FierceViking
Member
- Messages
- 9
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Hey guys,
Newbie here, both in terms of diabetes and on this forum. Be gentle
So, I got my diagnosis in March this year, after a random test when I applied for a job where they have requirements regarding health (diabetes automatically excludes you). The fasting BG was 11 and I had max score of sugars in my urine. (I didn't get the job because of that...)
I went to my GP a week later, and had a HbA1C of 11,5 and fasting BG at 11,5 (too), plus max score on the ustix. The days in between I had quitted almost all carbs whatsoever, to see if that influenced the fasting BG - which it did not.
I've probably had diabetes for almost a year, I've had 6 yeast infections down under between November and March, I've been thirsty all the time and needed to go to the bathroom every half an hour. This is kind of embarrasing since I'm a (non-practising) assistant nurse. I didn't see the signs, or more... I didn't want to see the signs. I'm over weight (BMI at about 37), and diabetes runs in the family. I've also got asthma, allergies and sleep apnea (diagnosed with 77 stops/hour) and have problems with leg cramps and tingling/loss of feeling in the lower part of my hands and fingers.
I live in Norway, and we have something called a "green prescription", which means that your GP gives you advice on nutrition and excersise. This is commonly given as a first off try for people with diabetes, over weight and so on. The GP gets reimbursed for the RX, because it relieves the strain on the social security system. His version of giving me a green prescription was "You need to ride your bike more". That's it.
Onto the treatment:
As mentioned, I was diagnosed in March. I haven't had any bloodwork done other than HbA1C and fasting BG.
I was started at Metformin 500mg x 3, and had a follow up a month after. This month was one of the worst periods of my life - I've never been as ill as then (and 3 years ago I got food poisoning in Egypt, with two weeks in bed/on the loo!). I had mummy tummy several times a day and had to plan my day after where I could find a loo. On the follow up, my HbA1C had gone down to 6,5, much because of me quitting carbs, so I was reduce to Metformin x 2. My stomach still didn't like the treatment and this went on until mid-June, when I had a new follow up.
I told my GP that I couldn't go on like this, and he switched me over to Eucreas, after a long discussion involving him getting angry with me as I wouldn't stand down on quitting/reducing Metformin or switching over to something else because of my stomach problems. I specifically asked if I could please try out either Lyxumia or Victoza, after reading a lot online on medications and treatments.
He told me he couldn't prescribe these on a blue RX* as "he had never used them before". He could "on my own risk" prescribe it on a white RX "if I so badly wanted to try it"....!
And to be honest, I'm still feeling ****, running to the loo every other hour or so, I'm guessing it's because Eucreas consists of mainly Metformin...
I've had some bad days where I just can't take the chance of being ill, and skipping medications. Both on these days, and some other ones I easily end up on 16-20 mmol readings, and feeling like ****. It doesn't always seem to matter what I eat - I had oatmeal for breakfast one morning before work (oatmeals, water and a little bit of yoghurt without sugars) and 2 hours later I read 16,4...! Unluckily, these values doesn't show up on the HbAC1-tests.
I also managed to get a referral to my local hospital which have a specialized diabetes team with diabetes nurses, endocrinologist and so on, after not standing down on this either. I received a notice of an appointment in late August, and I'll try moving my primary diabetes care over to them - as I don't feel my doctor is taking me seriously enough, and not giving me the treatment or attention I need to live a close-to-normal life as possible. I've also been scheduled to test for antibodies (looking for LADA) two weeks before.
On my own, I've cut down drastically on carbs, I've quit sodas and candies fully and try keeping my intake under 50gr/day. No low carb, but just more veggies, fullgrain bread and max 1 glass of milk/day. I also try to exercise more, walking to the train and so on, but it's not easy when going around feeling sick all the time.
Can I please have som advice from you guys, both regarding medication and how I should proceed further on with everything? I'm I'm especially interested in thoughts and comments regarding Victoza and/or Lyxumia, and your reactions to these. What about Metformin - is there a trick to make it easier on the body? My goal is to try to live without medications, but that's far down the road still. I hope to get rid of Metformin as I clearly can't keep on having the Pharaos revenge 5-6-7 times a day.
*Blue/white RX: Blue RX's are covered 60% by the goverment, for long lasting conditions (like diabetes). After around £220/year spent on co-payments, you receive a relief from this and get blue RX-medications for free until Dec 31st of that year. White RX's are prescriptions of drugs that are to treat more common and short-term illness, like antibiotics for an infection. These are covered fully by the patient itself and does not count on to the relief of co-payments.
Newbie here, both in terms of diabetes and on this forum. Be gentle
So, I got my diagnosis in March this year, after a random test when I applied for a job where they have requirements regarding health (diabetes automatically excludes you). The fasting BG was 11 and I had max score of sugars in my urine. (I didn't get the job because of that...)
I went to my GP a week later, and had a HbA1C of 11,5 and fasting BG at 11,5 (too), plus max score on the ustix. The days in between I had quitted almost all carbs whatsoever, to see if that influenced the fasting BG - which it did not.
I've probably had diabetes for almost a year, I've had 6 yeast infections down under between November and March, I've been thirsty all the time and needed to go to the bathroom every half an hour. This is kind of embarrasing since I'm a (non-practising) assistant nurse. I didn't see the signs, or more... I didn't want to see the signs. I'm over weight (BMI at about 37), and diabetes runs in the family. I've also got asthma, allergies and sleep apnea (diagnosed with 77 stops/hour) and have problems with leg cramps and tingling/loss of feeling in the lower part of my hands and fingers.
I live in Norway, and we have something called a "green prescription", which means that your GP gives you advice on nutrition and excersise. This is commonly given as a first off try for people with diabetes, over weight and so on. The GP gets reimbursed for the RX, because it relieves the strain on the social security system. His version of giving me a green prescription was "You need to ride your bike more". That's it.
Onto the treatment:
As mentioned, I was diagnosed in March. I haven't had any bloodwork done other than HbA1C and fasting BG.
I was started at Metformin 500mg x 3, and had a follow up a month after. This month was one of the worst periods of my life - I've never been as ill as then (and 3 years ago I got food poisoning in Egypt, with two weeks in bed/on the loo!). I had mummy tummy several times a day and had to plan my day after where I could find a loo. On the follow up, my HbA1C had gone down to 6,5, much because of me quitting carbs, so I was reduce to Metformin x 2. My stomach still didn't like the treatment and this went on until mid-June, when I had a new follow up.
I told my GP that I couldn't go on like this, and he switched me over to Eucreas, after a long discussion involving him getting angry with me as I wouldn't stand down on quitting/reducing Metformin or switching over to something else because of my stomach problems. I specifically asked if I could please try out either Lyxumia or Victoza, after reading a lot online on medications and treatments.
He told me he couldn't prescribe these on a blue RX* as "he had never used them before". He could "on my own risk" prescribe it on a white RX "if I so badly wanted to try it"....!
And to be honest, I'm still feeling ****, running to the loo every other hour or so, I'm guessing it's because Eucreas consists of mainly Metformin...
I've had some bad days where I just can't take the chance of being ill, and skipping medications. Both on these days, and some other ones I easily end up on 16-20 mmol readings, and feeling like ****. It doesn't always seem to matter what I eat - I had oatmeal for breakfast one morning before work (oatmeals, water and a little bit of yoghurt without sugars) and 2 hours later I read 16,4...! Unluckily, these values doesn't show up on the HbAC1-tests.
I also managed to get a referral to my local hospital which have a specialized diabetes team with diabetes nurses, endocrinologist and so on, after not standing down on this either. I received a notice of an appointment in late August, and I'll try moving my primary diabetes care over to them - as I don't feel my doctor is taking me seriously enough, and not giving me the treatment or attention I need to live a close-to-normal life as possible. I've also been scheduled to test for antibodies (looking for LADA) two weeks before.
On my own, I've cut down drastically on carbs, I've quit sodas and candies fully and try keeping my intake under 50gr/day. No low carb, but just more veggies, fullgrain bread and max 1 glass of milk/day. I also try to exercise more, walking to the train and so on, but it's not easy when going around feeling sick all the time.
Can I please have som advice from you guys, both regarding medication and how I should proceed further on with everything? I'm I'm especially interested in thoughts and comments regarding Victoza and/or Lyxumia, and your reactions to these. What about Metformin - is there a trick to make it easier on the body? My goal is to try to live without medications, but that's far down the road still. I hope to get rid of Metformin as I clearly can't keep on having the Pharaos revenge 5-6-7 times a day.
*Blue/white RX: Blue RX's are covered 60% by the goverment, for long lasting conditions (like diabetes). After around £220/year spent on co-payments, you receive a relief from this and get blue RX-medications for free until Dec 31st of that year. White RX's are prescriptions of drugs that are to treat more common and short-term illness, like antibiotics for an infection. These are covered fully by the patient itself and does not count on to the relief of co-payments.
