Type one and tiredness

Tylers73

Well-Known Member
Messages
223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Does anyone get soooo tired pretty much all the time. I don't sleep well during the night because of my back and joint problems I know but get up in the morning and just feel I could sleep all day every day.
 

ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Does anyone get soooo tired pretty much all the time. I don't sleep well during the night because of my back and joint problems I know but get up in the morning and just feel I could sleep all day every day.
What are your BGs like? Based on your earlier posts I wonder if you are getting the best medical help and I wonder if your diabetes management is optimised. Do you see an endocrinologist? What sort of insulin regime are you on, ie basal bolus with MDI and carb counting? Since you were diagnosed with T1 at around the age of 41 (by my calculations), is there a chance you could have LADA or even a type of MODY?

Tiredness can be a symptom of many conditions other than diabetes, including obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

It may be a good idea to see your GP and ask for blood tests for thyroid, iron, vitamin D, B12 and folate.
 

Curly604

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have had exactly the same except I do sleep very very well. My levels are spot on, I eat healthy and exercise but still I'm knackered the whole time! I have appointment next week so going to discuss it with them
 

fairylights

Well-Known Member
Messages
185
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Have you been tested for hypothyroidism? Underactive thyroid and type 1 often go together and it can make you feel exhausted all the time if not treated.
 

RuthW

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,158
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Also diabetics very often have a shortage of Vitamin D, which makes you tired. I don't why they are associated but I know my own tiredness recedes if I make sure I get outside in daylight for an hour and a half every day. As well as blood sugar control, of course!
 

ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Does anyone get soooo tired pretty much all the time. I don't sleep well during the night because of my back and joint problems I know but get up in the morning and just feel I could sleep all day every day.
Bumping the thread for you. How have you been today?
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
I used to be soooo tired. Constantly waking up tired even after 12 hours sleep.
Used to also have chromic pain from hips to knees. Depite being out all day so plenty of sumshine T take sn ultra strength vit D tablet and only eat food that is unprocesed snd no aspartame or sweeteners or E numbers etc.

No longer sleep talk or nightmares and only
Rare pain when accidentally having ingedients I shouldn't
 
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TooMuchGlucose

Well-Known Member
Messages
254
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I feel tired a lot of the time too, always have though so it's not too different from before but with always having to eat regularly I feel the effects more now.
 

ewelina

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,354
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I can relate to that but I have hypothyroidism and I hope it will get better as Ive started taking thyroxine
 

hollyslot

Well-Known Member
Messages
167
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am too, I don't know why either though as I barely ever have really high blood sugars! They're usually in range!
 

CarbsRok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,688
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
pasta ice cream and chocolate
Does anyone get soooo tired pretty much all the time. I don't sleep well during the night because of my back and joint problems I know but get up in the morning and just feel I could sleep all day every day.
Obviously if you don't sleep well at night you would be tired during the day.
No1 priority is to see your GP and sort out the pain in your back and joints. Pain will make people tired on it's own then the double whammy of no sleep doesn't help at all.
Also your GP can check things like thyroid function, folic acid levels and all the other B vitamins as a normal health check to make sure no other underlying causes.
 
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Claire007

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I feel the same. Zero energy and little motivation. I was diagnosed 6 months ago aged 44.
My BG management is good, but if I have a busy day like today ( helping my Mil, the most disorganised woman in the universe move house) I am absolutely drained. I want to go to bed NOW and it's only 4.30pm.
BG is in range but I don't have the energy I used to have. I am dreading work now for the rest of the week and can't really phone in 'tired' :(
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Hubby did have a sick form handed to him once where the GP had written "tireditis".....
 
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ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
I feel the same. Zero energy and little motivation. I was diagnosed 6 months ago aged 44.
My BG management is good, but if I have a busy day like today ( helping my Mil, the most disorganised woman in the universe move house) I am absolutely drained. I want to go to bed NOW and it's only 4.30pm.
BG is in range but I don't have the energy I used to have. I am dreading work now for the rest of the week and can't really phone in 'tired' :(
Have you seen your doctor about your tiredness? It could be easily treatable.
 

pinewood

Well-Known Member
Messages
788
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm always tired, too. I don't think we can blame diabetes if it's tightly controlled, though. Unless it's down to the psychological side of it and the stress/brain power of managing it on a day-to-day basis.
 

Diamattic

Well-Known Member
Messages
678
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have found that I have prolonged tiredness if my sugars get over 8-9mmol/L once i hit that i start to yawn and loose focus until they get back under 7.

I also find if my sugars stay above 7 throughout the night i sleep all night, but wake up feeling like i was up the entire time :/

Beyond this only anemia has caused me to be fatigued constantly, which is always solved by iron supplements and B12, after about 3-4 of supplements I am back to where i need to be and all is normal.

You mention you have 'good control' and your BG are 'in range' but what is your 'range' ? and
Do you have have high peaks post meal that you just never notice due to not checking 1 or 2 hours post meal ?
 
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Claire007

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My Average BG is 7 if you look at a 90 day average (taking into account 4 hypos). I'm not great at remembering to check post meal every time though.
So yes, I could be spiking and not picking it up but I do test around 7 times a day. I have been checked for thyroid/vitamin D and results were fine.
I am in a bit of a tricky situation with the honeymoon in that I'm on such small amounts of insulin, if my BG is a bit high at bedtime eg 9/10/11bg I can't/daren't correct it as even .5 of a unit could send me too low so I have to go to bed a bit higher than is ideal., but I usually wake up on 6/7.

(Currently 2 units of levemir AM, 3 units PM and a ratio of 1:20g of Humalog)
 

jimmax

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi Tylers73,
I've recently recovered from three years with overwhelming fatigue. I think fatigue is near the top of the list of symptoms for most autoimmune diseases. Type1 Diabetics are more at risk of these other autoimmune diseases than the average person. There are lab tests for all these. In the past I've had hyperthyroidism and been treated successfully. I've been tested for celiac disease (negative). A short time ago my 'two yearly' diabetes lab tests showed my blood was slightly low in sodium. My GP reported this to me and asked if my health had deteriorated recently. I replied "no". Two hours later I phoned her and said "but I've been telling you for the last three years that I'm abnormally tired and maybe this is the reason why". She declined to follow it up.

Not a problem, I started taking about 30gm of salt each day. On the 4th day my fatigue disappeared and I had trouble sleeping at night. I reported to my GP and we did another sodium test which was normal. she said " stop taking the extra salt and do another sodium test in two weeks time. This time the blood test showed very low sodium. This was considered dangerous although I felt ok (but starting to get tired again). She phoned the hospital and they said to reduce my daily water intake to one litre. I was losing excessive sodium through my urine. Blood test back to normal.

The end result is I've lost my fatigue but I have to regulate my salt and water intake and get the odd sodium test. I'm now sleeping better at night as well.

Hope this is helpful. JimMax.
 
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