Hi, my name's Josh and I'm a diabetic, a type 2 insulin resistant kind of diabetic. I was diagnosed with diabetes on 9 February 2010. I'm usually not very good with dates, but that particular date, I don't think I'll ever forget.
Heart disease runs in the family so for years now I've always had annual check-ups and everything's always been fine. This year, however, a few days after my blood test, I get a phone call from my doctor asking me to come in for another blood test. When I asked why, she replied "ummm well, it looks like you've got diabetes". Everything just seemed to stop at that point and life's not been the same since.
About a week later, I'm sat in my doctor's surgery and she tells me not to worry, everything will be fine, just take 3 of these new tablets every day and they'll sort me out. I asked if there was anything else I needed to know about being a diabetic. She advised me to cut out sugary foods and not to wear sandals when I'm on holiday in case I cut my feet. Apparently that was all I needed to know about being a diabetic.
The next day I started taking the medication she'd prescribed, Metformin. By day two, I felt like I was going to die. I had blinding headaches, my brain had switched off, I had zero energy, could barely get out of bed, stomach cramps and the worst case of diarrhoea I have ever experienced. I stopped taking the tablets and went to see a different doctor. However, his advice was to stick to 3 Metformin's a day for 2 weeks and if things don't settle down by then, to come back.
I stuck it out for another 4 days but it was just as bad, I couldn't see how this was meant to be helping me. I rang up the surgery, got through to another doctor who told me she didn't know much about Metformin but she'd ask the Diabetes Nurse to call me later. When I eventually spoke to the nurse, she was horrified to learn I'd been advised to start off on 3 tablets a day. Apparently, I should have been advised to start off on 1 tablet a day, gradually building up to 3 tablets over an 8-10 week period, always taking it with food.
So I started again on 1 tablet a day and the symptoms eased off. After a week I decided to move on to 2 tablets and although my stomach was fine, I did feel like I had low energy levels but not as bad as before. By this stage I was able to see the Diabetes Nurse and we had a long chat about the condition, she gave me some information on diet and also prescribed Simvastatin for my cholesterol, Asprin for my heart and Losartan Potassium for my blood pressure. Even though all of these had been fine, it seems diabetics are more likely to experience problems with their heart, blood pressure etc.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to move on to 3 Metformins a day. Fortunately no diarrhoea this time. Unfortunately, I'm still having headaches, very low levels of energy, dizzy spells and now, not only am I constipated, I've also developed acne, huge red spots on my face!
I thought maybe the headaches could be down eyestrain so I went to the opticians but my eyes are fine. I'm due to see the nurse again in 2 weeks time but I just can't take anymore of this. Dragging myself out of bed each morning to get to work on time has become such an ordeal. Once I am at work, my brain just can't concentrate on anything. Evening's and weekends are spent resting to build up whatever reserves of energy I can muster to get myself back to work. The ironic thing is that before I was aware I was diabetic, before I had any medication, I felt great. The medication that's supposed to be helping me, is making me feel like ****.
Is this what it's like to be a diabetic? Am I destined to spend the rest of my presumably shortened life as a spotty constipated zombie?
Heart disease runs in the family so for years now I've always had annual check-ups and everything's always been fine. This year, however, a few days after my blood test, I get a phone call from my doctor asking me to come in for another blood test. When I asked why, she replied "ummm well, it looks like you've got diabetes". Everything just seemed to stop at that point and life's not been the same since.
About a week later, I'm sat in my doctor's surgery and she tells me not to worry, everything will be fine, just take 3 of these new tablets every day and they'll sort me out. I asked if there was anything else I needed to know about being a diabetic. She advised me to cut out sugary foods and not to wear sandals when I'm on holiday in case I cut my feet. Apparently that was all I needed to know about being a diabetic.
The next day I started taking the medication she'd prescribed, Metformin. By day two, I felt like I was going to die. I had blinding headaches, my brain had switched off, I had zero energy, could barely get out of bed, stomach cramps and the worst case of diarrhoea I have ever experienced. I stopped taking the tablets and went to see a different doctor. However, his advice was to stick to 3 Metformin's a day for 2 weeks and if things don't settle down by then, to come back.
I stuck it out for another 4 days but it was just as bad, I couldn't see how this was meant to be helping me. I rang up the surgery, got through to another doctor who told me she didn't know much about Metformin but she'd ask the Diabetes Nurse to call me later. When I eventually spoke to the nurse, she was horrified to learn I'd been advised to start off on 3 tablets a day. Apparently, I should have been advised to start off on 1 tablet a day, gradually building up to 3 tablets over an 8-10 week period, always taking it with food.
So I started again on 1 tablet a day and the symptoms eased off. After a week I decided to move on to 2 tablets and although my stomach was fine, I did feel like I had low energy levels but not as bad as before. By this stage I was able to see the Diabetes Nurse and we had a long chat about the condition, she gave me some information on diet and also prescribed Simvastatin for my cholesterol, Asprin for my heart and Losartan Potassium for my blood pressure. Even though all of these had been fine, it seems diabetics are more likely to experience problems with their heart, blood pressure etc.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to move on to 3 Metformins a day. Fortunately no diarrhoea this time. Unfortunately, I'm still having headaches, very low levels of energy, dizzy spells and now, not only am I constipated, I've also developed acne, huge red spots on my face!
I thought maybe the headaches could be down eyestrain so I went to the opticians but my eyes are fine. I'm due to see the nurse again in 2 weeks time but I just can't take anymore of this. Dragging myself out of bed each morning to get to work on time has become such an ordeal. Once I am at work, my brain just can't concentrate on anything. Evening's and weekends are spent resting to build up whatever reserves of energy I can muster to get myself back to work. The ironic thing is that before I was aware I was diabetic, before I had any medication, I felt great. The medication that's supposed to be helping me, is making me feel like ****.
Is this what it's like to be a diabetic? Am I destined to spend the rest of my presumably shortened life as a spotty constipated zombie?