Found out I am most likely diabetic in a very bad way

[LeeLeeCat]

I am 35, slim, but had a poor diet, for years. In the last year or so, I have been cleaning it up, however, damage seems to be done. The last few months, I have noticed I don't feel the urge to urinate like I used to, have weaker or no erections and fewer bowel movements. Basically, I think I have autonomic nerve damage. In 2021, I was told I had protein in my urine, but never got around to a follow up appointment because my grandfather had just died and I was mentally wore down from that. In 2022, I experienced mild tingling in my feet after a bout of COVID, but it was so mild and rare that I didn't follow up on it. I too have had a nonsensical fear of doctors offices and mainly, needles, for a long time, which is why i went years with any checkup doctor appointments. I am angry with myself for letting things get this bad, to the point I likely have permanent, irreversible damage that I could have prevented. I feel so exhausted right now

 

[lovinglife]

Don’t beat yourself up about it, a lot of us have been there in the beginning. Now you know you can make positive changes which may improve things or stop things getting worse.

Many of us with T2 (and quite a few with T1) use a reduced or low carb diet to control our BG. All carbs turn to sugar so the less carbs you eat the less sugar your system has to deal with. What was your HbA1c on diagnosis? Are you on any meds for your diabetes? What if any changes have you made to your diet & lifestyle? The more info you feel able to share will help members to give you some ideas & advice

Welcome to the forum

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

Please arrange an appointment to see a Diabetic nurse ir Dr
re the needles you may not even need to use insulin

 

[Rokaab]

Normally undiagnosed diabetes causes more urination, not less - as its your body trying to get rid of excess sugar

IMO, you should go and see a doctor to see what it actually is because its not guaranteed to be diabetes, something sounds like its going on but you need to know what it is

 

[Mrs Redboots]

Didn't there used to be ads saying: "Always thirsty? Always going to the loo? Always tired all the time?" as symptoms of diabetes? For goodness sake, go and see your doctor and don't self-diagnose!

 

[EllieM]

Hi @LeeLeeCat and welcome to the forums. While some of your symptoms can be associated with (usually decades) of poorly controlled diabetes some aren't, and they are symptoms that can be associated with many other things as well. Like the others, I strongly urge you to make an appointment with your GP and find out if you do or don't have diabetes or something else.

If (and it's a big if) you do have diabetes then lots of things can be reversed or mitigated by restoring your blood sugar levels to normal (speaking as someone who has had diabetes for 55 years with periods of truly awful control).

And please don't blame yourself. While poor diet doesn't help diabetes, I'd argue that T2 diabetes is caused/linked by a genetic intolerance to the diet encouraged by the modern food industry, while T1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. (And there are other types of diabetes out there, but none of them are the "fault" of the patient.)

Please see your doctor.

Sending you virtual hugs from New Zealand.

 

[Antje77]

The last few months, I have noticed I don't feel the urge to urinate like I used to, have weaker or no erections and fewer bowel movements. Basically, I think I have autonomic nerve damage. In 2021, I was told I had protein in my urine, but never got around to a follow up appointment because my grandfather had just died and I was mentally wore down from that.

What makes you think you have diabetes?
At 35 and not overweight, this is rather unlikely but of course not impossible.
As for the protein in urine, I was told I had that when I was 20, first follow-up was at 39 when I was diagnosed with diabetes and all was fine and has been for the past 10 diabetic years.

If you feel you have symptoms, by all means make an appointment to get those checked out.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions if I were you though.

 

[KennyA]

I am 35, slim, but had a poor diet, for years. In the last year or so, I have been cleaning it up, however, damage seems to be done. The last few months, I have noticed I don't feel the urge to urinate like I used to, have weaker or no erections and fewer bowel movements. Basically, I think I have autonomic nerve damage. In 2021, I was told I had protein in my urine, but never got around to a follow up appointment because my grandfather had just died and I was mentally wore down from that. In 2022, I experienced mild tingling in my feet after a bout of COVID, but it was so mild and rare that I didn't follow up on it. I too have had a nonsensical fear of doctors offices and mainly, needles, for a long time, which is why i went years with any checkup doctor appointments. I am angry with myself for letting things get this bad, to the point I likely have permanent, irreversible damage that I could have prevented. I feel so exhausted right now

As others have said, it could be many things and you do need to see your doctor. I was quite relieved to be told it was T2 diabetes rather than some of the other things that Google was suggesting I might have.

My abnormal blood glucose, once diagnosed, was back at normal levels in four months without any medication (needles included) being needed. The symptoms promptly disappeared as well. See your doc.

 

[LeeLeeCat]

As others have said, it could be many things and you do need to see your doctor. I was quite relieved to be told it was T2 diabetes rather than some of the other things that Google was suggesting I might have.

My abnormal blood glucose, once diagnosed, was back at normal levels in four months without any medication (needles included) being needed. The symptoms promptly disappeared as well. See your doc.

Diabetes is my first, biggest assumption before I get a test next week. It's unusual, whatever it is, and worrying. My concern is the neurogenic numbness causing permanent effects that affect my life forever. All of those just seemed to come on at once. One reason I think it might be T2 as well is that I'd get tingling in my foot when eating something sugary or carb heavy. Something I forgot to add is that the tingling seem to begin after a COVID infection, the first very time.

 

[KennyA]

Diabetes is my first, biggest assumption before I get a test next week. It's unusual, whatever it is, and worrying. My concern is the neurogenic numbness causing permanent effects that affect my life forever. All of those just seemed to come on at once. One reason I think it might be T2 as well is that I'd get tingling in my foot when eating something sugary or carb heavy. Something I forgot to add is that the tingling seem to begin after a COVID infection, the first very time.

Well, if you're right and you do have T2, you can do something about it that would avoid all those negative consequences. But you can't know whether you're right or not at this point.