Confused and exhausted and stressed

[melissa_ob]

Hello! I was diagnosed T2 last October and was put on metformin twice a day. My number was 57 then. I got retested in March and put on ozempic as well as the metformin as it had climbed to 82. I was advised not to take bloods and hadn't until this last week as I was having 'a hard time' and realised that there was something going on. I have adhd so not always the most in tune with what is happening with my body and a hard time has actually translated into multiple hypos per day at the moment! I'm hitting lows of 3s and down to 2.7 last night. I've only got the monitor on since Wednesday and I have had maybe 4 within the last 12 hours and some near misses where I got it up in time. Has anyone any advice on how to stabilse it? I haven't had any support yet from diabetic clinic or endo and everything seems so dense to try and read right now. Am exhausted and confused and stressed. The highest I have gone up to is about 8. I have a reduced appetite because of the ozempic and had nausea until the last few days. This I think is only happening since I went up from the initial dose of .25mg to .5mg. I have a doctors app on Wednesday but we only get a 15 minute appointment. Please has anyone advice on how to manage this even until I get to see the doc on Wednesday? T2 is in my family so I am used to much around it but this seems like nothing anyone close to me has experienced!

 

[Antje77]

I got retested in March and put on ozempic as well as the metformin as it had climbed to 82. I was advised not to take bloods and hadn't until this last week as I was having 'a hard time' and realised that there was something going on. I have adhd so not always the most in tune with what is happening with my body and a hard time has actually translated into multiple hypos per day at the moment! I'm hitting lows of 3s and down to 2.7 last night. I've only got the monitor on since Wednesday

Hi @melissa_ob , welcome to the forum.

I'm assuming you use a CGM like Freestyle Libre?
While those are wonderful for seeing trends, they are less trustworthy when it comes to absolute numbers. Do you have a glucose meter to test with a fingerprick to verify those lows?
My own Libres tend to read lower than a fingerprick by 1 - 2 mmol/l, so it may be you aren't having hypos, even though it can definitely feel like it!
Metformin and Ozempic don't as a rule cause low blood glucose, although there can be other reasons for hypos.

However, with your hba1c of 82, your average BG must have been around 13. Our bodies get used to high BG, so a normal number (anything from 3.5 up) can feel like a very real hypo when you suddenly start lowering your BG.
If this is what is happening, it's called a false hypo, and it will get better when your body gets used to healthy numbers again.

Good luck, I hope you'll feel better soon!

 

[Melgar]

Hi and welcome to the forum @melissa_ob.
I agree with @Antje77.
I too have ADHD, I was diagnosed with the combined type. It can make managing your blood sugars troublesome. I can feel scattered and unfocussed until I am focussed on something - a dis-regulation of focus. I have developed coping mechanisms and ritualize my day to day activities to help me cope, that includes testing my bloods, if I'm not wearing a cgm.

Whist not wanting to do UK GPs a disservice, North American doctors, in general, recommend testing. My advice to you is to get yourself a blood glucose monitor If you do not have one. Some people just refer to them as finger pricks. cgm s are very useful and I use them often, but they are expensive if you have to pay for them yourself. I use a Contour Next One glucometer, but there are many more types. I also use a Libre2 cgm.

To get the most out of the glucometer test just before a meal and two hours after. You want to aim keep the post meal figure (postprandial) within 2 mmol/ls of the pre meal (preprandial) . That way you will know how well your body has coped with the meal you have consumed. Looking at your figures you have done very well at reducing your blood sugars. Members here would recommend testing, contrary to the GP's advice.

Edited to correct a typo

 

[melissa_ob]

Hi @melissa_ob , welcome to the forum.

I'm assuming you use a CGM like Freestyle Libre?
While those are wonderful for seeing trends, they are less trustworthy when it comes to absolute numbers. Do you have a glucose meter to test with a fingerprick to verify those lows?
My own Libres tend to read lower than a fingerprick by 1 - 2 mmol/l, so it may be you aren't having hypos, even though it can definitely feel like it!
Metformin and Ozempic don't as a rule cause low blood glucose, although there can be other reasons for hypos.

However, with your hba1c of 82, your average BG must have been around 13. Our bodies get used to high BG, so a normal number (anything from 3.5 up) can feel like a very real hypo when you suddenly start lowering your BG.
If this is what is happening, it's called a false hypo, and it will get better when your body gets used to healthy numbers again.

Good luck, I hope you'll feel better soon!

Thank you so much for the reply! Yes it’s libre 2 I got. I don’t have a glucose meter to check against but will see what I can get for sure. That is interesting about the lower reading - I wonder is it a false reading or maybe because it’s moving so fast and I’m feeling it! I’ve been getting a 4am one which has been waking me too - I think maybe a compression reading as I do love to sleep on my left arm / just where the sensor is! I’ve been diving into the forum topics especially the false hypo ones and am hoping this is the case for the other ones - definitely time to check with monitor!
I’ve a lot to be learn but am thankful for all of the knowledge and experience here!

 

[melissa_ob]

Hi and welcome to the forum @melissa_ob.
I agree with @Antje77.
I too have ADHD, I was diagnosed with the combined type. It can make managing your blood sugars troublesome. I can feel scattered and unfocussed until I am focussed on something - a dis-regulation of focus. I have developed coping mechanisms and ritualize my day to day activities to help me cope, that includes testing my bloods, if I'm not wearing a cgm.

Whist not wanting to do UK GPs a disservice, North American doctors, in general, recommend testing. My advice to you is to get yourself a blood glucose monitor If you do not have one. Some people just refer to them as finger pricks. cgm s are very useful and I use them often, but they are expensive if you have to pay for them yourself. I use a Contour Next One glucometer, but there are many more types. I also use a Libre2 cgm.

To get the most out of the glucometer test just before a meal and two hours after. You want to aim keep the post meal figure (postprandial) within 2 mmol/ls of the pre meal (preprandial) . That way you will know how well your body has coped with the meal you have consumed. Looking at your figures you have done very well at reducing your blood sugars. Members here would recommend testing, contrary to the GP's advice.

Edited to correct a typo

Ah thank you so much for your reply! I’ve had a lot going on in my life since my initial diagnosis so it’s only now I’m getting some space to start to process a bit and actually think about it constructively- and that is only maybe happening because I’ve felt so awful the last while. Currently trying to switch on the hyper focus definitely going to organise a glucose monitor and thank you for the test timings! I think maybe that would be a more balanced way to check rather than too much checking on a cgm as opposed to none at all!!! If I can ritualise it too then I think it might work better! I feel very uneducated at this point. As I said in my other reply post I am thankful for such knowledge and experience from everyone here!

 

[Antje77]

definitely going to organise a glucose monitor

You'll want one with the cheapest teststrips, the strips are the ongoing cost.
I'll tag @Rachox for you, she has a list of meters in the UK.

Very happy to see you sound so much better today than yesterday!
Tackling the confusion by learning, way to go!

 

[Rachox]

Thanks for the tag @Antje77 , hi @melissa_ob , here’s some info with links for UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.



HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/



Links to the strips for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/



Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/





SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + which is quite popular:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793



The strips are to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.



Don’t forget to check the box if you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)



If you’d like to try a free 15 day trial of the Freestyle LIBRE 2 plus follow this link:

Sampling | Diabetes Care | Abbott



Dexcom also offer a free trial of their Dexcom one + here

The Dexcom ONE+ CGM (Continuous Glucose Montoring) system | Dexcom

 

[melissa_ob]

You'll want one with the cheapest teststrips, the strips are the ongoing cost.
I'll tag @Rachox for you, she has a list of meters in the UK.

Very happy to see you sound so much better today than yesterday!
Tackling the confusion by learning, way to go!

Thank you so much!!! I’m in Ireland and think that I’ll be able to get the monitor and strips on prescription from my gp and covered by the long term illness scheme. I definitely feel much better and much more positive the last few days - everything has stabilised and I’m not dipping as much at all!!! I’ll will definitely check out the links though as the more I am in formed right now the better!!!