Newbie seeking advice...confused!

[Jesben]

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Hello,

I'm a very new person who is hoping for the benefit of what is clearly well-informed advice on here.

I have just been 'diagnosed' (I think!) with Diabetes, pending another fasting blood test next week. However, the nurse said that she is expecting it to confirm the news, rather than tell her anything different.

My glucose levels were flagged up as abnormal during a FBC done to assist my Endocrinologist in trying to get to the bottom of current ridiculously high levels of T4 (underactive throid for 20 years - levels all over the place at the moment). The glucose blood test came back at 8.1, but they weren't too concerned as it was a 'random glucose test'(whatever that means!) and I had eaten a meal prior to the blood test. I also had zero vitamin B12 present and am now having injections of B12 to get that into my system. However, just to make doubly sure of the high sugar levels, my GP ordered a repeat test following a period of 12 hour fasting. I have today been hoiked in by the GP as the results had come back and showed a level of 11.9 - and it is this which has prompted them to diagnose Diabetes. I have to have another fasting test to check again and following on from that, they will discuss treatment with me.

I have a couple of initial questions, which I should have asked the nurse, but was too dazed to think of at the time:

1) Is a level of 11.9 high/borderline or quite low?
2) I had an episode of acute pancreatitis (caused by gallstones) last year which laid me in hospital for 3 weeks. I remember the nurses pricking my finger with the machine several times a day to check my blood sugar levels, and it was the one thing which they were always surprised to see as normal (I believe it ranged from 3.0 - 4.5 most of the time). I am wondering, could the pancreatitis have somehow triggered this?

Any help or advice at this stage would be great. I am normally very upbeat about my ailments - I am also registered disabled following complications during spinal surgery 3 years ago - but I'm starting to feel that someone is conspiring against me just lately!!!!!

Not sure if it's worth pointing out that I appear to have no symptoms other than perpetual tiredness, which the nurse said may have been due to the vit B12 deficiency in any event, and immense weight gain, which has been attributed to my massively undertreated thyroid and limitations on my physical ability to excerise over the last 3-4 years.

Many, many thanks.

 

[ChocFish]

Hi Maddie

welcome to the forum, your reading is about double to what it should be, they should be somewhere between 5 and 6 ideally, but please do not panic, when I was diagnosed I was well in the 20s and I am still around.

Your second question, re can pancreatitis cause diabetes, I am not sure maybe it can, maybe in can made you more vulnerable to diabetes, could it be the effects of trauma from spinal surgery?

Diabetics are often short on minerals and vitamins, in particular B and C and magnesium, so you are off on a good start there taking them already.

Please do not worry too much, of course its a shock to get this diagnosis, but the good news is that you can achieve good control, avoid complications and you have just joined a good forum where you will find all sorts of info and support.

All the best

Karen

PS I know its out of order but my husband is due to go for spinal surgery, could you possibly email what happened with yours, if its not too personal, my email address is [email protected]

Challenges can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones, it depends how you view them

 

[sugarless sue]

'Chronic pancreatitis can cause diabetes in some people. Treatment usually involves maintaining a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Some people also need insulin injections, although insulin must be used cautiously because of the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).Your doctor will talk with you about how to manage diabetes, recognize symptoms of high and low blood sugar, and prevent complications.
Mild acute pancreatitis usually doesn't permanently affect digestion or blood sugar levels, although a single severe attack can damage your pancreas and trigger chronic pancreatitis, which destroys the cells that produce both enzymes and insulin.

Ongoing damage to enzyme-producing tissue in chronic pancreatitis leads to poor absorption (malabsorption) of nutrients, especially fats, to weight loss, and to oily, malodorous stools. And damage to or destruction of insulin-producing cells means blood sugar isn't metabolized properly, often leading to diabetes.'

http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00371.html




Knowledge is the key to control

 

[lopper]

t2 9 months now
my toes feel a bit numb most of the time
any iseas please
on met rami
tia

 

[Dennis]

Lopper,

Do you test your blood sugar levels regularly?
If so what are the usual readings?
If they are consistently quite high then that would explain your numb feet and you will need to see your GP to get your dose increased to bring the sugars down.
If your readings are not very high then it could be something else, so you should still see your GP to get it checked out.