Do I need insulin?

hughinoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi

I have T2 & on 2 metformin 2 times a day & all my HBAC1s have been within range including my last 1 in September which was 40 & when I was pregnant with son who is now 7months

In weeks leading up to Christmas I woke a few mornings with blurry vision & optician confirmed its due to irregular sugar levels. Due to festive season I have yet to have another blood test.

On trying to identify posdible cause of irregular sugars I believe it was due to suffering severe physical anxiety for 2 months over October & November during which time I had loss of appetite & sometimes late taking pills however I did try to eat 3 meals a day. Then 2 weeks after getting apetite back the blurriness started

Is it possible my erratic apetite from anxiety are causing issues? Or is it indication I need insulin that was temporarily on when pregnant & struggled to do?
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I woke a few mornings with blurry vision & optician confirmed its due to irregular sugar levels
How did the optician confirm that if you haven't been monitoring your blood sugar readings?
 

hughinoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I did wonder but she said as it was definitely not retinopathy it will be my sugar levels. She had put some kind of liquid in my eyes which I assume helped her check. I woke today with numb fingertips which I havent felt since prediagnosis. I guess it made sense due to my erratic eating in lead up to blurriness

I don't know if it's caused by low or high sugar as I've been extra careful what I eat which hasn't been easy because of christmas. I also worry doing HBAC1 now may not give true reading as just past festive season
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I did wonder but she said as it was definitely not retinopathy it will be my sugar levels. She had put some kind of liquid in my eyes which I assume helped her check. I woke today with numb fingertips which I havent felt since prediagnosis. I guess it made sense due to my erratic eating in lead up to blurriness

I don't know if it's caused by low or high sugar as I've been extra careful what I eat which hasn't been easy because of christmas. I also worry doing HBAC1 now may not give true reading as just past festive season
The hb1ac will show what’s been happening the last few months. Why would this not be true despite Xmas? It might show you had more glucose in your blood but that’s accurate if you ate more of it. Stress may well have caused higher blood glucose levels and prolonged it will raise your hb1ac too.

Did the optician do the full diabetic retinopathy checks? I understood it required a qualified expert to view the images above that of a standard optician. Blurry vision, only on waking, maybe dry eyes which apparently is also more common in diabetes. Some drops could easily test that theory.

taking a few metformin late won’t have much of an effect. It’s a fairly mild medication that helps stop the liver dumping extra glucose. It doesn’t actively reduce amounts already there.

You don’t have to eat 3 meals a day. No scientific basis to that as general advice (those on fixed insulin or other meds might have a reason to do so I realise). That’s not to advocate undereating but it could be 2 or even 1 nutrious and filling meal a day.

Whilst I am not a dr I see nothing at all in your information that suggests insulin is anywhere in your immediate future.

edit to add my hb1ac is due to be taken next week. Whilst I think Christmas may have raised it a little it doesn’t make it wrong. Hiding my head in the sand and delaying doesn’t change the reality of what I did or didn’t eat and do in the lead up. It just means I won’t know what it did.
 

hughinoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks alot. I feel better. I do believe it's anxiety as I lost weight due to effects & it gave me severe insomnia which is only now resolving

I understand HBAC1 covers a few months but I read it does focus more on last 2 weeks before test.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks alot. I feel better. I do believe it's anxiety as I lost weight due to effects & it gave me severe insomnia which is only now resolving

I understand HBAC1 covers a few months but I read it does focus more on last 2 weeks before test.
Yes the more recent the behaviour the more it effects the results.

It measures the effect the glucose has had on the red blood cells. As they are constantly being renewed the oldest most damaged ones get destroyed and the the nice shiny new ones reduce the scores.

I know mine will suffer a little for that but it happened so I might as well know how badly or not. But I will bear in mind the timing of the test and not dwell on it. I’m lucky in that I’m managing to get 3 monthly tests for now so won’t have to wait too long to find out what the next one brings.
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Thanks alot. I feel better. I do believe it's anxiety as I lost weight due to effects & it gave me severe insomnia which is only now resolving

I understand HBAC1 covers a few months but I read it does focus more on last 2 weeks before test.
It is easy to become insulin resistant when a) p regnant b) stressed physiologically or emotionally.
Insulin does not really help type 2s but it was important for your baby not to be badly affected by high bgs during pregnancy so I understand it would have been justified then.
Now is the time to keep things stable by eating well and taking your meds, sleeping as much as a 7 month old plus insomnia allows and getting those checks done with the proviso that the latest may reflect that time when you were feeling stressed and not sleeping.
Longer term, going lower carb may stop the need to progress onto further meds or insulin.
 
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hughinoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks i do feel better. I'm gonna try to follow low carb program where possible. Thanks alot u also make me feel better. I think anxiety factor as when I got apetite back I was bit lenient on food choices as was so happy to have it back hence why I think it's anxiety shock to system.
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I did wonder but she said as it was definitely not retinopathy it will be my sugar levels. She had put some kind of liquid in my eyes which I assume helped her check. I woke today with numb fingertips which I havent felt since prediagnosis. I guess it made sense due to my erratic eating in lead up to blurriness

I don't know if it's caused by low or high sugar as I've been extra careful what I eat which hasn't been easy because of christmas. I also worry doing HBAC1 now may not give true reading as just past festive season

Hi,

Blurred vision can be caused by fluctuating sugar levels. If you were checked for retinopathy? The drops used in the eyes just dilate the pupils so a better view of the back of the eye can be seen for examination.
Ironically these drops by thier action can also cause temporary blurryness & a little light sensitivity?

Best wishes.