Advice needed

It has been a long time since I posted to my thread here but I thought it would be a really good time to update those of you who gave me lots of good advice since 2014 when I was getting symptoms associated with diabetes but not diagnosed.

The pins and needles ( feet and now hands/fingers ) continued as did the burning feet but a more serious issue occurred around the end of 2014 which was why I really didn't update the forum.

As a result of finding I had high blood pressure, hospital tests identified lung and heart issues which are still ongoing and they diagnosed me with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). I am now on CPAP and being tested for supplementary oxygen due to low sats overnight. Interestingly the hospital talked to me about how OSAS can cause conditions such as Diabetes as well as many others.

In April last year whilst all this was going on I developed a sore on my foot which I tried to treat myself, started the size of a pea and grew to bigger than a tennis ball. Various medication changes including controlling oedema in my feet and legs and it healed after about 10 months - really lucky, I could have lost my foot. I continue taking medication for fluid and use Epaderm for the intense itching I can get in my legs. I carry on living with burning feet and feelings of numbness.

I can see now why its so complex trying to manage chronic conditions when other conditions start to occur and you have a fine balance adjusting treatments and seeing through the fog.

I was quite shocked yesterday when I went for a 3 week GP follow up after being put on Furosomide to help with fluid retention in my legs. When I went into the GP surgery I had to tell her what I was there for i.e. the drug follow up. For the past year and a half no one had even mentioned diabetes. Thoughts were focused on my risk of heart attack/stroke and sorting out breathing issues. Just by chance I asked the GP as I was leaving the surgery what my HBA1C was on the blood tests 3 weeks earlier, the last result I had in my head was 39. She said it was 46 . It stopped me in my tracks. Wow I said, I thought it was 39. She said , no, that was last year, my previous test was 43 and this latest was 46. Told her that I was doing the prick test when I got up and my test was giving me a reading in the 5s or 6s. I am also trying to control my weight, despite my BMI being 38.I thought everything was ok. Isnt this in the pre-diabetic range I asked her. She said yes and wished me luck with my next hospital appointment re my heart as I left the room. No mention that we needed to sit down and talk about the risk of me developing diabetes, also could the issues I have been having since 2014 be related to the onset of diabetes.

I can only think that I might be called back at some point to discuss the diabetes risk factors. Looks like I have had at least two HBA1C tests in the same year showing an increase in levels both in the pre range. Surprised the GP didn't think to talk about this factor. Maybe she hadn't fully read all the notes.

Again, this must be hard for GP's in 10 mins having to deal with strangers walking in for an apt who have multiple issues.

Just thought I would update you all.

best regards

Eddie

HBA1C June 2016 46
HBA1C Jan 2016 43
BMI 38

PS - Respiratory nurse at the local hospital says I am not fat , I just need to lose a few pounds - love her.

eddie775 said:

Several months ago I started getting worse symptoms of pins and needles in my feet ( I have been getting these for about a year ) , burning and pain in them when starting to walk and also period of numbness. I was also getting tired in the afternoon, nodding off sometimes when I was working on my laptop. This would often happen if I had just had something to eat. I thought about pre diabetes as I had seen things in the press, so I bought a testing kit. Since june , I have been testing in the morning when I get up, before I have my regular coffee and toast, on a fairly regular basis and the scores have been coming in between 5.9 and 6.4 mmol/l.

.......................................................

Eddie

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Brunneria said:

Good to hear how you have got on - even though it sounds like you have been having a hard time.
Glad that ulcer cleared up!
Sounds like your next step is to get that HbA1c down, which the forum can help with.

Really glad you came back an updated us.

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Yep , thanks . Going to have to look at the diet and how I am eating and when I am eating a bit more. Exercise is a problem for me at the moment due to breathing issues. having at ETT soon so I will be able to discuss how best to exercise as without that its really hard to get a diet to work. Will be looking again at the forums and all the tips on here again to sort this out.

Thanks Salvia. Life is a journey and you never know what is around the corner.

Salvia said:

Hello Eddie, and welcome back to the forum. Like Brunneria, I'm also glad that you updated your story, I hate unfinished business don't you

Sorry you're stilll having problems though. There's plenty of people around the site who will be ready & willing to help with advice, when you're ready.

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adriajackson said:

Hello,
I still think you should be able to receive precise information from your therapist.
It can motivate you to exercise/eat healthy.

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Adria - I dont have a therapist. My GP I think is more focused on my heart and lung issues . That is what took me by surprise when she told me my HbA1c scores. The problem I have I think is that our surgery has multiple GP's. You only get 10 mins for appts and she was focused on the drug changes. She probably was not aware that i have never had a talk about pre diabetes/diabetes. The most guidance I have had so far is from my lung consultant who was leaving the country at the time and he said i needed to lose weight and reduce my collar size by 2 - no guidance on how to do this. Even my respiratory nurse said i wasnt fat and there were worse people out there than me - then telling me my BMI was 38. Again no guidance on lifestyle and diet. So , looks like i will work it all out myself and use the good guidance from this site. Am having at ETT at the cardiology dept on 28th , I might have a word with them and see what they say.

seaspray1998 said:

Also have you been tested for carpel tunnel syndrome?

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I know this post was a while back but in case you are still taking part in the forum an update. I had another MRI a few weeks back that has reaffirmed that I have a problem with the nerves being impinged as he described it in my C Spine. So the problems from 2013 havent gone away. Electrical Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) have also confirmed problems in my arm. On Saturday at the orthopedic clinic they have told me the neck surgeons would rather they sort out the arm / hand issues that came up in the NCS. The consultant is recommending Ulna Nerve decompression at the elbow and also Carpel Tunnel Surgery in the hand on the same arm. Both are going to be completed at the same surgery as one is done under a general and the other under local. with this done, any remaining pins and needles in the hand/arm would be down to neck - that's the theory the experts are going on. First time this has been brought up. I have read up that it could take up to 14 months for things to settle down after such surgery , nerve wise. So waiting for the date now for the operation.

Just shows how complex everything is !