I was diagnosed with Diabetes on the 9th May when my BG level was checked and reached 32.8, then after I lost consciousness and blacked out in the Urgent Care Centre. I woke up in hospital 3 days later hooked up by my foot and arms to insulin and glucose and antibiotics. I woke up confused and they had my privates hooked up to a machine to collect my urine. My privates was hurting each time i wanted to discharge so after a day i had enough and requested they take it off so I can discharge normally into the mini bucket they gave me so they can still monitor my wee.
My ketones were high so I had to so I had to stay for another couple of days. They were taking bloods like every 4 hours, and guess what I hate needles. Never have like them but because the doctor told me they almost lost me, once I regained consciousness, those needles were not going to agree with me, and i initially kept saying I can't do the needles, but they persisted and made sure they took my bloods right on time every 4 hours. Along with this was the finger prick tests for ketones and BG every 2 hours like clockwork.
I was discharged from hospital on the 15th May but they didn't want me to go until I could prove to them I can inject and my phobia of needles wouldn't get in the way, I was so happy to be alive, I saw my wife and was truly thankful to the hospital staff for saving my life. When I left hospital my BG was 19 and at that time I didn't understand what the BG numbers meant. So I was told to do some research into diabetes and I read the target range was 4 - 7, so I read everything I could find online on how to lower BG levels.
For the first week I was averaging 17 and I was losing sight with blurred vision, I immediately called the Diabetes team who said to me not to worry and do not go and buy glasses that it happening because I'm still high. At this moment I thought I do not want to go blind and was very scared. I asked them why don't they give me an insulin dose that will get me in range and they explained that they cannot bring me down too soon because they are worried I will have a hypo. So I thought if they aren't going to help me, I'm going to bring it down myself.
I started exercising everyday, I changed my diet to a keto diet and I was doing 10 on the BG meter and after exercise I was like 5. I was so happy because I bought it down on my own but I still didn't feel comfortable being at 10. So I changed my diet again to a low carb diet, removed all the stresses in my life and exercise regularly.
After 3 weeks I was ranging on average between 4 and 5. I asked my team what type of diabetes I have and they said they didn't know. Now after all the bloods they took in hospital, I would have thought they would have some clue but they didn't. So they ordered another blood test. I hate needles but by this time I was accustom to injecting 2 times a day with the mix insulin. I took the test and they decided that it was best for me to go to 3 injections a day of novo and 1 at night with lantus with very low dosages because I was suppose to be doing better than expected. The test came back and showed I had no antibodies which are associated with type 1, so I thought well I must be type 2 then.
A month later, middle of June, I then asked about A1C and was told they don't have a recent one, so yet again, I have to go for more bloods, this time i just wanted it over and done with, so went felt the injection, but braved it and in 1 minute it was done. It took weeks to come back and beginning of July I was told it was 96, I was in shock because I been steady at 4-5 on the meter, she then explained that this is over 3 months and that the cells regenerate every 3 months and if I'm doing so well it will show up on the next one I did. I was annoyed because here we go again with the big needles. I know i shouldn't complain about them but having to inject every day is somewhat helping my confidence with needles. During the call she also told me that a year before my A1C was taken and showed I had diabetes at that point. So I went an entire year not knowing and they knew I was and she apologised that no one had told me.
So this week I had my regular check up in the diary for the 10th but the team / doctor decided without talking with me on what's happening now, cancelling the meeting and just called me to tell me they want to put me on metformin. But I have to continue injecting but at 3 units instead of 6 for the novo and down to 18 units on the lantus at night and I will take metformin one a day. I was hoping to stop injecting insulin as they tests showed I'm producing insulin and my levels are stable. 6 BG is a high for me and I just don't understand why I'm not off insulin. I hate injecting, i really hate the needles, and just as my luck has it, I'm injecting 4 times a day 3 in the tummy and 1 in the leg.
What I don't understand is why the doctors didn't keep the appointment and see my evidence of low BG and see my lifestyle changes like the exercise I do 5 times a week riding up a 1 mile hill and riding for 6 miles, lifting weights and running is doing me good and I think I might be on the way to reversing this. When I spoke to the diabetes team they said they decided this was best for me because they can't be sure I'm type 2. They then started tell me about highs and ordered me a ketone meter, delivered today. I don't think they believe I'm doing so well.
On another note: My uncle also has diabetes type 2 and he's always high the lowest he's been is 8.9 and he exercises quiet a lot to try and get it down, I'm never this high, even when I had my first slice of cake at an event on saturday my high was 6.5.
Does anyone understand why they aren't taking me off insulin? Or is it they are whinding me off of it with the lower dosages? Confused.