Type 2 Mood Swings

Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I was recently diagnosed with t2 and put on 2000mg of metformin, 1000mg twice a day. In addition to the nausea and diarrhea I find my moods swinging all over the place. One minute I'll feel great and the next I'll start dying and feel like there's something terribly wrong even though I know there isn't. I feel like I'm going a little nuts. Has anybody else had this experience?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Janette
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Oh yeah!
I was recently diagnosed with t2 and put on 2000mg of metformin, 1000mg twice a day. In addition to the nausea and diarrhea I find my moods swinging all over the place. One minute I'll feel great and the next I'll start dying and feel like there's something terribly wrong even though I know there isn't. I feel like I'm going a little nuts. Has anybody else had this experience?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Janette

What I believe you are experiencing is symptomatic of fluctuations in your blood glucose levels.
Until you can get your levels settled, you will experience these type of symptoms.
If you are struggling with the metformin, ask your doctor about switching to a slow release form of the drug, which is kinder to your body.

I've tagged @daisy1 to give you the newcomers welcome information.

Welcome to the forum.
 

Pura Vida

Well-Known Member
Messages
744
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was recently diagnosed with t2 and put on 2000mg of metformin, 1000mg twice a day. In addition to the nausea and diarrhea I find my moods swinging all over the place. One minute I'll feel great and the next I'll start dying and feel like there's something terribly wrong even though I know there isn't. I feel like I'm going a little nuts. Has anybody else had this experience?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Janette
Good to have you on board!
This is a good place for you to come because you will find comfort and understanding. I know I have
Since I joined here my BG and my general mental state have greatly improved.hugs
 
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Reactions: Guzzler

AM1874

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,383
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Not much
Hi @Allthisjusttochat .. and welcome
I agree with @Lamont D .. talk to your Doc about slow release Metformin. Also, your feelings are like those of many others with a recent diagnosis. I was diagnosed T2 in early Feb .. shell-shocked with no information and no real idea of what was happening to me .. but you have made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly ..

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that @ daisy1 has already been tagged for you and I suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following Diet Doctor websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

A top priority is that you get yourself a meter for testing and, for this, I suggest that you try the website at:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 (you don't pay VAT) or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them. Unless you are prescribed test strips by your doctor (unlikely), the costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps
 

Art Of Flowers

Well-Known Member
Messages
956
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
2000 Mg of Metformin is a huge dosage. Most people are on 2x500. It is best to phase in the dosage of Metformin rather than taking the maximum dosage from the start as it can have some serious side effects. I was on 2x500 Metformin, but reduced to one pill a day after three months as my HbA1C dropped from 99 to 59 and I stopped taking it completely three months later once my HbA1C dropped to 44. Some people find that they can't take Metformin and control blood sugars by diet alone.

The best way to lower your blood sugar is through a LCHF diet and to use a blood glucose meter to check which foods spike your blood sugars. In general, it is best to avoid food high in carbohydrate such as breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Also avoid fruit juice and fruit such as grapes and bananas. You can eat more fat in your diet from cheese, nuts, avocados etc. See https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb for ideas of what to eat.
 

daisy1

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

Hello Janette and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want 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 well over 235,000 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

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.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

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 blood glucose 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.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

leslie10152

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,110
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Ignorance
If your glucose levels are out of balance, you will experience periods of nausea and lethagy. Mood swings are common with diabetes. As for metformin, I have had no experience, but 2000 mg is a huge dose for the body to cope with and it may need to be reviewed.
 
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Oh yeah!


What I believe you are experiencing is symptomatic of fluctuations in your blood glucose levels.
Until you can get your levels settled, you will experience these type of symptoms.
If you are struggling with the metformin, ask your doctor about switching to a slow release form of the drug, which is kinder to your body.

I've tagged @daisy1 to give you the newcomers welcome information.

Welcome to the forum.
You are right my sugar was down when I wrote the post. I was really puzzled by it because I usually get the shakes and get light headed when it drops but that hasn't been happening. Anyway I was at work and a co-worker insisted my sugar was low and was adamant that I should drink a soda. I didn't like the idea of drinking a bunch of sugar but after I drank some of it I felt much better. Now that I know what it is I won't feel like I'm going a little crazy when it happens.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lamont D
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Good to have you on board!
This is a good place for you to come because you will find comfort and understanding. I know I have
Since I joined here my BG and my general mental state have greatly improved.hugs
Pure Vida
Thank you.
I've been reading some of the posts and everyone here seems very helpful which I am thankful for. The only advice I got from my Dr was to stop eating sugar.
 
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi @Allthisjusttochat .. and welcome
I agree with @Lamont D .. talk to your Doc about slow release Metformin. Also, your feelings are like those of many others with a recent diagnosis. I was diagnosed T2 in early Feb .. shell-shocked with no information and no real idea of what was happening to me .. but you have made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly ..

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that @ daisy1 has already been tagged for you and I suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following Diet Doctor websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

A top priority is that you get yourself a meter for testing and, for this, I suggest that you try the website at:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 (you don't pay VAT) or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them. Unless you are prescribed test strips by your doctor (unlikely), the costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps
AM 1874
I signed up for the low carb program today, but haven't really gotten started with it yet. I do have a meter. I had ask for one. My Dr didn't even mention monitoring my sugar. But they forgot to order my strips so I'm still working on that. I'm in the US and get my medical care through the Veterans Administration. They don't really volunteer stuff, you have to ask and be a bit of thorn in their side to get what you need.
 
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
2000 Mg of Metformin is a huge dosage. Most people are on 2x500. It is best to phase in the dosage of Metformin rather than taking the maximum dosage from the start as it can have some serious side effects. I was on 2x500 Metformin, but reduced to one pill a day after three months as my HbA1C dropped from 99 to 59 and I stopped taking it completely three months later once my HbA1C dropped to 44. Some people find that they can't take Metformin and control blood sugars by diet alone.

The best way to lower your blood sugar is through a LCHF diet and to use a blood glucose meter to check which foods spike your blood sugars. In general, it is best to avoid food high in carbohydrate such as breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Also avoid fruit juice and fruit such as grapes and bananas. You can eat more fat in your diet from cheese, nuts, avocados etc. See https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb for ideas of what to eat.
Art of Flowers I agree 2000mg is a high dose. After I got them I looked it up and I believe that's the max dose or close to it. I'm not really crazy about my Dr he talks to me like I'm already half dead. I'm going to request they change me to a different Dr.

I'm going to check out the website you mentioned.
 
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@Allthisjusttochat

Hello Janette and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want 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 well over 235,000 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

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.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

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 blood glucose 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.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
Daisy 1
Thank you for all the great info. I did sign up for the low carb program but haven't had a chance to really get going with it yet. I'm feeling very positive about it though. I've been working on cutting the carbs but it's a little tuff without some guidance to help you along the way. So far I've been pretty successful at cutting out the sugary drinks, candies and most breads, but I know I still have a ways to go. I'm confident I can do it and thankful I found this forum.
 
  • Like
Reactions: daisy1
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 2
If your glucose levels are out of balance, you will experience periods of nausea and lethagy. Mood swings are common with diabetes. As for metformin, I have had no experience, but 2000 mg is a huge dose for the body to cope with and it may need to be reviewed.

I agree the dose is huge. I really think it needs to be adjusted.

I'm glad not the only one who's had mood swings. I'm usually a pretty easy going and laid back but since I started taking the metformin my moods have been all over the place especially the last few days. It is a relief to know that it's not that unusual. I wouldn't want to add losing my mind to my situation.