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awaiting glucose tolerance test-already have chronic health issues :/

frownyface

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi,

I have been suffering for a long time with problems with tiredness and shakyness, also feeling overwhelmed and tearful regularly.

If I go out for a few hours it can take up to 48 hours for me to feel able to cope with daily life again-I feel so drained and tired, sometimes sick too and with headaches.

I am not yet 30-but have a below knee amputation, osteo arthritus and chronic fatigue syndrome. I suffer with chronic pain.I take a cocktail of meds and am wheelchair bound.

I am overweight.

Because there is so much going on for me healthwise we are unsure as to what it is exactly that is leaving me feeling so utterly unable to cope with daily life. I am not depressed.

So anyway (rant over lol) I had a chat with gp yesterday-the plan is to slightly adjust my meds to see if that helps. He did my blood sugars whilst I was there and told me I have a borderline blood sugar reading (but not the exact measurement) and I need to have a fasting test followed by a sugary drink and then another test two hours later. So I have this to look forward to on weds next week.

I am bricking it. really. I know its better to know but I just dont know how I will cope with yet another limitation in my life.

Im just ranting really. Thanks for taking the time to read this
 
High Blood sugars are the culprit for many different illnesses... so by controlling your BG levels you will benefit in lots of ways... it could become a good thing.
 
Ask your GP to check your thyroid too, not only TSH but FT4, preferably FT3 and antibodies too.
 
Hi

Not sure how overweight you are but that can be tiring in itself. I lost weight and I feel physically much better.
Which really surprised me because in my head being over weight was much more about appearance than health.

Cara
 
Thankyou for your replys-very appreciated.

Diamond-I am doing lots of reading up and trying to be positive, I still don't know for certain yet in anycase

Totto-thankyou I will do.

carraway-i agree. at the moment im stuck between a rock and a hard place. Just sitting in my chair and being out and about exhausts me, as things stand at the mo I cant afford to potentially wipe out a whole week at a time for half hours swim. I have a wii fit and do excercises in my chair using that-and free weights occasionally-this is certainly something I will try to do more regularly in any case. I have a six year old and im very reluctant to spend less time with him, its hard going on my husband too.

Last week was good, I practiced piano, had a music lesson, had friends to visit. This week hss been awful. went out with dog and son on sundag and didnt begin to feel anything approaching normal til last night. I haven't done anything or been anywhere, ; or seen anyone apart from my husband and son.

Its just debilitating.

To top things off I woke this morning to a painful knee, would have made sense last week but this week doesnt make any sense.

Anyway, thankyou again for the replies and advice, and for reading.
 
oh dear hope that makes sense-hope you don't mind these posts too much-feel a fraud as no concrete diagnosis.

Diabetes would make sense to me...or poss pre diabetes....I will keep you guys posted anyway.

when I had my leg amputated I met lots of people who had lost limbs to diabetes, its a frightening prospect having lost one leg already after having a rtc.

I shall be quiet now lol
 
Hi

No need to be quiet. If you have questions then ask.

I think you can lose weight without exercising, It really depends on what you eat and how much of it.
You just have to do the best you can to get through the day.
If you slip up try again.

Keep us posted!

Cara
 

Hi Frownyface

First of all, welcome to the forum. This is a great group of people here who not only are full of knowledge and wisdom, but also a good listening audience for venting frustration. Many of us go through days when we just have to have a moan about this or that.

I also am prediabetic and suffer from chronic fatigue. My own CFS/ME was diagnosed 20 years ago and I have learned to live with it and to recognise signs when I have to take things easy for a while (weeks, months). You did not say how long you have suffered from it, but if it is fairly recent (months, or a few years) please be assured that your tiredness and exhaustion can well stem from the CFS rather than prediabetes. For the first year or so I wasn't able to walk through the room without stopping, at times unable to eat a sandwich without resting half way through... It is a horrid illness/disease to which sadly, there is no cure. But in time you will learn to manage it; although it will be harder for you with a young child to take the rest you need.

As for prediabetes, I have found that eating a low carb diet (no rice, pasta, bread, potatoes) has brought my blood sugar down back into the normal range. There are a lot of people here who follow this way of eating and have greatly reduced their blood sugar levels.

The best thing you can do is get the test at your GP, report back here and tell us about it. I have found the advice given here far better than the advice given by GPs and dietitian.

Good luck, Frownyface, and don't worry too much about further amputations. That is a long way off for people with prediabetes and only becomes necessary if someone doesn't control their diabetes over many, many years.
 
Morning Gudrun thank you for taking the time to post.

The CFS has only recently been diagnosed but I think I may have had it for some time. I cope mainly by taking things day by day and luckily I am in the position where I can see take myself back to bed. My husband stays at home as my carer as I am unable to cope on my own, there is always the worry of what hoops we have to jump through re DLA and ESA etc.
The main problem I find is my family and the lack of understanding. I try to explain re. spoon theory but they dont 'get it'. Anyway, as you say I might be over thinking this somewhat-only time will tell. I need to change my lifestyle in any case and so am having a good read of this forum for ideas re diet.

I have started keeping a food/sleep/general wellbeing diary to see if I can spot a pattern so time will tell on that regard, its helping me be more 'mindful' of what im eating which can only be a good thing.

I am curious as to how long after the test I will get results-i presumed they would be able to tell me at the time as the measurements are there in front of them so to speak, but the paperwork the surgery gave me said it could take up to a week?

Thank you for sharing your experiences and words of wisdom

Cara-thanks to you too, you are right my plan is to get in control of my weight via diet-one step at a time otherwise I know I will just get frustrated. If I can get my weight down hopefully I will be able to get another prosthetic limb so im not wheelchair bound 24/7.
 

I often thought that the problem with CFS is that it is not visible (most of the time). I remember meeting people I had not seen for a few weeks and they said that I look great while I felt absolutely dreadful. Although I was diagnosed quickly, I was still working full-time at diagnosis and had to retire early. I received incapacity benefit but my initial application for the works pension on the grounds of retirement due to ill health was declined. I did get it on appeal, though.

Since changes in government policy I think it is more difficult for people with disabilities to get the amount of financial help they need. All adding to the stress, which of course, makes CFS worse.

In my experience CFS tends to hit people who have been very active before they fall ill with it. While the thought 'Do they think I'm just lazy?' may come to us, past experience of our behaviour should put that to rest. We are not lazy if we are exhausted at the slightest bit of activity. You need to find out what you can do and what you can't. For myself, I can (on good days) walk a mile or even more, but can't do 5 minutes of gardening. I know someone else for whom closing the curtains are the worst thing; yet someone else found washing her hair the hardest and most exhausting.

Good luck, Frownyface... if you want to talk about CFS, mail me individually, as my message is not really of much interest for people here in the diabetes forum. But I do know that you need support and support and support to get through the initial stages.
 
Hi, sorry to hear about your health problems. I too suffer from a chronic condition (chronic pancreatitis) and am awaiting my test results too (had them done on Thursday. I don't have CFS but I am very lethargic, probably as a result of the strong painkillers I'm constantly on (I have a painkilling patch plus other breakthrough meds) and the disease itself.

Best of luck for your test results
 
Hi Darbs, thank you for your reply.

Its not much fun is it. We sound very similar re. pain relief-you name it I have tried it! I think the trouble is in having co-insiding health problems is its hard to pin down what symptom is related to what illness. I am sorry to hear about your pancreatitis

Do let us know how you get on-my test is weds but im not sure how long the wait will be for results. It can only be a good thing to chat to people suffering from similar circumstances

Thankyou Godrun for your lovely post.

My trouble is some days I am ok to do certain things such as something as basic as taking a shower and washing my hair- other days I cant face even that. It doesnt help that I have borderline issues with my wrists-years of weight bearing through crutches has made them clicky and painful. I need carpel tunnel surgery really but im reluctant to have too much done to my joints too early, I have already had two arthroscopies on my knee (this is the 'good' leg) but there is only so much that can be done to improve that joint.

Of course the trouble arises when you get bogged down in feeling the need to do and acheive so bloody much that you end up acheiving very little! its hard.

I was turned down for ESA and spent six months going through the appeal process-very stressful indeed. I was eventually awarded the support group which is what I was aiming for-I have another year before having to re start that process, in the mean time I have to re apply to keep my DLA- which funds my car. I wish I could work. Somedays I think yes-I could do this that and the other-but the problem is, as I detailed above-being able to do the same things on a consistent basis. As things stand there is just no way. I have been unable to work since my accident at 19-almost 11 years. Scary stuff.

Thankyou godrun forvthe offer of pribate messages-i may take you up on that

Please excuse the ranting again
 
I have had CFS and fibro for about 2 years now. Im type 1 diabetic with under active thyroid. Ive been taught mindfulness is the only help for the CFS and fibro and I do try but cant help over doing it at times....but the debilitating fatigue that follows. ...and if im awake I move and if I move I tend to end up in pain....im trying to lose weight....I was having a go on a treadmil...building it up gently...but then I did walked somewhere else that needed more of me and ive not been the same since...4 weeks on now. I hurt in all my muscles and joints and feel like a disjointed cindy doll!!....I managed a bit of painting yesterday. ...but then another day I can barely hang up a coat!.....it feels rediculous sometimes and I was active and worked physically hard and feel I may look lazy or a fake .......but im not.......theres that inner voice....we wouldnt speak to a friend like the way we sometimes may speak to ourselves


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

I am sorry to hear you've got CFS and feel so rough with it. You do need to slow down and stop that inner voice that tells you that you should be doing this or doing that. It doesn't matter if there is dust on top of the TV or the hoover feels neglected... Pacing is the only way you can move forward, just doing 5 minutes of something light before resting again.

For what it's worth... I also had the pain for the first few years but that has left me completely now. You CAN learn to live with CFS just as you learn to live with diabetes. Is your type 1 under control?
 
It breaks my heart to hear of so many people with CFS and Fibromyalgia who aren't allowed to try NDT or in some cases not even Levo. Both CFS and Fibro can actually be symptoms of un- or undermedicated hypothyroidism.
 
Hi how is everyone today?

I have had a quiet ish bank holiday. Got my test tomorrow. Feeling nervous.

If the test comes back clear I am having tests done for thyroid function.

I feel better energy wise than I did last week, but im hardly functioning on a reasonable level.

Megan, it sounds like you are sufferring terribly. It is hard to be constantly trying not to overdo things hope this week is better for you.
 
Strangely I am query CFS/M.E at the moment and waiting to go to a special clinic for diagnosis if my GP can get the funding. My high blood sugar has all happened at the same time so this has been an interesting thread for me. There is no history of diabetes in my family. I already feel really poorly...chronic fatigue, joint/muscle aches and pains, kidney disease, an amount of depression as in total setback at the moment. I have IBS, acid reflux and fibromyalgia. I was a very active person but during my worst times, ( such as now), I spend 90% of my time on my bed just walking around the house occasionally. I need exercise for my prediabetes but I am going to struggle with this methinks!
 
High bg can do most of these things to you, but so can low thyroid function. Hypothyroidism causes fatigue, joint and muscle pain, loss of libido, hair loss, constipation, depression, loss of appetite, weight gain and a lot more.
 
Thanks for your response Totto
Sadly I have weight loss, more frequent BM, no hair loss. My thyroid would have been checked in routine blood tests recently as I know they tested for many things.
 
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