Hello all
Some 7 years ago, I developed issues with an upset stomach after eating. I would eat at abut 1.00 and then, no matter what I ate, at 1.30 I would have to rush to the toilet. I thought it was due to what I was eating so I tried every diet possible and sometimes that seemed to work, sometimes it didn't, I put it down to hormones, rushed eating, medication - so many things. All my medications have pretty much as the number one side effect "gastro intestinal" problems.
Fast forward to beginning of COVID, I was due an examination which was cancelled. Recently, my doctor started up the process again and I went for a consult. By this time I had managed to get my eating to the point where I have a small breakfast, a protein shake for lunch and I eat normally in the evening. This stops the diarrhea but often I still need to go urgently about half an hour after eating at lunchtime. The consult was not very happy about my eating arrangements and suggested that we might be looking at automatic nerve nephropathy. I had no idea that this could be the cause but I also now have issues with emptying my bladder. I thought that this was due to menopause and old age. I also now have hooded eyes which is apparently a sign of nephropathy and also a loss of sensation in my tongue. I had an episode of Bell's Palsy which is not going away and so I assumd that the issues with my motuh were due to that. Instead, it looks as though this is all part of the same problem. I feel like my face is like melting ice cream.
I have been put on Ozempic and then moved to Trulicity to cope with the shortage but now I am not on either. Everytime I inform the doctor that I can't take my medication, he responds with, "You're on such a small dose, it won't matter" even though I am on a 1.5 dosage. I began losing weight, from both the eating less and the medication which is wonderful but I am suffering from depression now as I can't get my trulicity and I am frightened I will start to put on weight again. I am doing lots of exercise and cutting down on my food as much as possible. I recently googled a whole load of stuff and it seemed to indicate that my sugar levels will go up with less food, which I don't understand. I don't know how else to maintain the weight loss.
The issue is this : I know it's not my doctor's fault that there is a shortage of Trulicity but I feel that there is a total apathy about treating me. He often says, "Oh, there are pharmacists who have it, you just have to ring around" whilst not understanding that I am very limited as to which pharmacists I can get to due to not having a car and working 3 jobs. I am utterly depressed now. I have no interest in maintaining my health if I am facing complications like incontinence. I don't understand why I wasn't warned that this could have been the reason 7 years ago, when perhaps I might have been able to change things (although my control was excellent back then. These long term issues seem to have happened with no real causation at all). I am beyond wanting to help myself. I want to be thin and I will do anything to maintain the weight loss. I am angry about the medication shortages and feel that there should be some sort of effort to shut down the 100's of weight loss clinics who advertise that they can give people this drug. I feel there is a push from the NHS for us to find our own sources of the medication but at £100 a time (I've seen one site advertising this) I can't afford this and I don't see why I have to).
I don't know what answers I can find here, I am assuming that there is nothing to do, that I will have to face a continuing decline with countless major health concerns.
I don't think I have the mental strength to do that.
Some 7 years ago, I developed issues with an upset stomach after eating. I would eat at abut 1.00 and then, no matter what I ate, at 1.30 I would have to rush to the toilet. I thought it was due to what I was eating so I tried every diet possible and sometimes that seemed to work, sometimes it didn't, I put it down to hormones, rushed eating, medication - so many things. All my medications have pretty much as the number one side effect "gastro intestinal" problems.
Fast forward to beginning of COVID, I was due an examination which was cancelled. Recently, my doctor started up the process again and I went for a consult. By this time I had managed to get my eating to the point where I have a small breakfast, a protein shake for lunch and I eat normally in the evening. This stops the diarrhea but often I still need to go urgently about half an hour after eating at lunchtime. The consult was not very happy about my eating arrangements and suggested that we might be looking at automatic nerve nephropathy. I had no idea that this could be the cause but I also now have issues with emptying my bladder. I thought that this was due to menopause and old age. I also now have hooded eyes which is apparently a sign of nephropathy and also a loss of sensation in my tongue. I had an episode of Bell's Palsy which is not going away and so I assumd that the issues with my motuh were due to that. Instead, it looks as though this is all part of the same problem. I feel like my face is like melting ice cream.
I have been put on Ozempic and then moved to Trulicity to cope with the shortage but now I am not on either. Everytime I inform the doctor that I can't take my medication, he responds with, "You're on such a small dose, it won't matter" even though I am on a 1.5 dosage. I began losing weight, from both the eating less and the medication which is wonderful but I am suffering from depression now as I can't get my trulicity and I am frightened I will start to put on weight again. I am doing lots of exercise and cutting down on my food as much as possible. I recently googled a whole load of stuff and it seemed to indicate that my sugar levels will go up with less food, which I don't understand. I don't know how else to maintain the weight loss.
The issue is this : I know it's not my doctor's fault that there is a shortage of Trulicity but I feel that there is a total apathy about treating me. He often says, "Oh, there are pharmacists who have it, you just have to ring around" whilst not understanding that I am very limited as to which pharmacists I can get to due to not having a car and working 3 jobs. I am utterly depressed now. I have no interest in maintaining my health if I am facing complications like incontinence. I don't understand why I wasn't warned that this could have been the reason 7 years ago, when perhaps I might have been able to change things (although my control was excellent back then. These long term issues seem to have happened with no real causation at all). I am beyond wanting to help myself. I want to be thin and I will do anything to maintain the weight loss. I am angry about the medication shortages and feel that there should be some sort of effort to shut down the 100's of weight loss clinics who advertise that they can give people this drug. I feel there is a push from the NHS for us to find our own sources of the medication but at £100 a time (I've seen one site advertising this) I can't afford this and I don't see why I have to).
I don't know what answers I can find here, I am assuming that there is nothing to do, that I will have to face a continuing decline with countless major health concerns.
I don't think I have the mental strength to do that.
