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Laser treatment

M

Malcolm.Smith

Well-Known Member
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I've had Diabetes for 35 years and was diagnosed at the age of 2. I have to admit that my youth and teenage years weren't very well controlled :? .
Now though at the age of 36 I'm much better controlled than ever and have been put on Novo rapid insulin which is fantastic as I don't have to play the "when do I take my insulin before I eat and how much" game any more. My blood glucose level rarely goes above 7 or 8 after meals which is great!.
However I'm paying for my bad control now big style! I've had laser treatment on the back of my left eye which is a horrible thing to go through and now I'm told I have to go and to moorefields eye hospital and go to theater for more laser treatment in the areas of my eye they cant get to with me sitting upright which is terrifying me as they say it lasts up to 45 mins!.
My question is, Now I'm better controlled. was it the high blood sugar that did this damage or the low?. Is it better to be at the higher range of normal 7 or 8 or the lower 4 or 5 to reduce me having more damage done to my eyes?. Or will no amount of control stop the progression of this in future?.

HELP! :(
 
Malcomn,

Been there myself and I would imagine most of us have had erratic control when we were younger, so many other things seem much more important when your young. It's sad to hear of your retinopathy, but its good that you are now taking a pro-active approach to your diabetes and keeping your bg below 7-8 mmol post-prandial, out of interest what are your 2 & 4 readings like?

The laser treatment is very effective, and although not very pleasant it is the best treatment available for the time being. Just keep your bg in check and also keep your blood pressure below normal if you can as this also helps prevent and control diabetic retinopathy, I was told that a diet high in fruit and veg is beneficial, mostly greens like broccoli and cabbage are supposedly good for eye health, but do ask your Ophthalmologist for advice as I am sure they won't mind.

My personal range is 5-6 two hours after eating, I try and keep out the 4's as its too close to hypo territory, but you must find a level that is comfortable for yourself and your own needs, but my answer would be the middle ground.

Good luck with the laser treatment!

Nigel
 
I'm sorry what do you mean by 2 & 4 readings?. If you mean bg readings before meals they're usually about 4-5.
Every time they check my blood pressure at moorefields its normally on the edge of normal to high but thats probably because I hate the place and I get very stressed around hospitals. They told me I would need an anesthetist because my heart rate was going through the roof just thinking about it.
I don't really know how to calm myself down in that situation, god knows what state I'm going to be in next Tuesday when i go in for the op!
 
Hi Malcolm i myself have had t1 for 30 years and also neglected to regulate my sugar levels but it is a fact of life that long term diabetics have eye problems,sugar high or sugar low when the damage is there it can be halted or slowed down. I had lots of lazer treatment that helped, the one you are going for they will give you a local anasthetic in the eye and you won't feel a thing.It worked for me for a while but because i still had problems with my control i had to have invasive surgery into the macular at the back of the eye, and with the injection i did not feel a thing although i was on the table for 3 hours and my sight has been stable for 8 years now.
 
I went to the eye hospital today and he said there is something more going on in my right eye. He said I had a clot there last time but it wasn't through diabetis probably through my blood condition that I have and on monday i have to go and have a fluorescein angiography so that he can get a better look they put a yellow dye in your arm and then take photos and the yellow dye turns your skin yellowish for a couple of days - not looking forward to that :!: :!: :!: :shock:

Has anyone ever had one of these as I am really scared now and he said they might need to laser and reading these comments am quite scared.

Malcom your highish blood pressure is called the "White coat syndrone" and most docs/hospitals recognise this. So if its usually normal don't worry.

Sue :shock:
 
Had the fluorrescein Angiography done yesterday and they found that I have a couple of more blood clots behind the eye and are going to lazer them - the doc said it is quite painful and not like the lazer when they correct your eyesight. So I am not looking forward to this at all.

He said the blood clots are in the finer veins and could leak although they are not leaking at the moment but if they do leak it could hurt my sight.

So not good news but it isn't through the diabetis as I am keeping that under control but its he reckons through the blood disease that i have polycyctheamia vera which is where the red blood cells enlarge and your red blood count goes high and I have to have a pint of blood taken from me every 2 months to help keep the count down.

So now have to look forward to receiving my appointment which should be shortly within 2 to 3 weeks and hopefully it wont be toooo painful as he said it would be. :roll:

Sue :(
 
Sue Morton said:
Had the fluorrescein Angiography done yesterday and they found that I have a couple of more blood clots behind the eye and are going to lazer them - the doc said it is quite painful and not like the lazer when they correct your eyesight. So I am not looking forward to this at all.(
Click to expand...

Sue, I'll not lie to you and say it isn't painful as each person's experience is different to the next. Much depends upon the strength at which the laser is set, how many burns they are administering and your tolerance to pain, what I would suggest is for you to take a couple of pain killers before and after the treatment and don't forget to take a pair of dark glasses for when you venture outside, the eyes are sensitive to light for a few hours after.

Just one more thing, make sure you get a lift to the appointment as the laser treatment effects the eyes and it is not advisable to drive. Good luck and hope all goes well!

Nigel
 
Sue, sorry to hear about your eye problems...hope it goes as well as possible.

malcolm, I am not sure if you have already had teh laser treatment in teh operating theatre. Just wanted to say, I had something similar about 10 years ago now. It was not nice, but they gave me sedative, so that tehy could actually give me teh anesthetic. I remember talking rubbish (I know, how could I tell the difference!) for a while, and ranting to teh surgeon about an ex boyfriend, but I do not rememberteh procedure, at any time after the sedative. would recommend that if you get the chance!
As I say, I had that 10, sorry 15 years ago now, and have been far better controlled since. I think that if youstay with god control, you are giving yourself teh best chance. I believe it is teh high BG that does the damage, but I have heard stories, that if you are badly controlled, then suddenly improve your control by leaps and bounds, this too can do damage. I know when I went on teh pump, they were keen to improve our control slowly. From this, I took it that big changes in BG can also do damage.

best of luck.
 
hi, just wanted to say, I recently had laser and it didn't hurt a bit, could barely feel a thing and felt well enough afterwards to go shopping (without the car of course) although everyone is different just wanted to say my experience was a lot less painful/uncomfortable than I thought it would be, the most painful bit was the waiting and wondering beforehand!
 
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