Mum aged 76, not feeling well but doctor keeps saying "its her age".

[caring-for-mum]

Hi everyone, please can anyone help me with this as I am very worried about my mum. She is a type 2 diabetic (diagnosed last summer).
This past few weeks (also two months) she has not been feeling at all well....extreme sweating, very tired, nauseated, no energy etc. Her blood glucose is tested each day by myself and they have been good (5.7-6.1) upon waking. Her blood results from the GP have been good as her hba1c blood result has went from 56 last year to 43, as I have helped her as best I could. Her medication is Metformin 500mg 1 per day. She has been to her GP 3 times saying she does not feel at all well (as mentioned above) but the GP doesn't even examine her and just says "its your age". Would anyone have any advice on this? I would very much appreciate it please. Xx

 

[Mrsass]

I'd ask to see a different doctor, but her diabetes does sound well controlled

 

[jack412]

I would look elsewhere other than diabetes with those numbers, as said, I would see another Dr,

 

[Enclave]

Was your mum given statins at the same time as the metformin? Could be a side effect of the medication.. But you need to get a different doctor to talk to, as being told it's just her age is just not good enough.

 

[Totto]

What blood tests has she had? I'd check for an over active thyroid, and then kidney tests, iron and liver panel, among other things. Get her back to a doctor. Has she has been checked for colon cancer? Not that is sounds like it, but should be ruled out anyway.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hi, sorry to hear of your mum feeling so poorly. The doctor is being dismissive and not showing the proper care. My dad is 91 and doesn't ( and hasn't) felt like that, on a day to day basis,( he is not diabetic) so not everything is down to age, it's a brush off. Some medical conditions can cause nausea and also taking some medications, it does need investigating.
Good luck and I hope you can get proper answers, that will eventually help her feel better.

Best wishes RRB

 

[jack412]

Hi, sorry to hear of your mum feeling so poorly. The doctor is being dismissive and not showing the proper care. My dad is 91 and doesn't ( and hasn't) felt like that, on a day to day basis,( he is not diabetic) so not everything is down to age, it's a brush off. Some medical conditions can cause nausea and also taking some medications, it does need investigating.
Good luck and I hope you can get proper answers, that will eventually help her feel better.

Best wishes RRB

my dads 93, we should get them together and give us a rest
you have to be proactive, from about 70 some dr think they are doing palliative care and not finding and treating illnesses

 

[copepod]

If your mother can see another GP, that might help. If there's no other GP, then one other tactic to try is to ask a pharmacist for a medication review. If the pharmacist spots any changes tha might help, they will inform GP, with your mother's permission. If they can't find any medication problems, then that should also alert GP to look for other causes of your mother's symptoms.

 

[Robinredbreast]

my dads 93, we should get them together and give us a rest
you have to be proactive, from about 70 some dr think they are doing palliative care and not finding and treating illnesses

Luckily my dad's GP is great and always does her best, which all GP's should do and we are first name terms too. It's great that our dad's have lived to this wonderful age.

RRB

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi,@caring-for-mum,
You say that you are testing her blood sugars when she wakes but I think you need to do more tests as she may be suffering from hypos when she displays the symptoms you are describing. They may even be false hypos as an HBA1c result only tell you the average over 3 months so there may be highs and lows that you are not aware of.

Do some extensive testing for a few days and see if there are any readings that can be linked time wise to her feeling unwell.

 

[Kat100]

Hi everyone, please can anyone help me with this as I am very worried about my mum. She is a type 2 diabetic (diagnosed last summer).
This past few weeks (also two months) she has not been feeling at all well....extreme sweating, very tired, nauseated, no energy etc. Her blood glucose is tested each day by myself and they have been good (5.7-6.1) upon waking. Her blood results from the GP have been good as her hba1c blood result has went from 56 last year to 43, as I have helped her as best I could. Her medication is Metformin 500mg 1 per day. She has been to her GP 3 times saying she does not feel at all well (as mentioned above) but the GP doesn't even examine her and just says "its your age". Would anyone have any advice on this? I would very much appreciate it please. Xx

No not age , feeling unwell is really feeling unwell ...
I suggest another GP
People should all be treated and cared for whatever their age ..
I do hope your mother gets to see another GP .... It's exhausting but sometimes you have to keep on untill you find the right person ...
Getting a hba1c test right is a target between patient and DR ...its there to keep you well ... Or at least to help ...
Quite a big drop in number ... Could be to low for your mum ... But that is just me guessing ....
Best wishes .. And hope you get somewhere ...Kat

 

[IanD]

When I was diagnosed 15 years ago (at 60) I had a number of problems I thought were age related: - particularly chronic tiredness, & leg ache. I was assured on diagnosis that diabetes was progressive, so however well I complied with their advice, the disease would progress. It did, until 7 years ago I was becoming immobile.

The I found this forum, & low carb diet. I rapidly felt better, & 7 years on I have no health problems. I'm fit & well at 76.

Don't accept problems are age related - they are health problems. More frequent glucose tests will show up problems - I recommend before & 1 & 2 hour after meals. After there is a serious spike an hour after a meal, which goes down after 2 hours.

 

[AndBreathe]

When I was diagnosed 15 years ago (at 60) I had a number of problems I thought were age related: - particularly chronic tiredness, & leg ache. I was assured on diagnosis that diabetes was progressive, so however well I complied with their advice, the disease would progress. It did, until 7 years ago I was becoming immobile.

The I found this forum, & low carb diet. I rapidly felt better, & 7 years on I have no health problems. I'm fit & well at 76.

Don't accept problems are age related - they are health problems. More frequent glucose tests will show up problems - I recommend before & 1 & 2 hour after meals. After there is a serious spike an hour after a meal, which goes down after 2 hours.

Great post Ian.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. As others have said it's not the diabetes. If she is on statins try stopping them to check the effect. The problem is that most GPs and the NHS in general have no easy way of testing for the causes of tiredness. There are some tests that can help but very often they find nothing. That doens't mean nothing is wrong but the state of medical science can't always help, sadly. Do try another GP. Is your Mum on any othe rmeds that could be causing problems?