Symptoms returning

[paul_round]

Hi, i have been a diagnosed type 2 for just over a year now, (initial BS reading of 24), I was initially put on 2000 mg of metformin, which my stomach never took too, switched to SR, which helped. After a few months of feeling great, my symptoms slowly began to return, great thirst, especially at night, tired after a meal, so my diabetic nurse reduced my metformin to 1000MG, (for which my stomach was grateful!) and 5mg of linagliptin, and again, for a few months everything was fine, however over the last few weeks, again I have been feeling constantly thirsty, especially at night and falling asleep after lunch or dinner.
I am seeing my nurse tomorrow, however I was wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this.

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi, i have been a diagnosed type 2 for just over a year now, (initial BS reading of 24), I was initially put on 2000 mg of metformin, which my stomach never took too, switched to SR, which helped. After a few months of feeling great, my symptoms slowly began to return, great thirst, especially at night, tired after a meal, so my diabetic nurse reduced my metformin to 1000MG, (for which my stomach was grateful!) and 5mg of linagliptin, and again, for a few months everything was fine, however over the last few weeks, again I have been feeling constantly thirsty, especially at night and falling asleep after lunch or dinner.
I am seeing my nurse tomorrow, however I was wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this.

Personally, I haven't experienced this at all, but have read, on here, of some people who have had similar experiences.

Do you self-test your bloods at home? If so, what sort of scores are you seeing, and have they changed as your symptoms have returned? Some of those symptoms you list are often associated with increased blood sugar numbers (although to be fair, can be associated with other things too).

 

[Bewildered]

Hi, just wondering what other changes you have made, aside from medication? I was diagnosed at the beginning of the year, I didn't have any symptoms that I had become aware of, it was a random test that highlighted my problems. Good luck with the nurse tomorrow.

 

[paul_round]

Yes I do self test and I have noticed a slight increase, but nothing major.
I have also altered my diet, leaning more towards the LCHF, but not totally.
My diagnosis was by chance too, after I had a foot problem and was advised to take a test.

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks Paul. When you say a slight increase. What are you increasing from and to?

 

[Jo123]

As AndBreathe said, what are you readings?
I was diagnosed as only just prediabetic as I went to the GP's and asked for a blood test. My symptons re: the tiredness and getting up to wee a lot at night were similar to yours, and I had a few others as well!
Once I got my blood sugars down to normal levels, for a non diabetic, every sympton went.

 

[paul_round]

I typically got 6.5 - 8, but now it's usually i double figures, averaging around 11, no other changes, ie diet and exercise the same.
Jo, as I said, I used to be fine with my meds, but slowly my symptoms have returned.
I also have regular blood tests and my last one showed an increase in BS levels, which they could not explain.
My nurse did say I will probably be on insulin eventually, so maybe that's the answer.

 

[Sirmione]

In your position I would go properly low carb high fat, I know for me it just needs some hidden carbs to send my blood glucose readings shooting up.

 

[Tim55]

Yeah

Me too

I think the NHS advice that anything in single figures is fine for type 2 is flawed. I'd be looking to keep it below 7.8 and see what happens then.

 

[Daibell]

Hi Paul. Can you let us know your age and BMI? Some T2s are actually mis-diagnosed late onset T1s (I was) so age and weight are a factor in the right diagnosis.

 

[paul_round]

Sirmione, that's what I'm trying to do, but difficult to stick to, incidentally, my diabetic nurse has never heard of the LCHF diet!
Daibell, BMI is 27,(5'9", 13 1/2 stone), however ,I personally don't think that really tells you much, I exercise moderately and have a 32" waist.
As far as late onset Type 1, i have been thinking the same. I'm not overweight, don't eat sugar, or drink fizzy drinks so not the usual type 2 profile.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Knowing your BMI is a key part of considering whether you might have a non T1 or T2 type of diabetes. We can't diagnose, but we can suggest you seek diagnosis from your doctor. A BMI of 27 is normal-ish, it's virtually normal really. That is a factor in you possibly not being T2.

 

[Tim55]

Hi Paul

I too have been diagnosed just over a year and on 4x 500mg metformin daily.

I was actually told at diagnosis that I didn't fit the type 2 profile as I was clearly not obese and with Hba1c of around 112 I should be prepare myself for late onset type 1.

Fortunately, by following the advice on here I brought it down to 56 in 3 months or so, where it has remained.

However, like you I experienced an immediate improvement in my general well being but it didn't last. The neuropathy in my hands and feet did not improve as I had hoped and I began to forget things and feel tired.

Because of the neuropathy problem I started digging a bit deeper and came across a thread in the complications section which advocates certain supplements as helping with neuropathy in some cases. The are many papers referenced in there and I became concerned about cause and effect and to question what exactly type 2 diabetes is.

If we accept it is defined as insulin resistance, then does not the question become "so what causes insulin resistance? " and apparently one cause is an inability to metabolise vitamin B12.

Furthermore, other papers have shown that one of the side effects of metformin is to reduce the absorption of vitamin B12.

So it could be that while the metformin is helping bring the sugars down its not addressing the key issue.

This is way off line in terms of NHS thinking and I am not a medical man but I decided to try some supplements with no great hope of success, more out of desperation.

I can tell you that taking Alpha Lipoic Acid, Benfotiamine and methyl cobolamine together with a multivitamin has helped me a lot. What I can't say is whether it would work for you.

HTH

Tim

 

[Arab Horse]

Sirmione, that's what I'm trying to do, but difficult to stick to, incidentally, my diabetic nurse has never heard of the LCHF diet!
Daibell, BMI is 27,(5'9", 13 1/2 stone), however ,I personally don't think that really tells you much, I exercise moderately and have a 32" waist.
As far as late onset Type 1, i have been thinking the same. I'm not overweight, don't eat sugar, or drink fizzy drinks so not the usual type 2 profile.

I had no symptoms, diagnosed at my free NHS health check with a BG of 18.6mmol/L and an HbA1c of 10.4 so well and truly diabetic. I was a healthy weight and BMI, didn't drink sugary/fizzy drinks and although I have a sweet tooth I thought I had a healthy breakfast (a grapefruit followed by bran flakes with a seed sprinkle, some chopped up fresh fruit and half a pint of milk followed by a strong black coffee; no sugar in the coffee or on the bran flakes).

I was tested for T1.5 but all my results were definitely T2. When I started LCHF I lost one and a three quarters stones and am now a skinny 7 stone with a BMI of 17.1 and seem to have stuck there; no further weight loss thank heavens!

I am very carb intolerant so it may be that you are too and need to virtually cut the carbs altogether. It is difficult and I do sometimes have a not so "good" day food wise but it always send my glucose up. As I have no symptoms I only know by testing but I do know that if I have a high BG it is very bad for my health and long term survival.

 

[paul_round]

Just returned and they have replaced my linagliptin with bydureon, by epipen, once a week.