What is happening to me?

Lindasar

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi
I went to the doc as I was under the weather and had a sore throat for weeks. She did blood tests and when I rang up for the results on 18th August the receptionist told me you're diabetic and you need to make an appointment for the diabetic clinic. I was in shock and the earliest appointment for the diabetic clinic - 12th October!
I had a couple of sleepless nights with worry and decided to see a GP. He was very nice, explained that I have type 2 diabetes, gave me a prescription for metformin told me I would get an appointment for eye screening and i need to lose weight and sent me on my way.
I now don't see anyone until 12th October. I feel in the dark, I don't know what I'm allowed to eat. I have found out that you have to watch carbs but how much can you have? I have been living on salads as I'm too scared to eat anything else. I wasn't told to check my blood but after a few episodes of sweating and feeling like I was going to pass out I bought a blood monitor. My levels have not been below 10 in the last few days and I have now got blurred vision. After some Internet research I have been drinking loads of water and exercising but no difference to the blood levels. I tried to get an appointment to see the doctor as the blurred vision is worrying me but no appointments available.
What is happening to me? Any help appreciated.
 

lynn007

Well-Known Member
Messages
146
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
animal abuse
when I was first diagnosed a year ago I felt really run down I am still trying to loose weight and I still feel totally drained. The Metformin has made my life hell recently I have been told I got to take another Metformin and tonight I have decided I had enuf of this I am going back to 1 Metformin I constantly feel sick and lifeless all I want to do is sleep. I am still trying to figure out what to eat myself as of yet I am getting nowhere ...the blood should start reducing below 10 after the Metformin is in your system and they will probably test you again in about 8 weeks to see if its made a difference. I find when I eat wholemeal bread 2 slices with beans on toast my my blood seems pretty low you don't need to starve yourself eat smaller portions and figure out what works for you. Fish is good eggs are good.
 

urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Hi @Lindasar ,

Try not to worry too much, high blood glucose does affect eyesight but it returns to normal once you get your blood glucose under control.

You are doing the right thing by reducing carbs and drinking water. Personally, I think you should ask for an urgent appointment, most doc's reserve time slots for urgent cases. Don't be afraid of making a fuss about it and make sure the receptionist knows how you are feeling.

Welcome to the forums.

@daisy1
 

Phoenix55

Well-Known Member
Messages
577
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
First welcome to the forums, read around a bit when you find the time and take it easy. There are many different things that may be affecting your blood sugars, including worrying about them! Your eyes may have got used to high levels of glucose in your blood and it may take a while for them to adjust, hence the blurred vision. You have a monitor so try to keep a diary of food and drink( I use a basic spreadsheet), exercise taken and keep a note of how you are feeling, it helps you to see what is affecting your bg readings. Start with some simple meals and gradually add new things, test each at least twice unless the reading is clearly one way or the other. An Indian summer is good to indulge in a variety of salads, fresh fruit then a soup in the evening if you need to lose weight, or add in some good fat foods (fish, avocado, olives etc) and you can indulge in butter, cream, eggs, cheese to help you feel full. Cut down or avoid the high carb foods (bread, potato, pasta, rice, pizza)
Keep up the exercise, there are a variety of good videos on youtube for when the weather turns, and support groups on Facebook but get outside while you can to enjoy an evening or early morning walk. Remember this is not a sprint but a change that has to last for life so breathe, be gentle with yourself, try not to panic and remember you are not the first nor the last but you can be a success.​
 

cusally

Active Member
Messages
35
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Crowds, noisy places
blimey Lindasar, your surgery sounds like a tough place to visit ! My GP has been seeing me every week since the diagnosis, and he has also referred me to the Nurse to have other blood tests and referral to hospital for something called a Desmond course to tell you all about the illness (quite a long wait for that one), he says he will test regulalry till he is happy I am stable, and I am very releived he is being so supportive as i felt very low initially
I agree with urbanracer that you can push for GP appt as a new diabetic, but to be honest I have learnt more here than from the GP or nurse,

Like you, I have blurred vision, i went to optician thinking I needed new glasses, instead I ended up being told not to drive till I bring my blood glucose levels down by diet and 500mg per day Metformin, he gave me slow release which has meant i didnt get any digestion problems

The optician told me the eyeball takes 1 - 6 months to get rid of the glucose depending on my success at avoiding sugar plus my own body's rate of renewal as the fluid in the eye is a slowly renewed thing, so some people get their sight back faster than others. So my own motivation to avoid sugar and carbs has been very strong as my vision is very important to me.

You need protein and fat to have enough energy, you need enough calories to live on, I started checking calories and nutrition levels in food online, its amazing how much carbs and sugar is hidden in things.
 

Richtie

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi Lindasar , welcome to the forum. When I was diagnosed last yr with type 1 I was wearing glasses but in the first few weeks had to take them of whilst the glucose levels went back to normal , so for a while I too had mixed eye sight probs no glasses for distance, but bought a pair of reading glasses from chemist to help read books and labels from packaging. Your sight will get better but it does seem you are being robbed off by doctors and diabetic clinic. Surely that can't be right , as you have problems I would persist with gp and go to your diabetic clinic and literally state you need help now .
Hope all goes well and there are plenty of people on here who can advise you .
 

chalup

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,745
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
I also had to buy a pair of cheap reading glasses as I got things under control. After a few weeks my eyes went back to normal.
A good place to start with diet is the atkins website. It is clearly laid out how to set up a low carb diet and there are lists of foods that are good, use with caution, and don't eat. I started with the induction level. Once your sugars are under control you can start to experiment with adding things and your meter will let you know what works for you and what doesn't to find your personal happy place. I would not, under any circumstances buy any of the atkins bars, shakes, or other products. This worked well for me.
 

MagicFirefly

Well-Known Member
Messages
64
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Dangerous drivers
Marmite
Hi Lindasar,

Sounds like you've been given a rough deal. Poor care of diabetes from GP's is something I'm rather worried about. Your GP should have advised you a little on dietary requirements at least.

I also find it quite poor that you were told such a diagnosis by a receptionist. Not to belittle them but they have no medical training and your GP should have given you that news. People are far too easy to dismiss diabetes.

But it's not the end of the world. You will feel better once your glucose levels are back to normal.
Did your gp discuss possible side effects? One of them is stomach upset and possible diarrhoea so don't be alarmed if this happens. Just make sure you take it with or just after food. If it doesnt settle down, go back the gp. Metformin is not the only drug used for type 2 diabetes and it could take a little time to find out what's best for you.

Don't be afraid to keep posting for any advice and support.
You are not alone.
 

daisy1

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

Hello Linda and welcome to the forum :) Here, to get you started on your diabetes care, is the basic information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to 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 210,000 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.
 

Mbaker

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,339
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Available fast foods in Supermarkets
It has been especially tough for you, but hopefully you are more assured now. I cannot say scientifically but I am sure intensive exercise (fast walking) helped get my blurred vision back in shape quicker (less than a month) - distinctly remember my eyes watering during and after workouts, alot. With blood sugars of 10, you are well on your way to hopefully great control, as many start with double this and have 5' s and below, so keep it going.

Beware of the standard advice from diabetic education courses, I was told exercise does not have an impact blood sugar numbers when my meter said differently, and the food advice, frankly now I find insane, please search this site for success stories and you will see what these individuals have done. Route 1 answers are above, for the fruit element I would say stick with anything that ends in berry and if palatable red / black currents. You might want to have a youtube search of Dr Fung and Roy Taylor; diet doctor is also great alongside this site.
 

R2T2

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Winter, war, pestilence
@Lindasar All good advice above.
Try not to worry too much, it does get easier.
Some very good advice on this forum and the people here seem very nice too.
I don't post too often as I also suffer with depression amongst other things so I tend to be 'off in a world of my own' a lot, but when I do visit it is always a good experience.
It is a bit of a shock (ok, massive understatement!) when you are suddenly told you are diabetic and then are left to fend for yourself, but I hope you feel a bit better after reading all the advice above and I wish you good luck with getting your diabetes under control.
 
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Shaydollar811

Well-Known Member
Messages
75
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hello Linda u are not alone I too was diagnosed 2 month's ago this forum has helped me alot. Just went back to my GP last month after a A1c of 8.2 and blod sugar 187 after 1 month A1c of 6.2 and blood sugar of 133 so good luck you will be okay
 

Lindasar

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply to my post. You would not believe how much better I feel from realising I am not alone and getting some advice about where to go for help x
 

Jix200903

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Lindasar
It can really suck to be told you have a chronic, potentially life-shortening condition and then no-one has anything to say about it. How are your BG numbers coming out now? Remember, if you're looking to see what meals do to your blood glucose level you should test before eating and 2 hours after. Testing 45 minutes after a meal is going to give you a high reading. The trick is to get it down again. Personally, I go for a stiff walk after a carby meal (rice/pasta/sandwiches/crisps) for up to 20 minutes. Walking fast enough to get me warm but not to wear me out and not a stroll. That warms the muscles up and they become much better at absorbing the blood glucose. I do, also eat smaller meals and get used to some hunger pangs while I train my tummy to want less.
Since I was diagnosed in May I've been on a calorie controlled diet with just an eye on the carbs. I've lost nearly 3 stone and my next hba1c (long term blood glucose test) came in on target at 48. I hope it will be lower again next time. I refused any medication. I am a bit of a salad dodger myself so I've enjoyed snacking on dried fruit and nuts to keep the hunger at bay and have had a vegetable soup every evening to make sure it's digested and gone as soon as possible (not doing much exercise to burn it off in the evening, see?)
Anyway, good luck with getting the numbers under control. Keep us posted.
Jon