type 2 due to chronic pancreatitis

[bookworm]

Hi, i am new to the forum.
I was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis in 1989 and over the years of dealing with this have always known that i would end up diabetic, it happened two and a half years ago, even now i am still confused about a lot of things that are happening. I would find it very useful if there was anyone else with the same conditions to compare notes and info.

 

[Cameraman]

I too had pancreatitus in 89 and had my gaull bladder removed once well enough to operate on. I was diagnosed type 2 in October 08. My HBa1c was 6.9. By following the GI diet, reducing the carbs I eat and taking more exercise I have reduced this to 5.9.

 

[bookworm]

Hi cameraman, thanks for your reply. Your pancreatitis was it acute or is it chronic ?
I have never been told my HBa1c, only that it was ok, but whereas most people seem to be fighting to keep their BG down i have trouble keeping mine up, i frequently do not feel well and on testing find that its reading 2.9 to 3.4, I am now on 2x500mg Metformin and am doing virtually no exercise. I was fine for 2 years on 3x metformin but in the last few months my BG levels have been low so they have reduced them to 2 . Of course i have a whole load of other medication to take for all the other problems i have and i never know if they conflict or not. My chronic pancreatitis over the years has resulted in my pancreas being pretty much calcified.

 

[sami]

hi i had acute pancreatitis in 2003 due to gall stones i had my gall blader removed in 2004 ,i was in hdu for 8 days with it on a morfine drip and unable to eat or drink for 7 days so my pancreace could rest i was told if i had not got to a&e when i did i would have been dead by the morning .i found out i had t2 13 months ago with a A1c of 7.9 now its 5.5 on D&E only

 

[bookworm]

Hi sami, Thank you for your post, its good that you now have everything under control with D&E.
I wish I had, that’s why I am hoping to find somebody with the same conditions as myself to find out how they are coping with the diabetes and chronic pancreatitis, and be able to exchange ideas information and mutual support.

 

[Cameraman]

Hi cameraman, thanks for your reply. Your pancreatitis was it acute or is it chronic ?

It was acute, I was in hospital nil by mouth for 6 weeks and then 4 weeks recovering before being sent home to get strong enough to operate on. I was on a morphine pump for pain and a kind of drip thing direct into my heart to feed me. Once well, about another 4 weeks I went back in for the Gaull bladder removal op. Was Ok then for next 20 years till diagnosed T2.

 

[bookworm]

Help!
I had to see my GP yesterday, I explained the problems with not feeling well and the low readings at mid morning, he decided to take me off the metformin altogether for three months. Today I have had a headache all day and felt generally unwell, I tested at 5pm today before my evening meal and my BG reading was 11.1, should I be conserned ? and how long should I go on with readings this high before going back to the DR. Advice from anyone Please!

 

[Cameraman]

I would do another test later but re book to see the Dr, 11 is too high.

 

[Trinkwasser]

I would do another test later but re book to see the Dr, 11 is too high.

Agreed, I'd also ask to be referred to an Endo. It sounds likely the pancreatitis has affected your alpha cells which generate glucagon and without that your liver no longer knows when to release glucose back into your blood stream. You really need someone more specialised than a GP.

 

[bookworm]

Many thanks to all for the advice you arer giving me.
I went to see my diabetes nurse today and she has told me to stick with what my GP has advised, and that high reading over 3 months is nothing I should worry about, It was her who told me to see my GP because she did`nt know what to advise because of my chonic panceatitis.
I must add that I have been fine for 2 years on the Metformin its only in the last 6 months that I have`nt been feeling well and on testing discovered that my readings are regularly low.
Sorry Trinkwasser I dont understand all the technical stuff you included but you sound like you know what your talking about, Whats an Endo?.
If am to go with the GP and nurse is there anything I should look out for.

 

[sami]

hi a endo is a diabetic concultant at the hospital you need to ask to see one asap
as for high reading over 3 month doing you no harm well ask her if she would take the risk as i no i would not so if i was you i would also change gp's asap as well not only will you feel like cr*p but your putting your long term health at risk

 

[chrishatsgirl]

Hi bookworm,

I too have type 2 diabetes, from Chronic pancreatitis. I started with pancreatitis 3 years ago and was diagnosed with diabetes in Nov last year. I was put straight onto insulin as the Dr said if I started on medication it would only be about 3 months before I would have to go onto insulin so it wasn't worth it.

At the moment I just have one injection per day in the morning, when I first started I did have a few hypo's which were a bit scarey, but haven't had any for a few weeks now, so think I am settling down a bit.

Which hospital are you under for your panc? I am under St James's, Leeds.

Chris :wink:

 

[Trinkwasser]

Sorry Trinkwasser I dont understand all the technical stuff you included but you sound like you know what your talking about, Whats an Endo?.
If am to go with the GP and nurse is there anything I should look out for.

Endocrinologist. That's a specialist you will need to get your doctor to refer you to.

The pancreas has several functions. It puts digestive enzymes into the digestive tract. It generates insulin which works on glucose disposition, and it also generates glucagon which releases glucose back from store again. The whole system is a balancing act, your total blood volume only contains about 5g glucose at any one time and as your muscles and other tissues use it up it needs to be replaced from the liver. The lows you are getting suggests this bit isn't working properly.

 

[bookworm]

Hi Trinkwasser, Many thanks for the info. I will make some enquiries. Today is day 4 without Metformin and apart for the first day I have felt better than I have for a long time, seem to have loads more energy. I have not tested since Tuesday evening (strips a problem to get) and of course GP told me not to test. I assume as long as I increase my exercise level my bg should`nt go to high !

 

[bookworm]

Hi chrishatsgirl, Is it ok if I private message you regarding chronic panceatitis and diabetes tomorrow?

 

[chrishatsgirl]

Hi bookworm,

Sorry I didn't reply to you earlier, only just seen your message.

Yes it's fine for you to send me a private message, no problem at all, today is fine, in fact any day, but if I don't answer you straight away please be patient, I don't always get to check my messages if I am not feeling too well, been having a rough couple of weeks.

Thanks,

Speak to you soon,

Chris

 

[bookworm]

What should I think now, As I have explained in my earlier post, I am doing exactly what the GP and the diabetes nurse told me to do, I have stopped my Metformin now for a week, today was the first day I have been out for any length of time and I was a bit late getting home which meant I had gone about four and a half hours since my big bowl of porridge breakfast, and I started to feel shaky (my usual sign of being low ) so I tested and I was down to 3.6, does anyone have any idea why this would happen when my GP told me I will definitely not get any lows if I stop taking it :?: .

 

[sami]

hi im not on any meds as my A1c is down to 5.5% but if i go to long between eating i do go low and with a high carb breackfast like you had you would have shot very high at first then as your insurlin kicked in it sent you to low with or with metformin it does happen if you go to long between eating

 

[bookworm]

Hi sami, What could I have with my porridge to make it last longer? I did not do very much by way of excersize. so I did not expect the low. What Im thinking is as the better wheather comes on I like to go walking, will I have to make sure that I carry something to eat with me?

 

[sami]

the best thing would be not to have the porridge as it hits your bg very fast sends you very high at 1 hr ok at 2 hrs then by 3 your are droping very fast and by 4 to low .
i used to eat shreddies for my breakfast as this was what was happening to me so i started to eat eggs and bacon with 1 slice of burgan toast or scrambled eggs on 1 slice of toast and now i can go 5-6 hrs b4 i have my lunch were b4 i had to have my lunch within 4 hrs and my bg went up from 6ish fasting to 11ish at 1hr and 7ish at 2 hrs then by 4 hrs i was 3-4ish now im 5ish fasting and 7ish at 1 hr and 5-6 ish at 2 hrs were i then stay untill lunch time so please try it for a few day just to see for your self