Type 2 Diabetes, Anti Depressants and Exhaustion

[Intentionally_Blank]

So I'm about a month into a Type 2 diagnosis.

Doing all I can, exercising, minimal carbs, loads of water, monitoring my blood (averaging about 6mmol/L)

I've also done a rapid withdrawal from my Venlafaxine anti depressants as they are known to affect blood sugar control and I really didn't need to be on them any longer.

I thought I was doing ok, had a couple of tough weeks with the withdrawal symptoms from the meds, but was looking up. But after being super productive this weekend, feeling energised for the first time in a long time oh my God, the fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion! It's awful. I tested my blood sugar this afternoon after lunch as I started to feel really bad, but it was still at 4.6mmol/L so i wasn't Hypo as I thought I may have been.

Does this sort of thing happen often after a diagnosis as the body adjusts? How long does it tend to last?

I really don't want to be medicated for the diabetes, I'd really like to control it with diet and exercise.

 

[lucylocket61]

So I'm about a month into a Type 2 diagnosis.

Doing all I can, exercising, minimal carbs, loads of water, monitoring my blood (averaging about 6mmol/L)

I've also done a rapid withdrawal from my Venlafaxine anti depressants as they are known to affect blood sugar control and I really didn't need to be on them any longer.

I thought I was doing ok, had a couple of tough weeks with the withdrawal symptoms from the meds, but was looking up. But after being super productive this weekend, feeling energised for the first time in a long time oh my God, the fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion! It's awful. I tested my blood sugar this afternoon after lunch as I started to feel really bad, but it was still at 4.6mmol/L so i wasn't Hypo as I thought I may have been.

Does this sort of thing happen often after a diagnosis as the body adjusts? How long does it tend to last?

I really don't want to be medicated for the diabetes, I'd really like to control it with diet and exercise.

Did you reduce your carbs quickly? That can produce the symptoms you describe.
What was your blood sugar level at diagnosis?

 

[CondorX]

Did your psychiatrist help you titrate off the venlafaxine or did you just do your own thing? I must say, the influence of venlafaxine on blood sugar levels is not exactly massive and could have been better established - I would personally never tell a patient to stop venlafaxine just because of a type 2 diagnosis. I would want to check if it was necessary to stop it first - i have never seen it elevate BS levels unduly in over 30 years of practice, but that's just my experience.
Rapidly coming off venlafaxine is likely to have caused a kind of serotonin syndrome - very unpleasant and can cause all sorts of problems.
Your current symptoms could possibly be related to relapse symptoms, or to an electrolyte disturbance or even the so called Keto Flu. It would be a good idea to discuss your rapid withdrawal of venlafaxine with a medical professional, along with the symptoms you are experiencing at present.

 

[Intentionally_Blank]

Did you reduce your carbs quickly? That can produce the symptoms you describe.
What was your blood sugar level at diagnosis?

I reduced my carbs instantly, but I thought I'd have adjusted by now, like i said over the weekend I felt better than I have in ages, now I've crashed again

I can't remember what my blood was when I got diagnosed, the Doc tested my pee and said that they normally warn of diabetes at 42/45 (can't remember the units) but I was up at over 90! The day after diagnosis I was up at 12.3 mmol/l

 

[Intentionally_Blank]

Did your psychiatrist help you titrate off the venlafaxine or did you just do your own thing? I must say, the influence of venlafaxine on blood sugar levels is not exactly massive and could have been better established - I would personally never tell a patient to stop venlafaxine just because of a type 2 diagnosis. I would want to check if it was necessary to stop it first - i have never seen it elevate BS levels unduly in over 30 years of practice, but that's just my experience.
Rapidly coming off venlafaxine is likely to have caused a kind of serotonin syndrome - very unpleasant and can cause all sorts of problems.
Your current symptoms could possibly be related to relapse symptoms, or to an electrolyte disturbance or even the so called Keto Flu. It would be a good idea to discuss your rapid withdrawal of venlafaxine with a medical professional, along with the symptoms you are experiencing at present.

Hi CondorX, the rapid withdrawal was done with my GP's help/advice, I'd been taking half my dose for 3/4 months, I then did a week on a minimal dose then nothing, I'm aware that it may take 6 weeks or more to get the Venlafaxine out of my system, I guess I'm still trying to work out what's the diabetes, whats the med's, what's both and what's me being a *****!

 

[catinahat]

Welcome to the forum @Intentionally_Blank
Here's a couple of links l think you may find useful
http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2007/07/type-2s-understanding-false-hypos.html
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/flu-side-effects

 

[BrianTheElder]

So I'm about a month into a Type 2 diagnosis.

Doing all I can, exercising, minimal carbs, loads of water, monitoring my blood (averaging about 6mmol/L)

I've also done a rapid withdrawal from my Venlafaxine anti depressants as they are known to affect blood sugar control and I really didn't need to be on them any longer.

I thought I was doing ok, had a couple of tough weeks with the withdrawal symptoms from the meds, but was looking up. But after being super productive this weekend, feeling energised for the first time in a long time oh my God, the fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion! It's awful. I tested my blood sugar this afternoon after lunch as I started to feel really bad, but it was still at 4.6mmol/L so i wasn't Hypo as I thought I may have been.

Does this sort of thing happen often after a diagnosis as the body adjusts? How long does it tend to last?

I really don't want to be medicated for the diabetes, I'd really like to control it with diet and exercise.

That is a very quick withdrawal from an antidepressant! I have been on loads of different ones over the last 30 years and have always come off them over about a month. It's a bit late now to restart, so I think you will have to bite the bullet. At least you will know what to blame!
Good luck and I hope you feel a lot better soon.

 

[Resurgam]

Why loads of water? You will be losing electrolytes anyway - overdoing the water can make that worse.
Why minimal carbs? They provide vitamins and minerals - as you can test you could easily eat an additional salad of as many different colours of plant life as you can find at the shops, add a few walnuts, coleslaw, an oil and vinegar dressing - you might feel a lot better for it too.
Reversing type two isn't a matter of punishing your body until it stops being naughty - your blood glucose was pretty low, your metabolism is obviously doing its best, just ease up a bit, maybe?

 

[BrianTheElder]

So I'm about a month into a Type 2 diagnosis.

Doing all I can, exercising, minimal carbs, loads of water, monitoring my blood (averaging about 6mmol/L)

I've also done a rapid withdrawal from my Venlafaxine anti depressants as they are known to affect blood sugar control and I really didn't need to be on them any longer.

I thought I was doing ok, had a couple of tough weeks with the withdrawal symptoms from the meds, but was looking up. But after being super productive this weekend, feeling energised for the first time in a long time oh my God, the fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion! It's awful. I tested my blood sugar this afternoon after lunch as I started to feel really bad, but it was still at 4.6mmol/L so i wasn't Hypo as I thought I may have been.

Does this sort of thing happen often after a diagnosis as the body adjusts? How long does it tend to last?

I really don't want to be medicated for the diabetes, I'd really like to control it with diet and exercise.

This may interest you.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51834456

 

[NicoleC1971]

So I'm about a month into a Type 2 diagnosis.

Doing all I can, exercising, minimal carbs, loads of water, monitoring my blood (averaging about 6mmol/L)

I've also done a rapid withdrawal from my Venlafaxine anti depressants as they are known to affect blood sugar control and I really didn't need to be on them any longer.

I thought I was doing ok, had a couple of tough weeks with the withdrawal symptoms from the meds, but was looking up. But after being super productive this weekend, feeling energised for the first time in a long time oh my God, the fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion! It's awful. I tested my blood sugar this afternoon after lunch as I started to feel really bad, but it was still at 4.6mmol/L so i wasn't Hypo as I thought I may have been.

Does this sort of thing happen often after a diagnosis as the body adjusts? How long does it tend to last?

I really don't want to be medicated for the diabetes, I'd really like to control it with diet and exercise.

Sounds as if you may have low carb flu which could mean you need to add some salt to your meals to restore your mineral balance or eat some broth for the same purpose. Your body does take a few weeks to adjust to its new fuel system but if symptoms persist after adding in that salt I'd check if it isn't something else.
Also if you are on blood pressure meds this may be a sign of too low bp and not needing those drugs anymore. Check with your GP if that's the case. He or She would love to de prescribe you!
Hopefully your hard work will pay off and you won't need meds.

 

[Intentionally_Blank]

Why loads of water? You will be losing electrolytes anyway - overdoing the water can make that worse.
Why minimal carbs? They provide vitamins and minerals - as you can test you could easily eat an additional salad of as many different colours of plant life as you can find at the shops, add a few walnuts, coleslaw, an oil and vinegar dressing - you might feel a lot better for it too.
Reversing type two isn't a matter of punishing your body until it stops being naughty - your blood glucose was pretty low, your metabolism is obviously doing its best, just ease up a bit, maybe?

It's a fair point, I am blighted by a very strong Go Hard or Go Home attitude to stuff. I had a very refreshing pot of pineapple yesterday evening, that took my blood above 5 and I felt so much better. I was actually quite proud that I didn't resort to chocolate!

 

[Intentionally_Blank]

Sounds as if you may have low carb flu which could mean you need to add some salt to your meals to restore your mineral balance or eat some broth for the same purpose. Your body does take a few weeks to adjust to its new fuel system but if symptoms persist after adding in that salt I'd check if it isn't something else.
Also if you are on blood pressure meds this may be a sign of too low bp and not needing those drugs anymore. Check with your GP if that's the case. He or She would love to de prescribe you!
Hopefully your hard work will pay off and you won't need meds.

This was also something that had crossed my mind, especially with the fruit sorting me out. My resting HR has been dropping since ditching the meds too, so again HR/BP could be a factor, one of the problems of being an engineer and the owner of a human body is trying to understand that it does not operate/repair in the same way a machine does.

 

[Intentionally_Blank]

This may interest you.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51834456

I'd read that, thank you for posting the link though.

For me the meds have been a double edge sword, in 2017/18 I was in an awful state, just left an emotionally abusive spouse of 20 years, had to leave my kids with her which broke my heart, ended up moving to Scotland with my new partner but my new job was atrocious, my ex was being a nightmare through the divorce making it difficult for me to see the kids etc etc, my mental health plummeted and even though I'd been under the care of an MH team the drop was that bad that if I'd not been medicated I would have ended up jumping off a bridge.

So it's a tough one, I'm glad I'm here now and in a way thankful for the support that the meds gave me, but now it's time to say goodbye I almost wish I'd never started them!

 

[Resurgam]

In the more stressful times I have experienced, I noticed a greater ability to cope when eating low carb - and also that people seemed easier to manage as well - I did wonder if there were subtle pheromone type signals from someone eating a 'high class' diet of fats and proteins, as opposed to those eating a lot of carbs to survive.
Your reaction to the pineapple would seem to indicate that you should raise your carb levels - though I recommend salad and veges when it is to be on a daily basis - with perhaps a test of the blood glucose following the evening meal and a serving of frozen berries and cream if it is low. I find that my particular biological device seems to run pretty consistently, even though the HCPs seem to have the manual for a different model and keep trying to use the instructions for that one, not mine.