Lost at sea

[stewcose]

Hi all, so relieved to find this site.
I have been diagnosed t2 with a reading of 17 non fasting and 9.5 fasting. Put on metaformin 2000mg sr. Told to eat a low gi diet and to take more exercise and that I must have had the condition for some time.
I've been struggling with fatigue, lethargy and loss of pysical and mental strength. The worst of this effecting my memory and concentration, resulting in confusion and depression. (The day I was first given metaformin my antidepressants were vastly reduced and are now stopped). I was at first happy at the idea they had found something concrete and verifiably wrong with me, my struggles are over, all to be fixed by swallowing a pill.
Well that was my theory. I have been on metaformin for 6 weeks, on 2000mg for the last 3 weeks or so. I do have a little more energy in my head allowing me some concentration and my body does not feel so nervy. So something is happening however, these pluses are fractional improvements.
Today I am having a bad one, not been able to work or inclined to meet or talk to anyone. Is metaformin right for me? Is there an altenaltive? Indeed, could I ask if my symtoms are typical or as my nurse has said, prehaps down to something else? Thanks for Reading. Stewart

 

[Spiral]

Welcome aboard, you don't have to choose, you are allowed to have both depression and diabetes :? Having more than one diagnosis often means that some things might not be picked up properly

For readings like those you probably have had diabetes for a while. Metformin is a relatively safe and effective medication, but it isn't the only thing you need to do to improve you health.

Diabetics who do well reduce the amount of carbohydrate they eat, whatever dietary approach they adopt. I started by cutting out added sugar to anything, then I looked for diet I could stick to and thought the low GI or glycaemic load (GL) was the way to go, because it looked like my existsing diet could be tweeked. Then I relaised that the poeple who's control seemd to be the best were the low carbers, that is when I cut out bread, pasta, rice and potato.

As my blood sugar numbers began to fall I started to feel better. The fatigue I'd had for years began to improve and I had more energy, the headaches and fuzzyheadedness I was getting several times a week reduced, the indigestion and acid reflux I got had gone and the constant hunger abated. As my blood sugar reduced and stabilised I felt a lot better. I am currently working on losng half my bodyweight and achieving normal blood sugars as that is what reduces my risk of developing diabetic complications.

All those things can leave you feeling prety low and depression is a difficult thing to deal with as it can also leave you feeling tired and lethargic, eating for comfort and all kinds of digestive distress! There is a lot you can do to help yourself to deal with the diabetic symptoms, which may make it easier to deal with the depression.

Take a look around, especially in the food/diet forums. Ask questions, tell us about what you eat and we may be able to suggest some changes you can make that would improve things further. You need to find a diet that you can stick too, remembering that making massive changes all at once might be too much of a shock to the system, especially if you are dealing with depresion at the same time, and may not be something you can stick to in the longer term. You need a diet you can stick to for the rest of your life, which is how long you will have the diabetes.

 

[china]

Hi Stewcose
Although I have been 'lurking' on the forum for a few months now, your post really pulled at my heart strings as you have described exactly how I have been feeling up until several weeks ago. I was diagnosed T2 about 11 months ago, have been feeling very depressed for a few years and been suffering all the other symptoms associated with untreated diabetes.

I want to offer you a little bit of hope. 11 months 'down the line' on 1000mg metformin a day, I have lost nearly 4 stone, I now eat breakfast, I've stopped smoking, swim several times a week (and now really look forward to getting in the water), walk as much as I can, have simply cut out all the high-sugar **** from my diet and eat low GI foods, also potatoes/bread/pasta (but all the 'good' types'). I am now beginning to feel so different and much better; I am not feeling depressed or lethargic, though will have the occasional 'off day'. It has taken me 11 months to reach this point. We are all different and you have just started on your journey. Please don't be down or hard on yourself. You are making progress - please recognise that progress will be sure and steady and think of yourself as the tortoise rather than the hare in this particular race, as you will be in it for the rest of your life. Concentrate on getting your bg down and stable, testing frequently, this will help with the lethargy/depression aspects enormously but will take time. I am sure that once you have had your bg under control for some time, you will feel more energetic and able to start exercising etc. Think of things in terms of months (years for some peeps) rather than weeks and don't expect too much of yourself.

I hope this helps. Please don't be disheartened.

 

[Aadrgon]

Although I have been 'lurking' on the forum for a few months now, your post really pulled at my heart strings as you have described exactly how I have been feeling up until several weeks ago.

Hi Stewcose

Same here, think you might find there are a few of us that 'have been/are in' the same boat keep at it things do get better.

 

[stewcose]

Hi Spiral, China and Aadragon.

Thank you for taking the time and effort to address my post.

Your practical coments I will head. It was especially meaningful to hear that other people undersood and had been through the same problems. To hear also, that you are taking control of your bodies and thus your lives, gives me hope and purpose for a better future.

Thanks again Stewart