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Diagnosed yesterday, appointment this morning

 
So, I’m a month in now and pretty miserable.

I saw the diabetes nurse a week after my first appointment and she said that she’d do the next blood test after 3 months and there was no point in doing it any sooner as it was a measure of the preceding 3 months. She said she’d ring me the following week, but I never heard any more from her. When I requested my repeat prescription last week I discovered that she’d doubled the dose of the Metformin by adding one (1000mg) in the morning too (previously just one in the evening) so I rang to check it and finally got to speak to her. She asked me to go for a blood test the week before Christmas, which is only 2 months since diagnosis and contradicts what she said previously‍.

Since increasing the dose I have felt nauseous all the time to the point that I don’t want to eat anything, although if I don’t I feel lightheaded. I am hungry all the time. And I no longer enjoy anything I’m eating, or anything in life generally. I’m miserable. I’m also terrified that due to how much more meat and dairy I’ve been eating since eliminating any bread/potatoes/pasta/pastry etc from my diet, they’ll tell me my cholesterol is elevated and want me to take medication for that next!

My first grandchild is due in two weeks and I’m one of my daughter’s birthing partners but right now I’m worried that I’m not going to be well enough to be able to be much help. I’m hoping that adrenaline will kick in when the time comes.

The appointment for my liver ultrasound came for the day after my granddaughter’s due date, so I’ve asked for a different appointment as I can’t commit to being at the hospital (in a different town to where my daughter is due to give birth) or anywhere else, for the next month. I’m also worried because apparently I can’t eat for 6 hours before the appointment, but I’m having to eat every 3-4 hours because of the constant hunger and feeling lightheaded, so I’m not sure that I’d be able to get there safely (would have to drive).

Everything just seems overwhelming at the moment, and if this is what the rest of my life is going to be like, I’m not sure that it’s worth bothering.
 
The HbA1c test does give an idea of average blood glucose over the last three months, they are usually between 3 and 12 months apart but don't need to be. Having one a bit earlier will show what progress you have made so far
Talk to them about the medication and the impact it is having on your quality of life, they may drop the dose/switch to a slow release version (if you are not on it already) etc.
Most people find cholesterol is reduced rather than going up - but I suggest you do a 12 to 14 hour water only fast before the blood sample is taken.
Try to keep the carbs low - once you get 'fat adapted' you will find hunger is not an issue as your body just switches to using body fat as a fuel.
It's a marathon rather than a sprint ... try not to be too hard on yourself (because it won't help).
 
@Higaomo If you are not eating then cholesterol will go up as it is needed to move things around the body and deliver fat to the liver to be broken down for energy. As it is still so early after your diagnosis and a lot is going on then it seem odd for the nurse to be pushing so much medication on you.
I became very down indeed in the weeks after diagnosis and had to stop taking the tablets in order to try to get back to normal. Thankfully that did happen over the course of the next year or so, but I would really rather not have had the experience.
 
An update:

Had my 3 month blood test on Monday and the diabetes nurse rang me this morning to tell me that my HbA1c is now 34! (Down from 94, 3 months ago.)

So the last 3 miserable months appear to have been worth it!
She’s halved the dosage of Metformin and said I can start including a small amount of carbs in my diet and she’ll check it again in 8 weeks.

I’m fully aware of how easy it would be to go mad and undo all the hard work, so I will be cautious, but I’m very happy with the 34!

I’ve also lost another 30lb and am now a ‘healthy’ BMI.
 
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That is a truly fantastic result @Higaomo ... I am so impressed.

If you use your blood testing meter you should be able to tell how well you are coping with more carbs before you get the new hba1c.

Are you a grandmother now?
 
EllieM said:
That is a truly fantastic result @Higaomo ... I am so impressed.

If you use your blood testing meter you should be able to tell how well you are coping with more carbs before you get the new hba1c.

Are you a grandmother now?
Click to expand...
Thanks
Yes! My gorgeous granddaughter was born at the beginning of December - I am utterly besotted

Yes, I’ll use the monitor before and after eating to find out what I can deal with and what I can’t. I know it’ll be trial and error but it’ll be good to find out.
 
What a tremendous result! Well done you!
 
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