Hi I’m a first time poster on this forum and I’m really sorry that my first post can’t be more positive or a beneficial contribution to this community.
Just a little background about me before I unleash my anxieties.
I’m 38 and I’ve been type 2 since 2000. I hadn’t really taken my diabetes seriously until 3 years ago. Before that my hba1c’s would have run between 11 and 14 except for brief periods of good behaviour when my hba1c would go down to 6 or 8 within a couple of months. In 2010 I began to use Liraglutide (1.2) and 2000mg of Metformin per day. At the time my Hba1c dropped from 12 to 8.8 to 6.1 in the space of 5 months and over the next couple of years they were between 5.7 and 6.1. I also manage hypertension with meds: sometimes my BP is good at others not so. I’ve had background Retinopathy since 2006 and recently signs of mild pre-profilerated Retinopathy were discovered in one of my eyes. I had my latest appointment with an Eye Doctor last week. There isn’t anything that needs treatment yet, but I do need to have another check in 6 months.
Here’s the thing. During the end of last year my dietary control slipped and when I was reviewed in mid-March my hba1c was 10ish (88 in new money). That was 6 weeks ago and my Diabetes Consultant gave me a pep talk and sent me off motivated to regain sugar control. He wanted me to see if I could regain control with diet modification for a few months without changing meds. I put my self on a diet and a little more exercise and in 6 weeks so far I’ve dropped 8kgs and my bp is running much lower – 130/70 region. I really haven't made radical changes. Here’s the bit that has me terrified. I do weekly finger prick blood tests. Four a day, pre meals and then at bedtime. When I started 6 weeks ago the range for that first day was a high of 12 and low of 8.6. Over the next couple of weeks they gradually came down and then last week they were between 7.3 and 5.8. Today they have been mid-fives and low-sixes. My average overall for the last 6 weeks is 8.4.
I’ve been reading that blood sugars lowered too rapidly can make Retinopathy worse. I did ask my Eye Doctor about this last week and he said that concern only really applies to extremes (e.g. going from high teens to low fives in a couple of weeks). His view was that if I went from a 10 to 6/7 over three months probably wouldn’t do me any harm. My anxiety is that I’ve already lowered my bloods too quickly and I’m terrified that my Retinopathy is going to get worse. Some websites like the Medweb site make it sound certain that its going to get worse whilst others suggest it’s happens quite rarely and that there’s not certainty that lowering sugars gradually might have the same effect anyway. It’s all just so scary and confusing.
I’m really not sure what to do and I’m just so scared of loosing my sight. Is there any advice? My head is spinning. I managed to talk to a Diabetes specialist nurse today and she said that whilst it wasn’t ideal she felt it would ‘probably’ be okay and that I should do more frequent blood tests to make sure I don’t get into hypos.
How long does it take to go blind?
Sorry I can’t be less flaky.
Thanks for reading.
Just a little background about me before I unleash my anxieties.
I’m 38 and I’ve been type 2 since 2000. I hadn’t really taken my diabetes seriously until 3 years ago. Before that my hba1c’s would have run between 11 and 14 except for brief periods of good behaviour when my hba1c would go down to 6 or 8 within a couple of months. In 2010 I began to use Liraglutide (1.2) and 2000mg of Metformin per day. At the time my Hba1c dropped from 12 to 8.8 to 6.1 in the space of 5 months and over the next couple of years they were between 5.7 and 6.1. I also manage hypertension with meds: sometimes my BP is good at others not so. I’ve had background Retinopathy since 2006 and recently signs of mild pre-profilerated Retinopathy were discovered in one of my eyes. I had my latest appointment with an Eye Doctor last week. There isn’t anything that needs treatment yet, but I do need to have another check in 6 months.
Here’s the thing. During the end of last year my dietary control slipped and when I was reviewed in mid-March my hba1c was 10ish (88 in new money). That was 6 weeks ago and my Diabetes Consultant gave me a pep talk and sent me off motivated to regain sugar control. He wanted me to see if I could regain control with diet modification for a few months without changing meds. I put my self on a diet and a little more exercise and in 6 weeks so far I’ve dropped 8kgs and my bp is running much lower – 130/70 region. I really haven't made radical changes. Here’s the bit that has me terrified. I do weekly finger prick blood tests. Four a day, pre meals and then at bedtime. When I started 6 weeks ago the range for that first day was a high of 12 and low of 8.6. Over the next couple of weeks they gradually came down and then last week they were between 7.3 and 5.8. Today they have been mid-fives and low-sixes. My average overall for the last 6 weeks is 8.4.
I’ve been reading that blood sugars lowered too rapidly can make Retinopathy worse. I did ask my Eye Doctor about this last week and he said that concern only really applies to extremes (e.g. going from high teens to low fives in a couple of weeks). His view was that if I went from a 10 to 6/7 over three months probably wouldn’t do me any harm. My anxiety is that I’ve already lowered my bloods too quickly and I’m terrified that my Retinopathy is going to get worse. Some websites like the Medweb site make it sound certain that its going to get worse whilst others suggest it’s happens quite rarely and that there’s not certainty that lowering sugars gradually might have the same effect anyway. It’s all just so scary and confusing.
I’m really not sure what to do and I’m just so scared of loosing my sight. Is there any advice? My head is spinning. I managed to talk to a Diabetes specialist nurse today and she said that whilst it wasn’t ideal she felt it would ‘probably’ be okay and that I should do more frequent blood tests to make sure I don’t get into hypos.
How long does it take to go blind?
Sorry I can’t be less flaky.
Thanks for reading.
