is it normal to have chronic pain with good levels

Find out the type first. The pain could be anything, not necessarily diabetes.

Hi and welcome,

You have found an amazing resource for those of us in the club we didn't ask to join. People on here are helpful, supportive and knowledgable. Read around, and ask questions and vent when you need to

The fact that you have been told you won't get a meter suggests to me that you're likely to be a type 2. Irrespective of which type you are I strongly recommend that you get a meter. Until you can test yourself you are in the dark. Get a meter.

The second suggestion is to test regularly at first- before meals and 2 hours after. This way you can tell the effect of the food on your body It will tell you what your body can tolerate.

If you are a type 2 my next recommendation is to reduce carbs- not just sugars- all carbs- potatoes, flour, rice pasta.... All carbs turn into glucose. We are all individual and can tolerate different amounts of carbs but they are likely to be much lower than you are used to.

The fact they caught it early is good. My levels were similar on diagnosis at 49- within 3 months I brought back into non-diabetic levels by cutting carbs drastically.

There is a lot to learn but no better place to learn.

Welcome and good luck

Also to add- I agree with Mike the pain may not be related- get checked out by your doctor.

Current post re glucometers https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/blood-glucose-monitors.170162/

As you'll read, Glucometers can appear much cheaper than others but be sure to check out the price of the test strips - you'll be buying them on on-going basis

Well done for joining us all here

Hello @s0nny and welcome, first let me post a link to our useful info for newbies:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/basic-information-for-newly-diagnosed-diabetics.17088/
I agree with the members above who have commented on your pain, it may or may not be associated with diabetes, can I ask where your pain is?
As for blood glucose testing I highly recommend getting a meter of your own otherwise it’s like driving a car without a speedo!
Here’s some info on meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable, although I hear reliability may have improved now. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go:

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

s0nny said:

Thanks for the info everyone, pain wise it's sharp cramp like pain in my finger,toes and a duller but constant and extremely irritating version in my feet upto my lower back.

I took 120mg of codiene plus paracetamol and ibuprofen and it knock the pain down by about 20%.(I've only done this once which was last night)

I've also been waking up with what I can only call a heavy hangover every day and I've only been drinking water.

Thanks again
Sonny

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Hello and welcome.

How long have you had the pain?

I have chronic pain but it predated my T2 diagnosis by years so not related. Mine is a combination of lumbar spondylosis, other arthritis, fibromyalgia and CFS/ME- autoimmune issues run in my family.

As for the diabetes - I went on low carb immediately after diagnosis, and bought a meter so I could check how I reacted to foods, and to see how many carbs I could safely eat in a day and in each meal.
We are all different, eg I had a small spike from strawberries but could eat the same amount of raspberries without any problems, and I could reduce my blood sugars by dropping to 85g carbs a day and no more than 30g in any single meal - others need to go lower.
If you decide to try low carb - most NHS health areas now will give you a prescription, ie a voucher, to join the lowcarbprogram. Yor GP and nurse probably won't know this ...
https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/low-carb-program/

Hi @s0nny

I would urge you to see your doc to get a proper investigation into your pain.

It is very tempting for us, the patients, and for medical practitioners, to say ‘oh yes, that’s because of D’, when in fact your symptoms may be completely unrelated. Much better to get a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

whatever suggestions we forumites may make would just be speculation. Far better to get a qualified doc to assess your situation.

Hi. From what you say the pain is unlikely to be related to the diabetes but you do need to see the GP about it. Those who have had untreated T2 for sometime may have nerve damage with resultant tingling and pain thru long-term high blood sugar. With regard to the diabetes, your nurse is wrong. Blood sugar levels in T2 can often be returned to normal thru a low-carb life-style. You would still be classed as having diabetes but would have minimal long-term side effects. Sadly the NHS has not believed in the best diet advice and uses medication to treat the resulting high BS. The nurse may be right, of course, about the pain what ever the cause of it.

s0nny said:

Hello, thank you.

It's been increasing over the last few months.

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Has it coincided with taking a statin?

It's a good idea to talk to your GP.