need advice

[Hartnell6]

hello I'm Sabrina i've recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was told that I didn't need to test my blood sugars
I feel that I need to as I was driving over the weekend and nearly crashed my car as I think my blood sugars dropped as I was shaking, and my decision making was so bad my partner had to take over and drive home.
do you think I should go back to gp as feeling rough everyday and its making me so depressed.
I had diabetes when I was pregnant twice and I feel rough as I did when I was pregnant ( I'm not pregnant now by the way)

any advice would be much appreciated thank you

 

[urbanracer]

Hi Sabrina, what meds are you on?

 

[Hartnell6]

I'm not on any at the moment the gp said my hbac1 was just in the diabetic range and that changing my diet will reduce my hbac1.

 

[urbanracer]

OK! so yes, get a meter and test yourself but I am not sure what would cause your blood glucose to drop so suddenly if you're not taking medication, unless you produce too much insulin after eating.

Has this happened before?

 

[Hartnell6]

it happens a lot especially if I skip a meal. I am going to book another gp appointment I think as I'm driving up to Yorkshire in a few weeks and I want to make sure I arrive safely as I will have my kids in the car. plenty of stops on the way I think.

 

[urbanracer]

Is it only happening since your diagnosis? Have you started reducing your food intake as a consequence of the diagnosis?

 

[azure]

it happens a lot especially if I skip a meal. I am going to book another gp appointment I think as I'm driving up to Yorkshire in a few weeks and I want to make sure I arrive safely as I will have my kids in the car. plenty of stops on the way I think.

Definitely speak to your doctor. You shouldn't drive until you get this sorted out. It's not worth the risk.

 

[Hartnell6]

Is it only happening since your diagnosis? Have you started reducing your food intake as a consequence of the diagnosis?

no I'm not skipping meals because of my bloodsugars ive been feeling rough for months I went to gp as I had an inkling that my blood sugars were playing up she done the necessary bloodwork and said I had gone from pre diabetes to diabetic she checked my feet referred me to dietician and that was it. no follow up until next hbac1 test

 

[urbanracer]

I just looked at your first thread from 4 weeks ago - you reported having blood glucose level over 10mmol, so you already have a meter ?

 

[Hartnell6]

it was one from when I was pregnant last year I used up all my strips I cant afford to buy the ones for that meter way out my price range.

 

[Bluetit1802]

it was one from when I was pregnant last year I used up all my strips I cant afford to buy the ones for that meter way out my price range.

There are cheaper strips on the market if you buy a new meter, and it sounds like you really need one. I agree, you shouldn't drive until this is sorted.

Try here for the Codefree meter
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/

Pharmacies don't sell them. There are discount codes if you buy in bulk and don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free.
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

There is also the TEE2, available from http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ where the strips are reasonable and the meter is free.

 

[azure]

no I'm not skipping meals because of my bloodsugars ive been feeling rough for months I went to gp as I had an inkling that my blood sugars were playing up she done the necessary bloodwork and said I had gone from pre diabetes to diabetic she checked my feet referred me to dietician and that was it. no follow up until next hbac1 test

It's possible that it's nothing to do,with your blood sugar. Perhaps the GP found your blood sugar was above normal and assumed that was the cause of you feeling rough?

If it was me and I had such a frightening episode, I'd be phoning my GP today and trying to get seen asap.

 

[Liam1955]

Hello @Hartnell6 - If you have not been given a Blood Glucose Meter by your Practise Surgery? It is a vital piece of equipment for any Diabetic - you really ought to consider buying one.
Here on the Forum there are 2 which are popular.
The SD Codefree Meter because it has the cheapest Test Strips to buy, even cheaper if you buy in bulk.
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose/
State you are Diabetic for vat exemption. And we use mmol/L here in the UK.
If buying in bulk - Here are the discount codes:
5 packs = 264086. 10 packs. = 975833.

Next is the TEE2 meter which is Free and Test Stips and Lancets are reasonably cheap.
http://spirit-Healthcare.com/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/

 

[Hartnell6]

i've booked a g.p appointment for tomorrow as I'm not risking driving anywhere with my children in the car.

 

[KitSileya]

I am hardly an expert, but if you have started modifying your diet (cutting down on things that drive blood glucose up) you may have had a false hypo? If your body is used to bg levels in the double digits, it may think it is experiencing hypoglycemia (below 3.7 mmol) when in reality, you are at 7-9 mmols. If it is that, I believe the only thing to do is to rough it out, because you need to get your bg levels down. In any case, I think that not driving and going to the doctor is exactly what you should do.

 

[Hartnell6]

I've been to the docs the practice nurse said it's highly unlikely my blood sugars causing my symptoms and ordered me a blood test to check my thyroid function. Still won't give me a meter so I've ordered the tee2 as test strips are cheaper to buy.
My blood sugar at the doctors was 8.9mmol and had no breakfast just tea with 1 sweetener. I'm getting fed up of being tired all the time, and thirsty.

 

[Liam1955]

Hi @Hartnell6 - Are you drinking plenty of water? High Blood Sugars can sometimes cause tiredness?
The more water you drink the better, it helps to flush out your system and stabilize glucose in the bloodstream.
Well Done on ordering a Blood Glucose Meter = money well spent, if there is one thing that is vital to a Diabetic it is a Meter .

 

[philchap1]

My wife who is non diabetic had the same problem a few years ago, we had gone shopping and she skipped breakfast, we were just about to return home when she said she felt strange and shaky, I tested her blood with my machine and it was 3.9, gave her a couple of glucose tablets and she was fine, so not a good idea for non diabetics to skip meals.

 

[Hartnell6]

My wife who is non diabetic had the same problem a few years ago, we had gone shopping and she skipped breakfast, we were just about to return home when she said she felt strange and shaky, I tested her blood with my machine and it was 3.9, gave her a couple of glucose tablets and she was fine, so not a good idea for non diabetics to skip meals.

I'm type 2 diabetic just been diagnosed about 4 weeks ago

 

[Totto]

My wife who is non diabetic had the same problem a few years ago, we had gone shopping and she skipped breakfast, we were just about to return home when she said she felt strange and shaky, I tested her blood with my machine and it was 3.9, gave her a couple of glucose tablets and she was fine, so not a good idea for non diabetics to skip meals.

I usually eat lunch as my first meal of the day and would have been thrilled with a reading below 4 as I rarely get that any more. Before I developed diabetes my FBG often was 3.8 so if your wife feels faint due to low BG at 3.9 maybe she needs to get her HbA1c checked.