I am not exactly sure how to start this ... I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about one year ago ... I am having severe brain fog and mental breakdowns weekly ... I am embarrassed to say this ... but I just don't know where else to turn ... my blood sugar has ranged from 438 to 180 ... I am exercising hard and trying to keep a low carb diet ... but I just cannot not eat carbs ... I hurt too bad emotionally when I don't eat them ... I am constantly miserable trying to not eat them ... I feel terrible ... then I eat carbs and feel horrible as my blood sugar rises ... about 2x per week now I am having literally mental breakdowns and crying uncontrollably to the point of vomitting ... I am a mess ... my work is suffering, my relationships with my kids is suffering ... I used to be smart ... now I am just flat dumb ... I just cannot think ... I don't even know how someone is supposed to respond to this ... this is a desperate attempt ... I can't even come up with an articulate way to describe this other than ... I just cannot think ...
Brain Fog ... Mental Breakdowns
- Thread starter idk2017
- Start Date
NoCrbs4Me
Well-Known Member
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- 3,700
- Type of diabetes
- I reversed my Type 2
- Treatment type
- Other
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- Vegetables
Welcome to the forum. That sounds rough. You really need to talk to your doctor about this. Better yet, a specialist in diabetes or an endocrinologist. It's possible you may need to be on insulin. 438 is rather dangerous. Anything above 300 is considered to be a medical emergency. @daisy1 will provide some basic information soon.
daisy1
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- Type of diabetes
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- Tablets (oral)
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- Cruelty towards animals.
@idk2017
Hello and welcome to the Forum
I agree that you need to see a Doctor or Specialist as soon as possible. As mentioned above, here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask more questions when you need to and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 147,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
Hello and welcome to the Forum
I agree that you need to see a Doctor or Specialist as soon as possible. As mentioned above, here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask more questions when you need to and someone will be able to help.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 147,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
- Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
- Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
- Messages
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- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Hi and welcome!
I agree with @NoCrbs4Me - you need to discuss this with a good doctor or endocrinologist. Someone with a better understanding of the havoc that out of control blood glucose plays with our emotions and thinking. Normal doctors may not fully appreciate what you are dealing with.
Rapid changed in blood glucose can often produce the brain fog and emotional distress that you experience, so getting those under control will help a great deal.
Please let us know how you get on?
I agree with @NoCrbs4Me - you need to discuss this with a good doctor or endocrinologist. Someone with a better understanding of the havoc that out of control blood glucose plays with our emotions and thinking. Normal doctors may not fully appreciate what you are dealing with.
Rapid changed in blood glucose can often produce the brain fog and emotional distress that you experience, so getting those under control will help a great deal.
Please let us know how you get on?
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Mbaker
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,339
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
- Dislikes
- Available fast foods in Supermarkets
Hi @idk2017, you have already started on your road to recovery by creating your post. You are exercising, you have identified that carbs are causing you issues and you know your relationships are under strain.
You have to satisfy your inner self. This may need professional help as advised in the earlier response. You can take small steps. My suggestions are to drink water when you either feel the need for carbs or when you do, increasing the ratio of water over time. Go to bed early to give your body a good rest and help reduce your blood sugar and stress. During the day at a time when you might have a carb intake do some meditation / mindfulness; this sounds soft, but might help you with clarity about what you need to do. Do everything you can to get your eating right, rope in family, friends. Value yourself, you are vital to your children so use this as a motivation to find the strength to do what is healthiest for you.
You have to satisfy your inner self. This may need professional help as advised in the earlier response. You can take small steps. My suggestions are to drink water when you either feel the need for carbs or when you do, increasing the ratio of water over time. Go to bed early to give your body a good rest and help reduce your blood sugar and stress. During the day at a time when you might have a carb intake do some meditation / mindfulness; this sounds soft, but might help you with clarity about what you need to do. Do everything you can to get your eating right, rope in family, friends. Value yourself, you are vital to your children so use this as a motivation to find the strength to do what is healthiest for you.
Very eloquent post, IMHO, and agree with points above.
It is very difficult to admit to depression and difficulty coping, and it often sneaks up on people without them realising it. Also lots of links between diabetes and depression.
I guess you measure in mg% not mMol/L,
When I started to have problems, I had good advice from my GP to be careful of alcohol; so take care - a decent amount of alcohol can play havoc with your diabetes.
As posts above, it is probably more the fluctuating glucose levels making you feel bad, rather than running high. So, evening out the levels firstly and then bringing them down is probably the trick. This needs consistency of medication, diet, exercise, and keeping a record of glucose levels to look for a pattern. I presume not doing anything to make hypo at 3.00 am eg alcoholic binges in evening, or taking a sulphonylurea at bedtime. With the diet, as long as not taking significant amount of refined carbohydrate, most important thing is to be consistent.
I guess not on anything else to upset glucose levels eg steroid tablets.
I presume not had pancreatitis in past - if you have not heard of this, then you have not had it.
If you are hitting 438 mg% (about 22 mMol/L), and you are on lots of tablets already, then it might be that you have a slow onset T1DM (LADA), so, as above, seeing a specialist to clarify diagnosis and management and help avoid fluctuation would be very helpful.
One might consider an anti-depressant, and then conclude that better to sort the glucose fluctations and see; I have had 5 courses of antidepressants and been intolerant of all, but that might just be me. in one study, sunshine was almost as good as antidepressant and better than placebo (although antidepressant plus sunshine were best). The role of vitamin D is unclear, some studies show helpful and others not, but Vit D generally harmless. I would not try herbal remedies like St John's Wort cos of the drug interactions which are often not recognised
Best wishes
It is very difficult to admit to depression and difficulty coping, and it often sneaks up on people without them realising it. Also lots of links between diabetes and depression.
I guess you measure in mg% not mMol/L,
When I started to have problems, I had good advice from my GP to be careful of alcohol; so take care - a decent amount of alcohol can play havoc with your diabetes.
As posts above, it is probably more the fluctuating glucose levels making you feel bad, rather than running high. So, evening out the levels firstly and then bringing them down is probably the trick. This needs consistency of medication, diet, exercise, and keeping a record of glucose levels to look for a pattern. I presume not doing anything to make hypo at 3.00 am eg alcoholic binges in evening, or taking a sulphonylurea at bedtime. With the diet, as long as not taking significant amount of refined carbohydrate, most important thing is to be consistent.
I guess not on anything else to upset glucose levels eg steroid tablets.
I presume not had pancreatitis in past - if you have not heard of this, then you have not had it.
If you are hitting 438 mg% (about 22 mMol/L), and you are on lots of tablets already, then it might be that you have a slow onset T1DM (LADA), so, as above, seeing a specialist to clarify diagnosis and management and help avoid fluctuation would be very helpful.
One might consider an anti-depressant, and then conclude that better to sort the glucose fluctations and see; I have had 5 courses of antidepressants and been intolerant of all, but that might just be me. in one study, sunshine was almost as good as antidepressant and better than placebo (although antidepressant plus sunshine were best). The role of vitamin D is unclear, some studies show helpful and others not, but Vit D generally harmless. I would not try herbal remedies like St John's Wort cos of the drug interactions which are often not recognised
Best wishes
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I really feel for you .I too have had similar feelings thogh not so bad as urs .good luck ..
