Am I the only one who has given up?

[pasiphae1953]

I know I'm swimming against the flow with this but I have made the decision not to continue with my meds and just let the diabetes take its course.

Is there any support group that will offer me help in my choice not to treat the diabetes and suffer the consequences until the end?

 

[genix]

What sort of diabetes?

 

[walnut_face]

INT QRV

Hello @pasiphae1953, I am not aware of any support groups of that type, but it might be worth making enquiries locally. May I ask, what meds you are on? Are you 'giving up' or just fed up with the meds, or just fed up?

Of course no one has any idea as to how long you will hold out against 'complications' nor how you will face them come that day.
If you are feeling depressed it might be worth consulting your Doc, some 'happy pills' might change your perspective.

Finally, do you check your blood glucose daily?

 

[ME_Valentijn]

I know I'm swimming against the flow with this but I have made the decision not to continue with my meds and just let the diabetes take its course.

Have you considered trying to control it with low carb eating and/or exercise?

 

[Enclave]

I am also T2 and don't needs the meds (but did stop them before the nurse was happy, but she is not getting the side effects ) .. I did choose the low carb high fat path .. the wife made me amazing meals and now am in remission ... don't give up just look in a different direction ..

 

[donnellysdogs]

Am not sure what meds you are taking or your medical history as a whole but I can completely empathise with your wanting to give up meds....

However, there isnt as far as I am aware, any support group for any patients that are finding taking meds for diabetes too much... however, this group are fantastic at trying to give good advice and help to T2's by making good diet suggestions to help lower bloods.

We cant advocate giving up meds though and directly support that stance you are wanting to take.

From a different angle (slightly), i decided that my anti cancer tablets were killing off my quality of life and in discussions with medical persons (they are obliged to tell me to take them) I have decided quality is more to me than qty. i had tried every tablet and they all were affecting both my physical and mental health.

There is another side to this though that I would ask you to consider. And some questions:
Have you tried every medication?
Have you had good chats with your medical team?
Have you done everything and willing to try everything you can to modify your lifestyle to minimise risks from the complications affecting you?
Are you aware of the devastating affects these complications can have and your chancesof getting them.

I have had a lot of support from cancer therapists and this is ongoing. They have seen the affects of me struggling with the medicines. You will not get the support that I have had for my cancer if you stop taking diabetes meds.

There are a huge range of meds available and have you been through every option available to you.

The difference between cancer and diabetes is huge. You can get a large range of alternatives with diabetes and it may be just something like your GP arranging better care and support for you as a whole.

Then of course, there is family. My husband supports me as he has seen the hell I have gone through. Have you discussed this with your family, how do they feel about this? I only have my husband, no children, so he is my only concern.
If you have family, then it will obviously impact upon them if you end up losing your sight and legs... as well as the hell hole you will be living in. Having had a breast amputated.. I can tell you personally that its nit a good journey to have any amputation...

 

[ally1]

I would suggest talking it through with you gp

 

[BrianTheElder]

I know I'm swimming against the flow with this but I have made the decision not to continue with my meds and just let the diabetes take its course.

Is there any support group that will offer me help in my choice not to treat the diabetes and suffer the consequences until the end?

Yes, we are a support group that will help you in any way we can. It is definitely a decision you alone can take, but if you do give up on meds the best way to do something about your condition is through diet. I just control on diet as do many others here. I don't think any of us would advise coming off meds until you have your bs under control, but if you want help, just ask!

 

[Maggie/Magpie]

I know I'm swimming against the flow with this but I have made the decision not to continue with my meds and just let the diabetes take its course.

Is there any support group that will offer me help in my choice not to treat the diabetes and suffer the consequences until the end?

Hi,

Having been a nurse on an acute medical ward and now diabetic myself, I've seen the diabetes complications first hand I wouldn't recommend coming of your meds. The complications as I'm sure you probably know is pretty horrific really and not to be taken lightly or dismissed.

You sound fed up with life and maybe not just the diabetes? If that's the case then your probably suffering with depression. please go and discuss everything with your Gp before taking such a drastic action, be honest tell him/her how your really feeling and why. They should be able to help, they may recommend an anti-depressant for a short while start seeing things differently, for depression can change your perspective on a lot of things without you realising it. If your having problems with your meds the GP may suggest changing them or allowing you to try low carb diet for a bit and see if it helps.

Please don't give up live is so precious and a good quality of life with diabetes is achievable. Just hang in there, for like a lot of things it is a juggling act to get every thing balancing right at times but worth persevering with.

Good luck
Maggie

 

[pasiphae1953]

WOW! Thank you all for the replies. I was seriously expecting abuse for my post but you have all been very gentle with me for which I am very grateful.

I'm not going to make replies to each reply but hopefully the following will give you all some idea of where I am and how I got here.

I am type 2 diagnosed early in 2015 when I went to the GP because of a toenail infection that the over the counter meds wouldn't shift. The "routine" blood tests showed very high blood glucose (about 14mm/l)

I had not had any of the usual symptoms of diabetes other than sleeping a lot which I put down to boredom!

Anyhow I was put on metformin. 1 a day for a week then 2 a day then 3. The only help from the GP in this time to my reports of bad side effects was "you'll get used to it". By the end of week 8 the side effects were so bad my wife called an ambulance.

As a result I was changed to metformin sr. The side effects were lessened but were still debilitating. I stuck it out for about 8 months. Complaining often to the GP. (Actually the diabetic nurse at the practice). She gave me no practical help and no sympathy at all that I had gone from fit and active to housebound in under a year.

In Dec 2015 I spoke to the doctor about the meds and the side effects. I got a fresh pack of metformin sr. After talking it over with my wife I stopped taking the meds completely.

In under 2 weeks I was fit and active again.

I had a routine blood test in Nov 2016 and was put on folic acid pills as it was low. I asked how my blood sugar was and was told no test had been done for that !! ***? It was a routine diabetic blood test. Ah well another blood test was arranged for early 2017.

This time I got the expected call back next day. My blood sugar was 12mm/l. A different nurse saw me this time and she showed some sympathy for my having given up the metformin and asked me try alogiptin.

I note this should be taken with another med but no other was prescribed. I was also given a test meter to try.

I've not been able to use the monitor as no matter how hard I stab myself I cant get a large enough drop of blood. I've got 3 readings by using blood from nose bleeds all in the range 11-12 mm/l.

During the 4 weeks on alogiptin I was sleeping a lot; over 24 hours on one occasion! I suspect this was more coma than sleep.

Any how that's where I am right now. No meds and returning to fit and active again.

Oh this post is getting very long. Sorry.

It was mentioned in some of your replies that I might be depressed. Well duh! I'm actually bi-polar and have been all my life but was not diagnosed as manic depressive until I was in my 40's. I've been put on "happy pills" 3 times in my life always with the same result.

I stop being depressed but when I go manic I go VERY manic. For example one time I thought a good short cut to get past a traffic jam would be to just drive through that wall. You get the idea; being manic and on happy pills makes me a danger to myself and others.

Other things that stop me having a good quality of life: A broken ankle in 2012 was botched when repaired. I can walk but every step is agony plus the reduced amount of motion gives me a pronounced limp. I'm often short of breath because of constant chest infections. I have difficulty shaking these off due to a low T-cell count resulting from sarcordosis in my lymphatic system. (sorry no cure or palliative meds for that).

As well as those I have food allergies to milk and eggs. Not life threatening but bad enough. That makes meals lots of fun.

There's other stuff that prevents me having what I consider a good quality of life but I'll save that for another time.

Now I'm fully aware of the dreadful consequences of diabetes. Well, along with my refusal to take meds and let the illness take its course I also intend to eschew treatment for whatever comes. I've lived for 63 years so far. Much longer than many. Now while I admit the thought of dying scares the sh*t out of me I have no fear of being dead.

Oh sorry this could get very morbid so I'll draw this post to a close.

 

[walnut_face]

Thanks for coming back to us @pasiphae1953 All is not lost, from a diabetic point of view there are other ways than meds. I would urge you to have a go at a Low Carb way of life. Cutting out Bread, Pasta, Potato and Rice. If you drink beer, start to like wine and whisky I started down the low carb route last year. I found myself awake at 4 in the morning full of bounce and energy. The weight fell away - all by itself (that will help your ankle). Ask the DN to demonstrate finger pricking, and test a few times a week. There is a very real chance your Blood Sugars will fall. That in turn will keep those 'complications' at bay.

You might also try a suppliment called alpha lipoic acid, it increase insulin sensitivity.

Of course to achieve this requires you to WANT to do it.
If you have a partner, I would suggest you have a duty to them to talk this through?

 

[ME_Valentijn]

During the 4 weeks on alogiptin I was sleeping a lot; over 24 hours on one occasion! I suspect this was more coma than sleep.

You have every right to discontinue a med which is causing unpleasant side-effects. Can you switch to a different GP, nurse, and/or clinic? I couldn't take metformin due to some rare side effects, and after I refused to restart it, my GP increased my Gliclazide instead. It doesn't give me any side effects.

I've not been able to use the monitor as no matter how hard I stab myself I cant get a large enough drop of blood. I've got 3 readings by using blood from nose bleeds all in the range 11-12 mm/l.

I had a lot of trouble with this at first too, when my blood sugar was still pretty high. You can adjust the device holding the lancet to go deeper. I started off having to go quite deep, and now I sometimes get too much blood at the shallowest setting. It can also be easier to get blood if you prick the pad of the finger tip, though it's more painful and annoying afterward. If all else fails, you can also use the bare lancet to stab yourself ... that's what my GP did to me

 

[AndBreathe]

WOW! Thank you all for the replies. I was seriously expecting abuse for my post but you have all been very gentle with me for which I am very grateful.

I'm not going to make replies to each reply but hopefully the following will give you all some idea of where I am and how I got here.

I am type 2 diagnosed early in 2015 when I went to the GP because of a toenail infection that the over the counter meds wouldn't shift. The "routine" blood tests showed very high blood glucose (about 14mm/l)

I had not had any of the usual symptoms of diabetes other than sleeping a lot which I put down to boredom!

Anyhow I was put on metformin. 1 a day for a week then 2 a day then 3. The only help from the GP in this time to my reports of bad side effects was "you'll get used to it". By the end of week 8 the side effects were so bad my wife called an ambulance.

As a result I was changed to metformin sr. The side effects were lessened but were still debilitating. I stuck it out for about 8 months. Complaining often to the GP. (Actually the diabetic nurse at the practice). She gave me no practical help and no sympathy at all that I had gone from fit and active to housebound in under a year.

In Dec 2015 I spoke to the doctor about the meds and the side effects. I got a fresh pack of metformin sr. After talking it over with my wife I stopped taking the meds completely.

In under 2 weeks I was fit and active again.

I had a routine blood test in Nov 2016 and was put on folic acid pills as it was low. I asked how my blood sugar was and was told no test had been done for that !! ***? It was a routine diabetic blood test. Ah well another blood test was arranged for early 2017.

This time I got the expected call back next day. My blood sugar was 12mm/l. A different nurse saw me this time and she showed some sympathy for my having given up the metformin and asked me try alogiptin.

I note this should be taken with another med but no other was prescribed. I was also given a test meter to try.

I've not been able to use the monitor as no matter how hard I stab myself I cant get a large enough drop of blood. I've got 3 readings by using blood from nose bleeds all in the range 11-12 mm/l.

During the 4 weeks on alogiptin I was sleeping a lot; over 24 hours on one occasion! I suspect this was more coma than sleep.

Any how that's where I am right now. No meds and returning to fit and active again.

Oh this post is getting very long. Sorry.

It was mentioned in some of your replies that I might be depressed. Well duh! I'm actually bi-polar and have been all my life but was not diagnosed as manic depressive until I was in my 40's. I've been put on "happy pills" 3 times in my life always with the same result.

I stop being depressed but when I go manic I go VERY manic. For example one time I thought a good short cut to get past a traffic jam would be to just drive through that wall. You get the idea; being manic and on happy pills makes me a danger to myself and others.

Other things that stop me having a good quality of life: A broken ankle in 2012 was botched when repaired. I can walk but every step is agony plus the reduced amount of motion gives me a pronounced limp. I'm often short of breath because of constant chest infections. I have difficulty shaking these off due to a low T-cell count resulting from sarcordosis in my lymphatic system. (sorry no cure or palliative meds for that).

As well as those I have food allergies to milk and eggs. Not life threatening but bad enough. That makes meals lots of fun.

There's other stuff that prevents me having what I consider a good quality of life but I'll save that for another time.

Now I'm fully aware of the dreadful consequences of diabetes. Well, along with my refusal to take meds and let the illness take its course I also intend to eschew treatment for whatever comes. I've lived for 63 years so far. Much longer than many. Now while I admit the thought of dying scares the sh*t out of me I have no fear of being dead.

Oh sorry this could get very morbid so I'll draw this post to a close.

Whilst I absolutely respect your decision to do as you appear to have chosen to do; you are an adult, and seem capable of thoughts and consideration.

However, I would say that really as far as your diabetes is concerned, it's such a spiders' web of a condition, with the potential to impact on so many parts of our bodies and our lives, not to mention the lives of our families and loved ones.

Looking at your story, you have tried 2 drugs, albeit on in two forms. I accept that neither of those have worked for you, and I also note you've had trouble doing your finger prick testing. There are so, so many drug options for T2 diabetes; unfortunately you didn't find your best fit, within those 2 drugs.

It sounds to me like you could do with much more support, and closer monitoring by your health care team. Again, there are many different lancing devices on the market and there are some nifty tricks for when the fingertips just won't cooperate. Were you shown how to test, and did you do a test yourself during the time you were given your meter?

If you feel absolutely certain you want to do nothing, I would urge you to adopt a mind which is at least ajar and say you're going to do nothing today, but be open to changing your mind tomorrow, or whatever other day?

I really do hope you can find a better place so that you can be supported to a better life and future.

 

[desidiabulum]

Hi. I really sympathise but I think there should be quite easy solutions here -- this is just very bad diabetes support that you have received.
I had awful reactions to metformin and metformin SR -- couldn't stand it any longer. I was switched to gliclazide and that has worked fine. If you can't exercise easily and can't face the rigours of low carb, than a sulfonylurea like gliclazide may be the answer -- at least it's better than just letting your BGs rise.
I sympathose re lancets -- I was switched to a glucolab monitor which had a hopeless lancet. I just bought myself a freestyle lite instead, which works fine.
Good luck, and don't despair yet!

 

[Resurgam]

Well - the good news is that milk is not a good thing for diabetics as it contains lactose, a sugar.
I could not tolerate Metformin, and I was taking a statin as well, which really has messed up my memory even though I stopped taking it before last Christmas - though I don't remember exactly when....
I stopped taking Metformin at the same time.
I have been eating a low carb diet ever since I was diagnosed, and am now feeling rather a fraud, as my last blood test showed such an improvement.
Yesterday's dinner was goose, with a roast carrot, mushrooms, cauliflower, a side salad with cherry tomatoes - and rather too many Yorkshire puddings. It was a rare diversion from the regime - and they were made with extra egg and a high protein flour, and goosefat. Absolutely delicious.
I expected a high reading, but when I got home and took it I saw 6.6 mmol/l.
Diabetes has been very kind to me. I think that I have had it for a long time - which was why I had no symptoms I recognised. Low carbing has kept me from being damaged and also helped me to control my weight to the extent I have.
So here I am, three months from diagnosis and happy as Larry with no medication other than the Thyroxine I've been taking for ages with no problem.
Diabetes means I take my coffee (and my life) with cream.

 

[Enclave]

Could I just say .. Not off topic .. The misses had a horse fall on her lower leg and ankle leaving it all smashed .. The hospital went down the repair route rather than remove .. she is also in pain on walking and resting with it .. a while ago she got a treadmill that has no motor so it only moves as fast as she can walk while holding on to the sturdy hand rail it has. It has worked wonders for her ankle, she no longer needing walking sticks and is able to walk without limping. Yes she still has pain .. but not as much as before she started using the treadmill. Don't know if it helps, but if you can keep your body moving it can keep repairing itself. Do also look at the low carb high fat way of eating it will help sort out your sugar levels ..

 

[Art Of Flowers]

Take a look at this video by Jason Fung:

It may give you some inspiration of how to reverse Type 2 Diabetes and come off medications.

The action you need to take is:

1. Adopt a low carb diet
2. Remove the fat in the liver and pancreas with intermittent fasting.
3. Get a glucose meter if you haven't got one

There is a video course on fasting by Jason Fung over on https://www.dietdoctor.com/

 

[Mbaker]

63 years is no time at all, you deserve more. Off of the drugs your sugars have not got worse and your starting point of 12 can be dramatically improved with the low carb high fat way lifestyle, this really is the best drug. Do you have a problem with meat, fish, mushrooms, green veggies, salad, yogurt, double cream, nuts, eggs, bacon, sausages, berries, water, coffee, tea etc. I suspect not, this is great medicine which will not make you sick, just the contrary.

Lean on this group for any help, hopefully you would have seen some alternatives to your plight.

 

[ally1]

WOW! Thank you all for the replies. I was seriously expecting abuse for my post but you have all been very gentle with me for which I am very grateful.

I'm not going to make replies to each reply but hopefully the following will give you all some idea of where I am and how I got here.

I am type 2 diagnosed early in 2015 when I went to the GP because of a toenail infection that the over the counter meds wouldn't shift. The "routine" blood tests showed very high blood glucose (about 14mm/l)

I had not had any of the usual symptoms of diabetes other than sleeping a lot which I put down to boredom!

Anyhow I was put on metformin. 1 a day for a week then 2 a day then 3. The only help from the GP in this time to my reports of bad side effects was "you'll get used to it". By the end of week 8 the side effects were so bad my wife called an ambulance.

As a result I was changed to metformin sr. The side effects were lessened but were still debilitating. I stuck it out for about 8 months. Complaining often to the GP. (Actually the diabetic nurse at the practice). She gave me no practical help and no sympathy at all that I had gone from fit and active to housebound in under a year.

In Dec 2015 I spoke to the doctor about the meds and the side effects. I got a fresh pack of metformin sr. After talking it over with my wife I stopped taking the meds completely.

In under 2 weeks I was fit and active again.

I had a routine blood test in Nov 2016 and was put on folic acid pills as it was low. I asked how my blood sugar was and was told no test had been done for that !! ***? It was a routine diabetic blood test. Ah well another blood test was arranged for early 2017.

This time I got the expected call back next day. My blood sugar was 12mm/l. A different nurse saw me this time and she showed some sympathy for my having given up the metformin and asked me try alogiptin.

I note this should be taken with another med but no other was prescribed. I was also given a test meter to try.

I've not been able to use the monitor as no matter how hard I stab myself I cant get a large enough drop of blood. I've got 3 readings by using blood from nose bleeds all in the range 11-12 mm/l.

During the 4 weeks on alogiptin I was sleeping a lot; over 24 hours on one occasion! I suspect this was more coma than sleep.

Any how that's where I am right now. No meds and returning to fit and active again.

Oh this post is getting very long. Sorry.

It was mentioned in some of your replies that I might be depressed. Well duh! I'm actually bi-polar and have been all my life but was not diagnosed as manic depressive until I was in my 40's. I've been put on "happy pills" 3 times in my life always with the same result.

I stop being depressed but when I go manic I go VERY manic. For example one time I thought a good short cut to get past a traffic jam would be to just drive through that wall. You get the idea; being manic and on happy pills makes me a danger to myself and others.

Other things that stop me having a good quality of life: A broken ankle in 2012 was botched when repaired. I can walk but every step is agony plus the reduced amount of motion gives me a pronounced limp. I'm often short of breath because of constant chest infections. I have difficulty shaking these off due to a low T-cell count resulting from sarcordosis in my lymphatic system. (sorry no cure or palliative meds for that).

As well as those I have food allergies to milk and eggs. Not life threatening but bad enough. That makes meals lots of fun.

There's other stuff that prevents me having what I consider a good quality of life but I'll save that for another time.

Now I'm fully aware of the dreadful consequences of diabetes. Well, along with my refusal to take meds and let the illness take its course I also intend to eschew treatment for whatever comes. I've lived for 63 years so far. Much longer than many. Now while I admit the thought of dying scares the sh*t out of me I have no fear of being dead.

Oh sorry this could get very morbid so I'll draw this post to a close.

I admire you.
Like you I have bipolar and one med I, m on for bipolar is notorious for raising blood levels, so it's catch 22 in do I look after my mental health or my diabetes. When I am manic, I admit I think sod the diabetic meds,
Luckily I have a good psych that looks after me

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Just to add - you say you plan to stop the medication and let diabetes take its course.

Those are two completely different things.

Coming off medication which has a bad effect on you is a sensible thing to do. Many people posting here have taken a similar approach.

Giving up on addressing your diabetes is a completely different thing. There are many things that you can do to improve your life and minimise the effects of diabetes which do not involve medication. The simplest and most significant thing is to change the way that you eat. If you are carrying too much weight then reducing your weight can make an amazing change as well.

Medication is not the first nor the best way to approach diabetes in most cases.

Oh, get the hell out of that GP practice as fast as you can. You need intelligent support.