Need advice please help

[GuidoGuy202]

Hi i was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes march 2013 and have been somewhat succeeding in my battle with this disease. Since starting insulin treatment (8 lantus units morning around 15 novolog units/day) my eyes are just not the same. After about 6 months of going through these vision problems I became depressed and extremely anxious about my appearance. I've been to doctors and most think that it's just my eyes going through the change of my blood sugar going from a high average back down to a normal average. Others think I've developed a neuropathy (specifically cranial mononeuropathy iii). So following these visits I figured I would do some research and figure out a way to get my vision back so I researched treatment and it seemed the only solution is tight control of blood sugar or surgery. I've done patching too throughout the last year and it seems to help only temporarily. Also I've tried to control my blood sugar as back I can with an a1c of around 6.0 Though having a very good a1c i have felt that I have had numerous highs and lows (blood sugars). What can I do about this neuropathy? I've been trying so hard to get my vision back since being diagnosed but it's been so hard and it's ruining every aspect of my life. last year I dropped out of school and quit my job because I just can't focus on any given task and I feel as if I don't want to do anything until I feel myself again. With diabetes is it more about what you eat or how you manage your blood sugars? I've been stabilized for nearly half a year. What Sam I doing wrong? I'm also 19 years old and weight 175lbs. Any input at all would be great. Thank you so much!!
Sincerely,
Justin

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hi Justin and welcome to the forum. Good control and management with a healthy diet is the best medicine for diabetes. I see you have had diabetes for a relatively short time to get these type of 'complications' and you seem to be doing the right things. Just wondering if you have any other medical conditions and take medication for these. Or are there eye conditions in your family ?
Sometimes we have medical conditions that are already there (but may not have come to the surface) and then a chronic condition (diabetes) brings it to the surface and/or makes it worse.
I hope you can get back on track again, as this has hit you quiet hard. Have a chat with your GP for extra support and care.
Good luck and take care

RRB

 

[AndyOD]

Hi i was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes march 2013 and have been somewhat succeeding in my battle with this disease. Since starting insulin treatment (8 lantus units morning around 15 novolog units/day) my eyes are just not the same. After about 6 months of going through these vision problems I became depressed and extremely anxious about my appearance. I've been to doctors and most think that it's just my eyes going through the change of my blood sugar going from a high average back down to a normal average. Others think I've developed a neuropathy (specifically cranial mononeuropathy iii). So following these visits I figured I would do some research and figure out a way to get my vision back so I researched treatment and it seemed the only solution is tight control of blood sugar or surgery. I've done patching too throughout the last year and it seems to help only temporarily. Also I've tried to control my blood sugar as back I can with an a1c of around 6.0 Though having a very good a1c i have felt that I have had numerous highs and lows (blood sugars). What can I do about this neuropathy? I've been trying so hard to get my vision back since being diagnosed but it's been so hard and it's ruining every aspect of my life. last year I dropped out of school and quit my job because I just can't focus on any given task and I feel as if I don't want to do anything until I feel myself again. With diabetes is it more about what you eat or how you manage your blood sugars? I've been stabilized for nearly half a year. What Sam I doing wrong? I'm also 19 years old and weight 175lbs. Any input at all would be great. Thank you so much!!
Sincerely,
Justin

Hi,
May sound obvious but have you had your yearly eye test and have they Hospital photographed you retina?
Had the eye test a few months back needed glasses for both long and short sight (such is life).
Also that damned puff of air test a year ago I had to go into Hospital to get my eyes checked for glaucoma
Always worth getting these things checked out.
The eye test is free for Diabetes so not only useful but free to (there are some benefits).
Good luck - post us with any results conclusions.

 

[GuidoGuy202]

Hi Justin and welcome to the forum. Good control and management with a healthy diet is the best medicine for diabetes. I see you have had diabetes for a relatively short time to get these type of 'complications' and you seem to be doing the right things. Just wondering if you have any other medical conditions and take medication for these. Or are there eye conditions in your family ?
Sometimes we have medical conditions that are already there (but may not have come to the surface) and then a chronic condition (diabetes) brings it to the surface and/or makes it worse.
I hope you can get back on track again, as this has hit you quiet hard. Have a chat with your GP for extra support and care.
Good luck and take care

RRB

Hi robin thank you very much for your post. No others in my family seem to have any vision problems and also no one else in my family has T1 (both my grandfathers have T2 and they are living healthy lives). They give me advice but I just feel like it's not the right advice I need. Last year it was a lot harder and I was in a constant daze (dream like) and really got no enjoyment at of life what so ever. This year my vision has gotten better but it's kind of stuck at this certain stage (double vision off and on,drooping eyelid off and on fluctuating vision off and on) and it's extremely frustrating because many times I would think my vision was back. Also after waking up in the morning my vision seems to be the best (for about a few minutes). Then it goes back to the symptoms I described off and on throughout the day.

 

[GuidoGuy202]

Hi,
May sound obvious but have you had your yearly eye test and have they Hospital photographed you retina?
Had the eye test a few months back needed glasses for both long and short sight (such is life).
Also that damned puff of air test a year ago I had to go into Hospital to get my eyes checked for glaucoma
Always worth getting these things checked out.
The eye test is free for Diabetes so not only useful but free to (there are some benefits).
Good luck - post us with any results conclusions.

I've went to the eye doctors many times and they say my retinas are fine that it's just my blood sugar changing but it's been such a long time (stabilized for about half a year) with dealing with these vision problems. I feel as I'm getting my eye exams on the letter chart I have no trouble reading the letter but it's extremely distorted and blurry.

 

[AndyOD]

Could be Glaucoma - if the eye pressure is high it will distort the lens and may make reading difficult.

Did they do the puff of air test?

 

[GuidoGuy202]

Could be Glaucoma - if the eye pressure is high it will distort the lens and may make reading difficult.

Did they do the puff of air test?

I have received that test as well and they have drawn no conclusions to what could be the issue

 

[AndyOD]

In which case it may not be linked to the Diabetes.
I think that you should seek help maybe a specialist - insist that you get referred don't take no for an answer.

 

[GuidoGuy202]

In which case it may not be linked to the Diabetes.
I think that you should seek help maybe a specialist - insist that you get referred don't take no for an answer.

Ok that sounds like a good idea. I'm actually at my dads house (I live with my mom) for thanksgiving in a different state but when I get home I will be sure to look into a specialist when I get back. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Diamattic]

When i was diagnosed i kind of went through the same thing, and it was certainly due to my sugars changing, here is how i know:

January -ish 2014 i started seeing symptoms of T1, weight loss, increased thirst etc...

April 2014 I had my regular eye exam (i have worn glasses since i was 12, i get new ones every two years, this was the 2 year exam). At this point i have likely had T1 diabetes for like 2-3 months completely un diagnosed, i had dropped about 20 lbs, and had constant calf cramps, always thristy etc... My eye doctor said everything looks great, totally normal, my prescription was exactly the same as its been for the last 8 years. I bought new glasses with the same prescription as always.

May 2014 - I was diagnosed and hospitalized for a week with Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

(heres the weird part)

After about 4 days in Hospital, after being told my DKA was gone, and after starting insulin and maintaining a 'normal' BS level for a couple days, i noticed i was having vision problems. In fact my vision had gone back to 20/20. It stayed this way for about a week, and then slowly got back to normal (which is ****** lol)

I was told it was from my sugar levels changing and adjusting to the change in sugar levels, and its what i firmly believe because after i kept control my eyes have never been an issue since.

All i can assume is that you may very sensitive cells, or eyes, and when i was reading up this when you go high, it constricts the cells in your kidneys and liver and eyes first, so perhaps your eyes are really sensitive and when you have short spikes after meals your eyes constrict causing visison issues, and then when your sugars drop back down they have to re adjust back to normal ?

Thats the best i can reason here, I am not a doctor, so its all a guess based on what happened to me lol If they can't find evidence of neuropathy or other damage, it could just be the cells in flux due to being sensitive to short spikes.

As Andy mentioned it could also be un-related to diabetes and you should see a specialist.

 

[GuidoGuy202]

Th

When i was diagnosed i kind of went through the same thing, and it was certainly due to my sugars changing, here is how i know:

January -ish 2014 i started seeing symptoms of T1, weight loss, increased thirst etc...

April 2014 I had my regular eye exam (i have worn glasses since i was 12, i get new ones every two years, this was the 2 year exam). At this point i have likely had T1 diabetes for like 2-3 months completely un diagnosed, i had dropped about 20 lbs, and had constant calf cramps, always thristy etc... My eye doctor said everything looks great, totally normal, my prescription was exactly the same as its been for the last 8 years. I bought new glasses with the same prescription as always.

May 2014 - I was diagnosed and hospitalized for a week with Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

(heres the weird part)

After about 4 days in Hospital, after being told my DKA was gone, and after starting insulin and maintaining a 'normal' BS level for a couple days, i noticed i was having vision problems. In fact my vision had gone back to 20/20. It stayed this way for about a week, and then slowly got back to normal (which is ****** lol)

I was told it was from my sugar levels changing and adjusting to the change in sugar levels, and its what i firmly believe because after i kept control my eyes have never been an issue since.

All i can assume is that you may very sensitive cells, or eyes, and when i was reading up this when you go high, it constricts the cells in your kidneys and liver and eyes first, so perhaps your eyes are really sensitive and when you have short spikes after meals your eyes constrict causing visison issues, and then when your sugars drop back down they have to re adjust back to normal ?

Thats the best i can reason here, I am not a doctor, so its all a guess based on what happened to me lol If they can't find evidence of neuropathy or other damage, it could just be the cells in flux due to being sensitive to short spikes.

As Andy mentioned it could also be un-related to diabetes and you should see a specialist.

Thank you for your reply that is certainly an excellent theory and I'm going to look into that and do some research. Thank you for telling me your story as well.