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I have a proper brain ache!

callieuk

Well-Known Member
Messages
78
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi,

I've done my reading, research, food diary etc - and seriously, I thought I was a fairly healthy eater but apparently not! Now I just feel overwhelmed my appointment with the doc/practice nurse is on Tuesday and whilst I have questions for them, equally, I feel underprepared.

I feel very angry that I've been borderline for so long with no interest from the healthcare professional, despite 16+ months of blood tests to try and find the cause of my excessive exhaustion, at some point someone should have decided to prevent me from getting into the fully diabetic range rather than just leaving it to happen! Again I'm going to say that I am very angry about that.

I've requested online access to my records to help access blood results etc.
The PN has apparently made a referral for me to haematology re my high Ferritin.
I have a BG meter (Bayer Contour) already but it's not on the recommended list I can find via the CCG guidelines (True Result Twist or Wave sense Jazz - already have the former but really do not like it) so I doubt I'll get test strips supported but I think I'll do a period of "eat to the meter" to get my diet and weight under control.
I missed my last retinopathy appointment so expecting a comment or two about that.
I had an ultrasound on my liver at some point in the last 6 months *my memory fails me* which came back with the NAFL label.

Worst case scenario ... venesection for the ferritin issue, meds for diabetes, focussed weightloss (would love to do LCHF but other half cooks/deals with the food and we're currently butting heads over it).

Questions:
The last two appointments I've had a mildly higher blood pressure - is it worth getting a home kit (seeing as I'm having to make big lifestyle changes)?
As I now have blood glucose issues, high ferritin, low vitD, is it worth asking to be referred to an endocrinologist?

I thought I was exhausted before all of this - now I feel ... does the above make sense to anyone else? Are my questions worth asking?

Some agreement or direction opposite would really be appreciated right now. I have massive work stress (business merger), supposed to writing my MSc dissertation etc and not sure my head even knows where to take this diagnosis!
 
callieuk said:
I have massive work stress (business merger), supposed to writing my MSc dissertation etc and not sure my head even knows where to take this diagnosis!
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To me this all sounds like TO MUCH!!! I imagine there's nothing you can do to reduce stress from the merger, but could you postpone the MSc? Health problems would be a good excuse. As for the diagnosis, you can afford to take that at your own pace. Nothing terrible is going to happen overnight.

If you like reading, I suggest you get hold of a copy of Jenny Ruhl's book "Your Diabetes Questions Answered". She is a well known and respected writer on the subject who has been a T2 for many years, is now over 70 and has not succumbed to any diabetic complications, which in itself is a good advert for her books. The book is an easy, sane and calming read, and as it is in the question and answer format you can skip any sections that don't interest you.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Diabe...1524166013&sr=1-5&refinements=p_27:jenny+ruhl
 
callieuk said:
The last two appointments I've had a mildly higher blood pressure - is it worth getting a home kit (seeing as I'm having to make big lifestyle changes)?
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Yes if you think you will find the time and energy to use it! I have two, but I don't get round to testing very often. I recommend the sort that goes on the wrist. They are said to be less accurate, but I have a wrist one and an arm one and testing them against one another I found no difference at all, except that the arm one is far more inconvenient to use.
 
 
callieuk said:
The last two appointments I've had a mildly higher blood pressure - is it worth getting a home kit (seeing as I'm having to make big lifestyle changes)?
Click to expand...
Hi @callieuk
Please STOP! It sounds like you are trying to deal with everything at once. That won't work. Being angry won't help, nor will being stressed, so try to calm down and prioritise things. Yes maybe get a blood pressure montor, but not if that is going to stress you more. When you lose weight, your bp may well drop of it's own accord as mine did (3stone weight loss and stopped the bp meds).
Speak to your Dr/nurse and ask for help with priorities things,
 
Hi Callie The only thing I wanted to contribute is about your partner not wanting to eat differently. I knew that if I adopted LCHF for it to realistically work I had to find a way of cooking the meals my husband liked but tinker with them for me. Eg.. Chilli/ curry he has rice and I have cauliflower rice, Bolognese he has pasta I have shredded green beans/roasted aubergine cubed. If your partner is the cook it wont be that difficult to tweak meals with a bit of planning and you both sit down to eat the same meal at least most of the time.
 
callieuk said:
Worst case scenario ... venesection for the ferritin issue, meds for diabetes, focussed weightloss (would love to do LCHF but other half cooks/deals with the food and we're currently butting heads over it).
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Most people here (including me) will tell you that lowering the carbs in your diet will do far more for your blood glucose than meds. However, if you are offered Metformin, I suggest you don't reject that out of hand. It has a very good safety record, has been known since the 1950s, and it has several extremely benign side effects including helping the heart and also helping weight loss. The downside is that it can cause upset digestion and so has to be started very gradually with the lowest possible dose. Jenny Ruhl is a big fan of Metformin, and I badgered my GP to prescribe it for me. Some research has shown that Metformin works best if taken soon after diagnosis.

Does your other half realise the seriousness of your situation? I quite often read here about people refusing to support their partners in their efforts to eat low carb. Quite honestly it makes my blood boil. Would they think it OK to set about their diabetic partner with a hatchet? Or feed them poison? Someone said that raised bg is like having ground glass circulating in the blood. Do they know about diabetic complications: blindness, amputations, impotence? I don't want to alarm you, because these dreadful things don't have to happen, but I would like to alarm your better half. You could try showing her the Panorama documentary on diabetes:

 
Yes, I can quite see why you feel angry! A huge number of people here have had similar bad experiences, at least one woman almost died because of an extreme form of this negligence and was able to claim damages! In a very mild way, it happened to me too.
 
Compromise with your chef. Do low carb and not high fat.
No one knows the exact point that we become diabetic. Insulin resistance is variable so we are all different and more severe than others.
So even your medical team couldn't have prevented this for you.
They say lifestyle causes it but we are all being diagnosed with it so lifestyle must be the cause. When I was diagnosed at 31yrs old I didn't know anyone type2. I should have been tested at 6yrs old thou. My son has but flags up possibly leptin resistant. Not diabetic. His intellect is high. I need to ensure it stays that way.
Other son doesn't struggle to lose weight, at all. He goes off food very easily.
We are predisposed, I feel, and stress or poor diet can cause an imbalance.
I have in the past used r-ala supplement and feel it helped me clear my insulin pathway. I lost weight.
Our bodies are complexed organs and systems. With cells and pathogens.

Sometimes things can go wrong and a nightmare to change back, if at all.
 
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I agree with PenguinMum and Alexandra100 about your other half tell them a bit about complications you may get if you don’t adjust you life style. Although my husband is happy to eat what I do, when my kids are home from Uni I have to do two versions, so curry with cauli rice for me and hubby, basmati rice for the kids, spaghetti bolognese with butternut squashetti for us parents and pasta spaghetti for kids, I’ve even made a lasagne with half the dish pasta and half butternut squash slices! So if your other half doesn’t want to join you in low carbing maybe some half and half dinners like I do when my kids are home would work. Other dinners I just have one tiny potato if I do spuds for everyone else, but I have more of the other veg.
I also had a dodgy borderline blood test about 4 yrs before type 2 diagnosis which I wasn’t told about, I was cross but not for long, I decided I had to look forwards and not dwell on what might have been, there was nothing I could do about it. I think to go forwards you need to remove as much stress as poss. I would deal with one thing at a time, the Diabetes first, your blood pressure might lower of it’s own accord with blood sugar control and weight loss, mine did and i’ve dropped a med. I think getting a BP machine at this point will add another stressor which you don’t need, as your BP is only mildly elevated.
Remember this is all a marathon not a sprint x
 
Rachox said:
curry with cauli rice for me and hubby, basmati rice for the kids, spaghetti bolognese with butternut squashetti for us parents and pasta spaghetti for kids,
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My goodness! I thought I could complain about the increased amount of cooking I'm having to do these days to keep up with low carb. Thank heaven I live alone and only have to feed me!!! I think you deserve a medal.
 
Great comments above, but i just wanted to reassure you about something - your tiredness levels.

You have work stress and study stress going on, plus low vitamin D and high blood glucose. ALL of those will be wearing you out. But the low D can be improved with supplements (prescription or over the counter) and in my case it made a huge difference. It also relieved some mild depression - a v common symptom of vit D deficiency.

And once you get your blood glucose under control you will feel less tired, less overwhelmed and more able to cope.

Hope that helps.
 
Alexandra100 said:
My goodness! I thought I could complain about the increased amount of cooking I'm having to do these days to keep up with low carb. Thank heaven I live alone and only have to feed me!!! I think you deserve a medal.
Click to expand...

Here’s my half an half lasagne, not much extra work really, just slicing up a butternut squash!
 
Rachox said:
View attachment 26200

Here’s my half an half lasagne, not much extra work really, just slicing up a butternut squash!
Click to expand...
That looks amazing ... Sadly I have a tomato allergy so it's out for me but will pass that on to hubby for him and our son . Might be a good start.
 


Nice sharing, this is useful
 
Seems the reply thingy doesn't work at the moment, after several attempts I'll cut and paste the bits I'm referring to.

Now I just feel overwhelmed my appointment with the doc/practice nurse is on Tuesday and whilst I have questions for them, equally, I feel underprepared.

Obviously a lot going on and having done my MSc when I was 50, 15 years ago, I feel the pain, especially with dissertations. I made the mistake of trying to be perfect, I should have gone for "good enough" and enjoyed the experience rather than fretting all the time. My experience with doctors and nurses is that it's important to be their friend, even if you have to bite your tongue a bit. They are paid professionals with egos, however small, and don't like being told. There's an easier way and that's to put everything in a question. "would it be advisable to . . . . . ", "Can I . . . . ", "is it better to . . . ", that sort of thing. It's possible that they will recommend approaches that aren't exactly the same as most forum members experiences. I believe that some doctors and DNs will not recommend using a meter (because typically test strips are not prescribed to type II). Some doctors and DNs will be against lowering carbs, my old GP was adamant, my present GP is very good at listening and happy with my dietary approach. I hope you have a fruitful appointment on Tuesday.

I feel very angry that I've been borderline for so long with no interest from the healthcare professional, despite 16+ months of blood tests to try and find the cause of my excessive exhaustion, at some point someone should have decided to prevent me from getting into the fully diabetic range rather than just leaving it to happen! Again I'm going to say that I am very angry about that.

Although understandable (I had been experiencing tremendous thirsts for years before diagnosis, but who knows), I'm going to suggest something, don't be angry, be disappointed, because obviously you could have done something earlier. Don't forget though, it's never too late.

I missed my last retinopathy appointment so expecting a comment or two about that.

Apologise if necessarily and make sure you sort out another appointment, these eye tests are essential in checking for things that diabetics tend to experience. Luckily I just have a cataract which although removed 2 years ago is presently a bit troublesome

The last two appointments I've had a mildly higher blood pressure - is it worth getting a home kit (seeing as I'm having to make big lifestyle changes)?

Never a bad idea, like having a BG meter, you don't have to wait to see DN or GP.

As I now have blood glucose issues, high ferritin, low vitD, is it worth asking to be referred to an endocrinologist?

Don't know about high ferritin, but low VitD can be resolved by taking supplements, mine was anyway. BG issues? You've done the research, you're on this forum.

I thought I was exhausted before all of this - now I feel ... does the above make sense to anyone else? Are my questions worth asking?

Yes and Yes.

supposed to writing my MSc dissertation etc and not sure my head even knows where to take this diagnosis!

I'm afraid I can't suggest anything for merger issues, but I've been there. As for the dissertation I suggest discussing all the issues with your supervisor, that's what they're there for. I know one of my fellow students had a small extension of time because of her MS. You've obviously passed the exams so you're over half way there. Good Luck although I'm sure you've put the effort in and luck isn't needed.

Regards
Graham
 
If you have been running at high BG levels then reducing them to normal or as close as possible to that will be the best way to cope with all that is going on at the moment.
I was 65 years old when diagnosed and have been given a whole new lease of life and energy and interests and if it wasn't for the ever more pronounced 'bingo wings' I'd be most content. Maybe I should work on my biceps?
 
I have taken over the chef hat in our house, and I follow a similar process as above, i.e. slight tweaks in LC to accommodate the carbophiles lust for sugar. aka the cauli rice suggestion above. My partner has lost 3 stones in the past year and not really been aware of being on a diet (the occasional donut helps with that illusion).and both of the carbophiles I cater for enjoy my diet and in many ways prefer it to the conventional fast food diet (i.e Fathead Pizza is a winner, and stirfries are a good compromise runner up) Even Xmas, New Year and Easter were basically LC the last 2 years and well received by the extended family (I catered for 8 seats at Xmas). As suggested above, it is a matter of negotiation, and I found that sharing my Eat to Meter results to be a strong ally in the battle. That and taking over the chef and chief bottle washer hats eased the decision along with becoming the main hunter/ gatherer.

It will be a compromise at best, but I have been doing it for 1010 days (3 years) running now, and I have the T-shirts to prove it (and an HbA1c to be proud of, to boot) Co-existance is possible. If only N Korea was as simple.

Edit to add: As regards the BP questions in the OP, I found LC diet and Eat to Meter has helped me reduce my BP from a horrendous 204/90 three years ago down to 130/ 70 last week, and I am running on reduced meds too. Since starting the diet, I have considerably reduced diabetic meds, and I am now much more carb tolerant. For example, last night I ate a jumbo battered cod with portion of chips and ketchup, and my 2 hr PP reading only went up by 1 mmol/l. 3 years ago that meal would have taken me well over 25 mmol/l. as it was all my readings last night were below 7 mmol/l So for me LC works a treat. (with the exception of having to wear braces since my jeans fall down around my ankles if without support)
 
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@callieuk The only thing I can add to all the good advice given so far is that it may be best before making any major changes to your diet you should consult with your doctor as if you where to change to a more meat or protein coupled with lower carb diet this may be problematic as red meat and some fish and even vegetables can be high in iron and that could affect your high ferritin issue.

Best of luck with all you have to contend with.
 
callieuk said:
The PN has apparently made a referral for me to haematology re my high Ferritin.
Click to expand...

Have you had a liver function test and full blood panel to check for any other abnormal results that could be caused by your high iron count. High iron content damages the pancreas and the liver. So it could be that your diabetes is secondary to your high ferritin.
 
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