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Hello - I'm new to all this help HELP!

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Sharlieboo

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35
Hi,

My name is Sharlie. I'm 35 and was diagnosed as having Type 2 diabetes back at the beginning of December last year. It came as a bit of a shock even though looking back, I'd been feeling poorly and had had symptoms for a while. I have two children under the age of 6 and had just assumed it was normal motherhood tiredness etc.

Sorry, but I don't know all the abbreviations yet so please bear with me. I have a couple of questions, if anyone can help me please?

My original blood glucose readings were 18, which dropped to 16 between a gap in tests over two weeks and at that stage I was prescribed Metformin twice a day. I suffered with diarroeah for a couple of weeks and have done so intermittently ever since.

I went for my first diabetic check up earlier in the week and was told that although my diet, weight (BMI 23.5) is good, my sugar levels were still higher than they should be at 9.7. My bp was also up and the nurse practitioner said I had something which sounded like 'acetates' in my urine. She thought it might be due to an infection and I do have pains in my back and side but she said I had to do a repeat test in a months time because such levels could cause heart and kidney problems. I noticed that she split the sample into two and was sending both off to the lab. I suffer with recurrent extensive endometriosis and have also recently been put on to cholesterol lowering pills (my level is just over normal at 5) so I told her that whilst I have aches and pains I really don't know if it's down to an infection, normal endo pains or because the new pills cite aches and pains as a side effect. Apparently 'll get a call if the doctor needs to speak to me about picking up some antibiotics.

I tried to do some research as to what the high acetate level meant and, of course, have obviously totally misheard her because I can't find anything. I wonder if she was referring to ketones or protein levels? I thought you might know what she might have been checking for and, if it continues, what it means.... more medication? Change in medication? Change in diagnose etc?

Other than being confused by this extra urine sample I have to supply in a month's time and its possible implications, I'm getting to grips with the new lifestyle and all the appts I need to make to have eyes, feet etc looked at. I've been switched to 4 x slow release 500mg pills to take twice a day which I've just started today so fingers crossed next check will show a better blood glucose level.

One further question is that I do have an injection every 3 months to combat my endometriosis problems: depo provera. I had just got to a stage where I wasn't experiencing cycles (finally after about 3 years) but since being on the meds they've come back again. The nurse reassures me this will settle down but I'd especially like to hear from anyone who suffers with both diabetes and endometriosis - if anyone is out there unlucky enough to have both?

Thanks if you've had the patience to read all this!

Sharlie
 
Wow, a long post you wrote.

I'm not much help to you as a Mother of a T1 but testing blood and urine is par for the course with diabetes. Ketones occur when your blood sugar levels are high (which yours have been) and it is important to test to make sure that they go as your blood sugar comes down. I believe diorreah is common with high blood sugars as can vomiting. Your body tries to get rid of the excess sugar through as many ways as possible (even through your lungs). Blood tests also look for kidney function as it is there job to do the filtering. Don't know what side effects there could be with Metformin.

Now your levels are down in the 9 range you should be starting to feel a whole lot better. Levels are usually brought down fairly slowly over time and eventually you will find ways to keep levels in that 4-8 range. Do you find you are able to do some regular exercise?

I hope a few T2's give you some of their experience.
 
Hi Sharlieboo and welcome to the forum. :D

Sorry you are having such problems; that is about all you need with two little ones to look after as well! :roll:

Hopefully there will be someone along soon who has the experience to help you. In the meantime you could try looking through the food threads to see if you can make a difference to your BG levels with changing what you eat. If you use the search buttons and type in what you are looking for that is also useful.
 
Hello - you won't have to wait too long before someone who can help you with this comes on line. It's an excellent forum and whilst I read most of the threads I don't tend to post that often. Sorry you're having such a rough time of it but it will get better!!
I don't have endo but I have high cholesterol (can't tolerate statins so not on medication yet) and very high blood pressure - I take three different tablets and have just been put on Spironalactone, making it four - plus of course my Metformin.
I was diagnosed type 2 almost two years ago and am still at times struggling to accept all that needs to be accepted to stay healthy and problem free.
I can imagine how difficult it is trying to get time to sort all this out when you've also to look after the little ones but the beauty of the forum is that you can read it all at your own leisure and most importantly, understand it at your own pace.
kazzie
 
Hi Sharlie,

I can't help with the endometriosis, but from what I can see a low carb diabetes diet should not aggravate it. That, though is for professional advice, or possibly others with similar problems.

Those glucose levels will contribute to tiredness & will contribute to diabetes symptoms. Do you do your own blood glucose tests?

Diabetes is a condition you need to manage, & adapt your diet to family needs as well as your own. Getting it at a young age indicates that you should get your children into healthy eating ways to minimise their risk.

I have two threads resulting from a Diabetes UK conference, & an X-PERT course. You should find these helpful.

Hope you feel better soon.

X-PERT Course - new
DUK conference - Self Management
 
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and taking the time to reply.

I have to confess that I am worried about the children being genetically predisposed to diabetes. It is on both sides of the family and having been told in my case it is genetic (my weight and diet are good) I am extra careful with the kids' diets now. That said, our diet is generally healthy and is already restricted in many ways because my little boy has severe food allergies (egg and nuts). So everything is usually freshly cooked and is often a very standard meat (chicken and fish), some carbs and fresh veg meal. Cheese and chocolate have been what I have found hardest to give up/cut down.

I have six 10 min brisk walks a day due to three school runs, plus I do some aerobic exercise a couple of times a week. I know I probably need to do more but fitting it in between three school runs a day on the days I don't work, and part-time work, housework and looking after two young children, well, it is tricky.

I'm finding info from friends and family and even between GP and diabetic nurse practitioner a bit contradictory so I think I'll be browsing info here for a good while!

Should I be checking my own levels? Do people with Type 2 normally do that? Nothing has been mentioned to me about it by GP or nurse.

Thanks once again.

Sharlie
 
Hi again Sharlieboo,

Yes you should be testing if you want to know which foods send your blood glucose levels soaring skywards because you will then know what to cut down or avoid in the future. That way you will avoid the diabetes complications which come from hypos and spikes.

However! Not many health practitioners are keen to make this possible by writing you out a prescription because it costs them money out of their budget. :evil: You will need to tell your GP or DN that you want to be proactive in your diabetes care and want to see what your food is doing to your levels. As I found, you may well be eating a healthy diet but it may not be good for diabetes and only testing will help you to know this.

Meters are often given free by your Diabetic Nurse but not the strips, but ask for a prescription anyway as it is worth a shot. The testing strips are the expensive part and you can purchase them yourself if you have to.

The NHS seem to be operating on a short sighted fire-fighting principle in that you only prescribe for what you see happening in front of your eyes and not looking to the future. It is all about money.

As I have you too will probably find many so-called experts coming out of the woodwork with their theories! :roll: You will only know how things affect you if you test - we are all different. :)
 
Hello Sharlie,
I have type 2 diabetes diagnosed last april and like you was given all sorts of conflicting information but I have found this forum absolutely wonderful so many knowledgeable people and so helpful. I have finally persuaded my Diabetic nurse to give me a prescription for test strips and lancets which are essential. I have had to totally change my diet eg I now have a protein breakfast bacon and tomatoe and not porridge as the DN told me to do. I found it spiked my blood sugar right up and I would never have known that if it weren't for people on this site advising me to test. :roll: Good luck keep reading and experimenting and you will find what is best for you.
ShelleyT
 
Hi, just a thought , back when I was newly diagnosed, I wasnt told to take the Metformin after meals, when the nurse asked me when I took tabs + I said altogether morn + night she asked if id been suffering Diahorrea, as this is sometimes caused by taking it before the meal + should be taken after , hope this helps, Good luck. x
 
I think I shall be getting a monitor and some test strips. I feel totally washed out at the moment. I've had an upset tummy all weekend and feel so tired. I feel like I've been kicked in the back.

I have been taking the pills either with food or immediately after, although my meal times do vary a bit from day to day. Sometimes dinner is at 6pm and others at 8pm.

I am taking the Simvastatin at the same time as the Glucophase SR in the evening - maybe I shouldn't be doing that? I suffer with heart burn too and take omeprazole in the morning with the glucophase - GP said that was ok, but maybe I should split it up a bit?
 
Sharlieboo said:
..........my sugar levels were still higher than they should be at 9.7.........
Click to expand...
Hi Sharlieboo,

I'm a Type 2 who was diagnosed more than nine years ago and I'm on metformin tablets.

The most important thing that most people need to learn to lower blood glucose levels is to cut back on the satrchy carbohydrates - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice. Doing that usually leads to a big reduction in blood glucose levels - and quickly too.

My situation worsened over eight years of following "do not test" and "eat plenty of starchy carbohydrate" advice - with my HbA1c reaching 9.4% at one time. After that, I started testing and through that testing soon learnt that it was the starchy carbohydrates that were causing my deterioration. Through changing my diet,my HbA1c has been in the 5s for the last five tests and was at 5.1% last time. Basically I have normalised my blood glucose levels.

Best wishes - John
 
Hi,

May be way off the mark; but the symptoms you describe sound just like mine recently; I was off work for about a week. Turned out I had a kidney infection; your GP will be able to find this out if they send off a simple urine test. I just had some antibiotics and bed rest and am fine now.

Also, the best and quickest way to drop your blood sugars is to follow John's advice and drop the starchy carbs.

Dillinger
 
Hi Sharlieboo

I was diagnosed on New Years Eve & also have the depo injection. I like you haven't had a cycle in years (bliss) but now I have & when I questioned this with my DN she said that b'coz I am low carbing, got my BG's under control my body has started performing as it should (IYKWIM).

I also struggled with metformin when I started but pleased to say that it has completely settled down now... the only thing I have is nausea first thing in the morning bit like being pregnant all over again!!

Good luck with your journey. xxx
 
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