Not doing good! Need encouragement & advice!!

Messages
18
I am 46 and was diagnosed T2 in June. I'm on metformin and lipitor. I could do with losing a stone but I am by no means obese.

It came as no surprise - three of my four grandparents were diabetic and my mother and her brother are both insulin dependant diabetics so I didn't really stand much of a chance especially since I had gestational diabetes when pregnant for the second time 16 years ago.

My morning BG is never under 7 - usually 8+ which I know is not good.

I'm really limiting my carbs but everything I eat seems to push my BG levels up. Sometimes 2 hours after eating I am 13+.

Clearly something isn't right and my medications and diet are not working.

I am tired all the time, have frequent headaches and blurred vision and generally feel ill all the time.

I went for my blood test at the GP this week and have an appointment with the diabetic nurse to review on 13th December. I know my test result will be too high and this is really depressing me.

The worst thing is that my mother got diabetes at 39. She tried various meds etc and ended up on insulin. Thirty years later she is now almost blind (after several operations and haemorhages) and has a lot of other diabetes related problems, particularly with her feet.

Watching what my mother goes through is so depressing because I know this will be me in a few years if I can't get things under control.

Has anyone got anything to say that will make me feel better?
 

ClaireG 06

Well-Known Member
Messages
934
I am wondering if you could possibly get your review moved forward a bit or make an appointment to see your GP if you have a good relationship with him/her.

You are obviously very worried and stress won't be doing anything to help your levels either. It maybe that your meds need altering to help you get good blood glucose levels and minimise the risk of complications.

What sort of things are you eating? Perhaps we can help you make some dietary changes that might help improve your levels.
 

IanD

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,429
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Carbohydrates
Yes. Looking at our parents can be worrying.

You have the opportunity to get your diabetes under control, & looking at your mother you have an incentive. Don't panic - the problems take time to appear & correct.

Lipitor may be the cause of your problems - many of us can't take statins. What is your chol level & lipid profile? You could try not taking it for a time, preferable after discussion with your Dr. But when I read of the muscle pain side effect, I stopped taking it & was better in a week. I then told the Dr, & he was happy with not taking it.
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
Hi Sweeteno....etc, just remember that treatment of diabetes has moved on from the times when your mother first started. You have far more opportunities to avoid complications. If you're just on metformin and your BGs are too high, then EITHER you have to reduce your carbs OR increase/change your meds. Give us some example meals you eat so we can comment, it might help. Although you may think you eat little in the way of carbs, they do hide in strange places! So you may be eating more than you think. If you're not, just discuss meds at your meeting. But don't worry!
Good luck
 
Messages
18
Thanks for your replies - so good to have people to let off steam to!

I have basically completely cut out potatoes, bread, rice and pasta.

I dont eat breakfast usually but if I do it's maybe a fat free yoghurt (I know this has carbs but not loads).

Lunch is generally a couple of boiled eggs and either some tuna mixed with v low fat mayo or some smoked salmon or some cold sliced meat. No carbs!

Dinner I have whatever the family is eating i.e. chicken, burgers (home made) or red meat with vegetables (brocoli, carrots, cauliflower) and I just dont have the carb they are having with it (rice, pots etc).

I don't see where I am going wrong!

Re the Lipitor - I was on Simvastatin and every muscle in my body ached which was why the GP changed me to Lipitor. I am better on that!
 

Grazer

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,115
From what you say, I don't think you ARE going wrong, unless you're eating a bunch of bananas and a bar of chocolate a day as well! :lol: Could just be that you need more than metformin to help your Bgs, or maybe a higher dose of metformin. Lots of people on this forum have meds on top of metformin. Just be straight at your review. Good luck!
 
Messages
18
Thanks - I thought so too!

Cant wait for my review on the 13th - so need to get my meds sorted out. Have felt terrible all day today - no energy, headache and like I could sleep for a week!
 

elviscole

Well-Known Member
Messages
65
iv been going through something simalar the last few weeks, my BS was through the roof which from what im on shoudnt be happening, had a review with the nurse who did my Hba1c which came back at 10.8, my last 1 in may was 7, last weekend my eyesight started to blur so this week so i knew something was wrong so this week ive hardly eaten anything and still my BS was high so i started playing with my medication to see if it helped, took an extra tolbutamide out of curiosity and start of the day my BS was 9.6 (6am) and night (7pm) it was 4.9,
managed to see the dr on thursday and he increased my metformin from 1x 500mg slow release to 4x500mg slow release,
my BS this morning was 6.4 so its starting to work,
get back in touch with your dr and tell him how you are and hopefully he will change your meds
 
Messages
18
Thanks - I'm sure my meds will need to be increased. Currentlly taking 2 x slow release metformin - reckon it will be put up to 4 but don't want to do it without seeing the doc and getting my latest HBA1C result!
 

sugarmog

Well-Known Member
Messages
110
Although it won't solve all your problems, shifting that extra stone in weight will certainly help and your recent changes to your diet will assist in this. I was pretty much the same as you at diagnosis - not massivly overweight but about a stone above my ideal. I managed to shed it over the summer and it had a significant effect on my glucose control with my Hb1ac going from 7.2 to 5.9 in the space of 10 weeks.
 

johnbrownuk

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi diagnosed type 2, over 2 years ago, I have dropped 4 trouser sizes in that time ( shows how bad I was in the first place ! ) My diabetic nurse ( who is briliant ) gave me her husbands tips ( hes about the same age and type 2 ) Lots of small meal/snacks all day, I usually have a banana at breakfast , nuts and dried apricots mid morning, soup and dry toast for lunch, nuts and dried fruit mid afternoon and a small evening meal usually fish and veg, chicken and veg and nuts and dried fruit snack for supper.
Alternate the dried fruit with scotch oat biscuits( low salt and slow carbs) and often have porridge as a meal replacement, again slow carb release and I never feel hungry.
I treat myself once a week and have a splurge which really gives me something to aim at, but it takes time and its a real mindset thing for me, I have fallen of the wagon a few times but my sugars soon warn me to get back on it....keep going it can get much better :D :D
 

johnbrownuk

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Remember guys everyone's diabetes is different and playing around with your prescription without checking with your GP is not a good idea :thumbdown: ! We all have our bad days, :( but treat this as a challenge and beat the thing over the head :crazy: !! there is always someone worse off than you even though at times it does not feel like it !!! KEEP GOING !! :clap: :clap: :clap:
 

jacks69

Member
Messages
16
I was started on metformin but i found this made me feel queasy all the time - making me feel constantly worried which seemed to push my levels up higher. I was changed to insulin levermir and nova rapide and no longer have the constant queasiness. Half the battle is feeling well enough to eat properly and exercise enough which is difficult when u feel so rough all the time.
Everyone is different and different meds work for diff people - i have a heart condition too so keeping my diabetes under control is really essential for me.
I think you really need to see a diabetic nurse on a regular basis and they will guide you through what adjustments you need to make to lifestyle etc - my levels are slowly coming under control but i have been working on them for a long while now - but its essential to have proper guidance - we all know we have to have a good diet etc but its about more than that. Support is really beneficial and you may only need slight adjustments to bring things under control - take heart that there is a lot of support out there - i was offered a educational course called Desmond Training - dont know if you have one of them in your area - your diabetic nurse can advise - its a one day course where all the specialists are there to give u advice and guidance and i know a lot of people have benefited from it - good luck
 

Dougie22

Well-Known Member
Messages
319
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
In your position I'd be trying to bring my Dec 13th appointment forward if that was possible.

Sounds like you are well in control of your food intake so I'm not sure Desmond would help your short term issues. I did it just two weeks ago and it was very good but concentrated on diet, etc with very little on self monitoring levels or the specific effects of different levels of medications. For that you need your doctor or DSN.

In my case, my surgery aren't interested in my self monitoring levels, taking the (necessarily longer term) view that the reading to go by is the HbA1c. If this is the case in your ptractice, you may have to wait till they get the results. Even so, it should be a few days from when they took the blood and 13th Dec is still two weeks away. I'd give them a ring.

One thing Desmond may reassure you on, if you get the chance to go on it, is the improvements there have been over the years on avoiding complications.
 

Leggoman

Newbie
Messages
2
Hi
Wow you sound just like me two three years ago when I was told I was type 2
For 8 months I went to he'll and back a good few times before I made up my mind to take control
Of my meds and treatment.
I was on the tablets to start with but they made me so ill, three trips and stays in hospital given insulin to bring my numbers down.
My GP kept me on tablets, I was so I'll was taking 4 a day my numbers after a meal would be 18 20
I stoped taking all my meds after three days was rushed into hospital.
The out come was my GP in the end gave in and put me on insulin.
The doctor I see at the hospital was very understanding and after a very long talk let me h :D ave the meds I asked for.
I'm now in full control of what I take how much and how often.
My numbers are down to 5/6 and have been for over 18 months now.
I take 4 mf a day two in the morning and to at night and slow insulin before going to bed, I have fast acting insulin in the day when I have meals that send my numbers through the roof.
What I mean by that is I have 4 meals small meals a day but some foods I eat send my numbers so high. But I just can't cut them out lol
It's taken me along time to find what's right for me, and you will to.
Be strong and I know this is hard don't think about how other people you know are with diabeties we are not all the same.
It's hard and takes time to control what effects you what meds will work better for you.
Ask to change your meds try some thing else if your not feeling right on what you taking.
It can be controlled to the point you for get you have diabetes.
Don't worry about it, it's just one more job you have to do a day
You will get on top of it, your body needs time to get the most from the meds you take to and when it's right you will feel much better.
Now iv come to terms understand my meds and how They work on me I feel tip top, cut down even more on my food intake, do more exercise, and the last three months with out trying iv lost over a stone.
I wish you all the best and hope you start to feel better very soon.
Keep smiling