Are these symptoms of diabetes?

[SheilaCanning]

I'm two weeks into low carb eating and self testing thanks to advice received here. I have a phone consultation with my GP on Thursday and wondered if you can help. I have been off sick since Christmas although have felt ill a lot longer. My symptoms have been extreme bloating (greatly reduced by low carb diet!), fatigue - (spending five hours working up the energy to shower etc) exhaustion, brain fog, word-finding difficulties, aching all over and insomnia. I sometimes can't fall asleep for ages after always being someone who puts their head on the pillow and goes off. And then randomly I will ping awake at 2 or 3 or whenever and not be able to get back to sleep for hours. It's been so hard holding down a job on 3 hours sleep! I was sent for a scan re bloating and thankfully nothing showed up. I don't wake up to go to the loo and had no excessive thirst. GP suggested HRT patches as I am a middle-aged woman and perimenopausal, and I have been using them for 5 weeks. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes 3 weeks ago. I suppose I'm trying to unravel what this mishmash of symptoms are. I'd be grateful to hear if any of you had any similar symptoms.

Many thanks!

 

[HSSS]

Stress/depression/thyroid/menopause ?. Not screaming diabetes to me. Other than the exhaustion if bloods are high.

 

[Resurgam]

The aches and pains, brain fog and exhaustion were some of the symptoms I got from taking statins and Metformin - but I don't think you have been prescribed them.

 

[EllieM]

I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes 3 weeks ago.

Do you know what your initial figures were (blood sugar or hba1c)? People often feel pretty ill once their blood sugar levels get really high but that initial diagnosis could have been made on the basis of just diabetic levels or heavily diabetic levels.

Honestly, the most useful advice you'll get be from this forum is to reduce your carbs (sounds like you've done that already so that's excellent) and then I guess you'll have to wait and see if your other symptoms go away...

T2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs in people who can't process carbs in the quantities that are contained in a typical modern diet. My hope is that you'll find that most of your symptoms go away once you've tackled the carb issue. Presumably your GP has already done general blood tests such as thyroid and vitamin deficiencies?

Good luck.

 

[Robkww]

My wife has been off work since last March and has Long Covid - the symptoms you describe are very similar to hers? Probably not this but thought I'd mention the similarity in these strange times.

 

[SheilaCanning]

My wife has been off work since last March and has Long Covid - the symptoms you describe are very similar to hers? Probably not this but thought I'd mention the similarity in these strange times.

Thank you. I don't think I've had covid but as you say these are strange times and who knows really! I hope your wife gets better soon.

 

[SheilaCanning]

Do you know what your initial figures were (blood sugar or hba1c)? People often feel pretty ill once their blood sugar levels get really high but that initial diagnosis could have been made on the basis of just diabetic levels or heavily diabetic levels.

Honestly, the most useful advice you'll get be from this forum is to reduce your carbs (sounds like you've done that already so that's excellent) and then I guess you'll have to wait and see if your other symptoms go away...

T2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs in people who can't process carbs in the quantities that are contained in a typical modern diet. My hope is that you'll find that most of your symptoms go away once you've tackled the carb issue. Presumably your GP has already done general blood tests such as thyroid and vitamin deficiencies?

Good luck.

My Hbac1 was 7.7
No thyroid issues or vitamin deficiencies. I think it is just a matter of wait and see if the low carbs help. I was just curious in case some of it could be explained by Type 2. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[SheilaCanning]

The aches and pains, brain fog and exhaustion were some of the symptoms I got from taking statins and Metformin - but I don't think you have been prescribed them.

No, I declined the statins and haven't taken any medication.

 

[SheilaCanning]

Stress/depression/thyroid/menopause ?. Not screaming diabetes to me. Other than the exhaustion if bloods are high.

Not stress, depression or thyroid. As I said, I'm trying HRT as I'm perimenopausal so perhaps it's down to that. The Hbac1 was 7.7.

 

[EllieM]

My Hbac1 was 7.7
No thyroid issues or vitamin deficiencies. I think it is just a matter of wait and see if the low carbs help. I was just curious in case some of it could be explained by Type 2. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Well, the good news is that while 7.7 is firmly diabetic (corresponds to 61mmol/mol and an average blood sugar level of 9.7) it's actually quite moderate compared to some of the figures people come here with and manage to control via diet. So although I think some of your symptoms could be explained by T2, you're probably just going to have to wait and see, as you say. Good luck.

 

[Nirac]

I'm two weeks into low carb eating and self testing thanks to advice received here. I have a phone consultation with my GP on Thursday and wondered if you can help. I have been off sick since Christmas although have felt ill a lot longer. My symptoms have been extreme bloating (greatly reduced by low carb diet!), fatigue - (spending five hours working up the energy to shower etc) exhaustion, brain fog, word-finding difficulties, aching all over and insomnia. I sometimes can't fall asleep for ages after always being someone who puts their head on the pillow and goes off. And then randomly I will ping awake at 2 or 3 or whenever and not be able to get back to sleep for hours. It's been so hard holding down a job on 3 hours sleep! I was sent for a scan re bloating and thankfully nothing showed up. I don't wake up to go to the loo and had no excessive thirst. GP suggested HRT patches as I am a middle-aged woman and perimenopausal, and I have been using them for 5 weeks. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes 3 weeks ago. I suppose I'm trying to unravel what this mishmash of symptoms are. I'd be grateful to hear if any of you had any similar symptoms.

Many thanks!

Hi there - I’m newly diagnosed too - 57 yr old & now post menopausal. I haven’t had your symptoms recently but have previously & found out about Intermittent fasting which can work wonders especially for ‘aging women’, it certainly seemed to work for me. Might also have delayed my genetically likely ‘late onset T2.’ I’m hoping getting serious about IF again and more consistently low carb ( Keto-like) will help me get & keep my T2 under control & allow me to continue doing lots of outdoors exercise whenever I can.
The Dr Jason Fung videos on the ‘low carb program’, his book & you tube stuff all very interesting & relevant. Hope you enjoy doing the research & find what works for you.
Good luck