In need of advice please

[Ainsley.Rae25]

Hello everyone! My name is Ainsley, I'm 38 and was diagnosed with type 2 in November 2019. I had been taking metformin 100mg daily for a while when the side effects were affecting my quality of life (Horrendous diarrhoea that was so bad I couldn't leave the house, and stomach pains). Was then put on the slow release version that was still giving me the same side effects. I have now been changed to gliclazide 40mg four times a day. The gliclazide isn't helping me at all. My sugars are through the roof average is 20mmol/L. Yesterday I didn't eat until just before 6pm and they dropped to 9.0mmol/L then increased to 21mmol/L. I'm at the end of my tether! I am getting painful boils/abscesses on my stomach and the pains in my legs is unreal. My gp won't listen to me and tells me to deal with it and get on with it! Only person to listen to me and try gliclazide was the diabetic pharmacist at the gp surgery, but she only works on a Friday. Any advice is appreciated right now!

 

[bulkbiker]

What ind of thing do you eat?
Many of us have found that by removing carbohydrate almost entirely from our diets we get better.

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

What ind of thing do you eat?
Many of us have found that by removing carbohydrate almost entirely from our diets we get better.

Thank you for the reply! I eat chicken, pork loads of veg, and eggs

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank you for the reply! I eat chicken, pork loads of veg, and eggs

Depending on the veg sounds pretty ok.. have you been losing weight without trying?

 

[Antje77]

If your GP is happy with you having blood glucose over 20 without doing much, and the gliclazide and diet isn't helping, I think it's time to strongly push for a referral to an endocrinologist.
I fear your GP just thinks you're stuffing your face with cake all the time and it hasn't crossed his mind you might have a different type of diabetes than T2.

 

[hankjam]

If your GP is happy with you having blood glucose over 20 without doing much, and the gliclazide and diet isn't helping, I think it's time to strongly push for a referral to an endocrinologist.
I fear your GP just thinks you're stuffing your face with cake all the time and it hasn't crossed his mind you might have a different type of diabetes than T2.

@Ainsley.Rae25 This.
Good luck.

 

[Ronancastled]

Good advice above.
You need to be checked for T1 or a derivative, ask for C-Peptide, fasting insulin & antibodies to be tested.

 

[Oldvatr]

Glic needs a functioning pancreas to work. As above, you do need to consider that your pancreas is not giving out as much insulin as you need and you need a c-peptide blood test to check it out. Only a consultant endocrinologist can order a c-peptide.

Having said that, it is possible you are intensly insulin resistant. Again a c-peptide test will tell you if this is the case. I too was flying high in the 20's to 30's and on max gliclazide and metformin and actos triple therapy, and nothing was working. So I started low carb diet. It took a few weeks to take effect, but last week my HbA1c came in at 46 which is a rise from the previous 45 last year. I am on minimum glic dose now, and my pancreas is pumping iron.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. It sounds like you may be a late onset T1 (LADA). Having 160mg Gliclazide a day with no effect tells me that you are just not producing enough insulin which implies being LADA. I'm afraid you need to insist on being referred for a GAD and C-Peptide test. Ask for 2nd opinion if needed from another GP. I've been down the same route with my diabetes GP insisting I wasn't T1 and just told me to eat a balanced diet. I was on 320mg Gliclazide at the time and stick thin. Finally she offered insulin. but I had the two tests done privately to prove I was right. I'm now managed both by a super surgery DN and a great endo at the Diabetes clinic.

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

Thank you for the replies! Had a call from a gp this afternoon and they have increased the gliclazide to 6 tabs a day

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

Depending on the veg sounds pretty ok.. have you been losing weight without trying?

I wish! I have been putting on more weight :/

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

If your GP is happy with you having blood glucose over 20 without doing much, and the gliclazide and diet isn't helping, I think it's time to strongly push for a referral to an endocrinologist.
I fear your GP just thinks you're stuffing your face with cake all the time and it hasn't crossed his mind you might have a different type of diabetes than T2.

I already have an endocrinologist, haven't spoke to them since last year, and haven't seen them face to face since December 2019. My fear is the spike in sugars is affecting my kidneys. I already have ckd stage 3b

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

If your GP is happy with you having blood glucose over 20 without doing much, and the gliclazide and diet isn't helping, I think it's time to strongly push for a referral to an endocrinologist.
I fear your GP just thinks you're stuffing your face with cake all the time and it hasn't crossed his mind you might have a different type of diabetes than T2.

MY gp doesn't really care by the sounds of it. I hate cake thankfully, but it's easy for them to tell me to deal with side effects and just get on with it. I was fuming that day! But I'm suffering from boils/abscesses again and my legs are in so much pain

 

[Antje77]

I already have an endocrinologist, haven't spoke to them since last year, and haven't seen them face to face since December 2019. My fear is the spike in sugars is affecting my kidneys. I already have ckd stage 3b

December 2019 is a long time ago, well worth going again for some more blood tests, especially because your kidneys are in trouble and you're in pain!
Do you know what tests you had in 2019 to rule out T1?
Regardless of type, I'd really want to know if I'm producing a sufficient amount of insulin. If you're not because your pancreas can't, no matter how much medication you take, it won't help. A C-peptide is the test which looks for the amount of insulin produced. Even if you had one in 2019, things may have changed in between.
Are you seeing a nefrologist for your kidneys? If so, they might have some ideas as well.

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

December 2019 is a long time ago, well worth going again for some more blood tests, especially because your kidneys are in trouble and you're in pain!
Do you know what tests you had in 2019 to rule out T1?
Regardless of type, I'd really want to know if I'm producing a sufficient amount of insulin. If you're not because your pancreas can't, no matter how much medication you take, it won't help. A C-peptide is the test which looks for the amount of insulin produced. Even if you had one in 2019, things may have changed in between.
Are you seeing a nefrologist for your kidneys? If so, they might have some ideas as well.

I haven't seen my renal consultant since before covid. Had a phone call or two, but it's no where near as good as face to face if I'm honest. As far as I can remember being diagnosed, I was told oh you have type 2 here is some tablets. No glucose monitor or anything.

 

[Antje77]

As far as I can remember being diagnosed, I was told oh you have type 2 here is some tablets. No glucose monitor or anything.

Sounds like a good reason to get back to an endo!
I was diagnosed as a T2 initially as well, based on statistics (39 year old fatty), which makes sense, as most diabetics are T2.
However, when it quickly became clear that threatment (gliclazide plus diet) wasn't really working all that well, it was no problem to delve a bit deeper to see if there might be something else going on.
An initial diagnosis doesn't mean it can't be changed after obtaining more information. I completely agree with my GP going with an initial T2 diagnosis, there was no reason to suspect anything else.

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

Sounds like a good reason to get back to an endo!
I was diagnosed as a T2 initially as well, based on statistics (39 year old fatty), which makes sense, as most diabetics are T2.
However, when it quickly became clear that threatment (gliclazide plus diet) wasn't really working all that well, it was no problem to delve a bit deeper to see if there might be something else going on.
An initial diagnosis doesn't mean it can't be changed after obtaining more information. I completely agree with my GP going with an initial T2 diagnosis, there was no reason to suspect anything else.

I'm going to screen shot the blood tests you recommended I get and see what they say. Been offered a weight loss injection, but been told it's mainly for my blood sugars. I never used to be a fatty, had 2 kids, relationship breakdown, my mum dying and having no support network took it's toll. I found comfort in food. I can't thank you enough for the advice today, so glad I found this forum! Will keep you updated once I have had my appointment on the 8th June and then the results

 

[LINMARIE]

I'm going to screen shot the blood tests you recommended I get and see what they say. Been offered a weight loss injection, but been told it's mainly for my blood sugars. I never used to be a fatty, had 2 kids, relationship breakdown, my mum dying and having no support network took it's toll. I found comfort in food. I can't thank you enough for the advice today, so glad I found this forum! Will keep you updated once I have had my appointment on the 8th June and then the results

Try keeping food diary n blood readings to show the dr and perhaps look into low carb high fat diet a bit more just in case you are eating something thst is spiking you badly but you think is ok to eat Good luck try not worry but stress yoy want these bloods done and proper support Its just dreadful drs get awdy with that sort of attitude but try loaning or buy books loads in internet and libraries or even charity shops and read as much info as you can absorb on new lifestyle and diet and when you are in more control it really coes help mentally and physically.....well has me anyway

 

[Ainsley.Rae25]

Try keeping food diary n blood readings to show the dr and perhaps look into low carb high fat diet a bit more just in case you are eating something thst is spiking you badly but you think is ok to eat Good luck try not worry but stress yoy want these bloods done and proper support Its just dreadful drs get awdy with that sort of attitude but try loaning or buy books loads in internet and libraries or even charity shops and read as much info as you can absorb on new lifestyle and diet and when you are in more control it really coes help mentally and physically.....well has me anyway

Thank you! Yep keeping a wee diary of what I'm eating and drinking. Hopefully I'm taken seriously on Wednesday when I've to go for bloods

 

[philly1991]

If your GP is happy with you having blood glucose over 20 without doing much, and the gliclazide and diet isn't helping, I think it's time to strongly push for a referral to an endocrinologist.
I fear your GP just thinks you're stuffing your face with cake all the time and it hasn't crossed his mind you might have a different type of diabetes than T2.

@Ainsley.Rae25 All of the above.

Please keep pushing with your GP. I was initially diagnosed Type 2 (aged 20 and overweight) and prescribed Metformin. I experienced the horrendous side effects and was given slow release to try but to no avail. My glucose levels remained worrying high but each time I saw the DSN she basically accused me of stuffing my face with sugary snacks and not exercising as she had recommended. This continued until I ended up in hospital with DKA, a skeleton of my former self and was finally diagnosed with Type 1. I'd hate for you to end up in a similar situation.

Take care.