have never had any toxicity tests. Whether they will take on board something that happened over 40 years ago I don't know, but I can only put forward the idea and see where we get too.

Thanks for the advice and I meet with the doctor next week, would it be that as I get older the mercury would have more of a debilitating effect on my immune resistance ? Just a thought, as in my teens and twenties I was quite well, in my thirties i had an increase in flu's and chest infections and general tiredness. Now as mentioned, in my 40's i seem constantly unwell, I have always trained and kept fit throughout this time, and have been involved in exercise since early teens.

I'll try to find some specialists in this area anyway.

Thanks
Kash2001

 

[Kash2001]

Thanks CarbsRok

I'm under ****** and he's happy with my control levels given my work and unusual training regime.

I'm on Levemir and Novorapid and thinking about it, have been on that for about 2 years ?? but can this combination make your immune system weaker to infection and illnesses ??

I'll check the book out, thanks for that.

I have normally a strong resolve and determination, but of late this constant weakness to every lurgy and cold is having a toll on my strength and body.

Thanks
Kash2001

 

[hanadr]

Were you ever teted for mercury poisoning?
I ask, because ingested metallic mercury doesn't usually cause any poisoning. It's not absorbed. the danger comes from mercury compounds, especially the organo-compounds.
Hana

 

[cugila]

As none of us are Scientist's or expert's in Toxic Poisons then I think I would leave the decision as to what happen's over the Mercury ingestion to the real experts.......I am sure they know what is best for the Patient. None of us know what type of Mercury was ingested. Any advice has to be to discussed with your GP or Specialist.

Here is a list of various symptoms and signs of different types of Mercury poisoning:

A.Inhalation injury (mercury vapor)
1.Acute exposure
a.Shortness of Breath
b.Fever and chills
c.Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
d.Bloody Diarrhea
e.Renal tubular necrosis
2.Subacute or chronic exposure
a.Metal fume fever
b.Neuropsychiatric changes
c.Nephrotoxicity
d.Skin changes

B.Aspiration Injury (liquid mercury)
1.Tracheobronchial hemorrhage
2.Aspiration pneumonitis

C.Ingestion Injury (inorganic mercury salts)
1.Acute ingestion
a.Corrosive Gastroenteritis
b.Gastrointestinal Bleeding
c.Mucous membrane grayish discoloration
d.Hypovolemic shock (secondary to fluid shifts)
e.Acute Tubular Necrosis
f.Other gastrointestinal symptoms as below
2.Chronic or subacute exposure
a.Neurotoxicity
i.Neurasthenia, erethism
b.Nephrotoxicity
i.Proteinuria (Nephrotic Syndrome may result)
c.Gastrointestinal injury
i.Metallic Taste
ii.Gingivostomatitis
iii.Loose teeth
iv.Burning mouth sensation
v.Hypersalivation

D.Chronic ingestion of Methylmercury (organic mercury)
1.Delayed neurotoxicity
2.Visual field constricted
3.Ataxia
4.Sensory deficit
5.Tremor or spasticity
6.Dysarthria
7.Hearing Loss
8.Hyperreflexia

Ken

 

[Kash2001]

Were you ever teted for mercury poisoning?
I ask, because ingested metallic mercury doesn't usually cause any poisoning. It's not absorbed. the danger comes from mercury compounds, especially the organo-compounds.
Hana

No I was never tested for poisoning, the only account I have is from my family as I was 2-3 yrs old at the time, I had refused to give the thermometer back and just bite harder on it when they tried to get it out. I know I had an allergic reaction to it for several weeks, and have over the period of my life displayed auto immune symptoms/problems etc.

Thanks for the additional info Ken, and as I had almost dismissed this as a possible cause of my onset of poor illness resistance, I will try to discuss it with my doctor and if no joy try to find a specialist to be referred too.

Maybe its the insulin i'm on, but i just can't see that the insulin would allow me to be so vulnerable to illnesses and not ever really recovering from them, before going into another illness.

Thanks for the input.

ATB
Kash2001

 

[CarbsRok]

y

 

[phoenix]

None of us know whether or not the mercury has a long term influence or you have any other medical problems so thats obviously something to discuss with your docs .
Otherwise I agree with Carbsrok that many of the problems you have could be caused by your high overall bgl and the swings from high to low. The difficulty in revovering from small infections might well be because your blood glucose is running too high.

If you don't know how to carb count and dose adjust the books suggested earlier are excellent. A DAFNE course would help you both learn and also meet other people with type 1 helping you feel less isolated. In the meantime, to get started, there is a very good online course here:
http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

Getting back to exercise is important, it should help improve your fitness but also your feelings of well being but perhaps you need to take small achievable steps rather than try to take on too much too soon. There are also some things to think about.

1)the blood glucose level you are starting from. An Hb A1c of 8% means that your levels are averag ing about 10mmol. If you start exercise at higher levels (particularly over 13mmol) you may have insufficient insulin to overcome the resistance caused by the high blood sugars . In this case your muscles can't get the fuel they need. The result is poor performance (no energy) and increased blood glucose as your liver releases more in an attempt to fuel the cells.

2) some forms of exercise lead to a rise rather than a fall so could compound matters.. These tend to be activities that are anaerobic rather than aerobic. The problem often arises with weight training activities,activities which have short bursts of fast running or activities that cause adrenaline/cortisol to be released as in competition or things like martial arts.

3) Even if you are trying to do cardio as in running .If you are unfit because of a previous illness you could be in the anaerobic zone quite quickly. It might be a good idea to take things really gently, first walking, then walk a couple of minutes run 30 seconds, etc, gradually working up and being guided by a heart rate monitor.

From the runsweet site
http://www.runsweet.com/index.htmlif you are training at

60-70% max heart rate
you will be able to do prolonged exercise, and your blood glucose will start to fall after 20-30 minutes,and may fall quite a bit after 40 minutes.
70-85% MHR
Now we're talking, this is the standard training zone, again you blood glucose will fall, but more speedily and fatigue is likely.
Above 85% MHR

This is in the anaerobic zone, you won't be able to do this for long, and the blood glucose values are likely to be higher after you finish, if there is not lower intensity exercise.

With any exercise it's really important to test before, during and after and have glucose tabs or some other form of sugar on hand to raise levels if necessary.