Newly diagnosed, round 2.

[Chimdale]

Hi There,
I am a 61 yo male in Seattle, Firstly, I apologize if this post is too long or too much info. I have been finding lately that my health providers seem a bit impatient with me and my questions about what's going on for me. Very frustrating.
I had been diagnosed back in 2011 with T2 and A1C of 11.2. I was immediately started on MET ER 500 2x a day. I was determined to "beat" this and within 18 months I went from 240 to 185 and brought A1C to 5.6. I was taken off MET and maintained for a while but numbers crept back up from time to time, so I just watched my weight and that helped. When covid started, I was not able to play ice hockey 2-3 times a week and started biking and jogging almost every day. This was last summer. I was excited to go to the doc to see my a1c drop, but it was UP to 7.0! from 6.1. I didn't understand. I was discouraged. I did gain some weight through covid and thought that was it. I dropped from 191 back to 184 and went in for another a1c and got it back to 6.7 within a month or so. This is where it gets messed up. Taking my am bg readings, I was hovering around 107 to 120 in the mornings during this time of weight loss and playing hockey again. I figured that seeking a naturopath might help as well and we took lots of blood for testing and found that my bit d level was at 16 and my b6 and 12 were low too. She put me on vit d and methyl b's to bring those numbers up. But ever since we connected, my am bg are at 160 and holding. ***? Not only that, I had a "freak out" last Friday the 4th and my bg went from 185 to 205 within an hour as I was freaking out. I had the MET prescription in the cabinet and started taking it Friday last and have been on er 500 1x for 10 days.
I was at 184ish on that date and have since dropped down to 176 and it's scaring me. I am eating more than I did last weekend but cant seem to gain the weight back and it also seems that if I stopped eating, I would lose weight even faster. This is troublesome considering that for years, it was always a struggle to even lose a pound or two and keep it off.
I don't know what to do or think. I am afraid to eat, I am afraid to excersize, I am afraid to take the MET, I am afraid to test my fasting BG.
Right now, it sucks to be me.
Any feedback from this community would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time.
ChimDale

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @Chimdale and welcome

Sorry to hear you’re struggling. Forgive me responding with questions, but I want to be sure that I’m understanding correctly.

She put me on vit d and methyl b's to bring those numbers up. But ever since we connected, my am bg are at 160 and holding

So one of the concerns is that your blood sugars have increased since starting on the supplements? Any ‘dodgy’ ingredients in the supplements?

Not only that, I had a "freak out" last Friday the 4th and my bg went from 185 to 205 within an hour

Is it the increase worrying you? That doesn’t sound like a huge increase - about 1 mmol in the units used in the UK. Allowing for meter inaccuracies (+/- 15%) it might not even have been a change.

I had the MET prescription in the cabinet and started taking it Friday last and have been on er 500 1x for 10 days.
I was at 184ish on that date and have since dropped down to 176

Again, that’s a small drop and the numbers are not particularly low. That’s assuming they’re blood glucose readings, or are you referring to weight loss? That would be quite a drop in 10 days and if you’re not trying to lose weight, would be worthy of investigation.

 

[Chimdale]

Hi @Chimdale and welcome

Sorry to hear you’re struggling. Forgive me responding with questions, but I want to be sure that I’m understanding correctly.


So one of the concerns is that your blood sugars have increased since starting on the supplements? Any ‘dodgy’ ingredients in the supplements?

None. The Vit D is Costco. The B's are direct from naturopath. Nothing else different from what I have taken for years in the past.

Is it the increase worrying you? That doesn’t sound like a huge increase - about 1 mmol in the units used in the UK. Allowing for meter inaccuracies (+/- 15%) it might not even have been a change.

Yes. To be steady at 110-120 for months and to then go up to 160ish seems odd to me. For no other reason than going to a naturopath.

Again, that’s a small drop and the numbers are not particularly low. That’s assuming they’re blood glucose readings, or are you referring to weight loss? That would be quite a drop in 10 days and if you’re not trying to lose weight, would be worthy of investigation.

It is my weight. Hovered around 182-185 for years. Started MET again and within 4 days dropped to 176 and staying there as long as I eat.

 

[Goonergal]

It is my weight. Hovered around 182-185 for years. Started MET again and within 4 days dropped to 176 and staying there as long as I eat.

Is it dropping further? And have you changed what you eat?

Metformin is known to support weight loss by suppressing appetite, but I haven’t heard of it causing a steep drop on its own. I’d definitely try and discuss with your doctor - it could just be a coincidence, but dropping 8 kilos in 4 days without consciously trying should always be investigated.

 

[Mr_Pot]

Is it dropping further? And have you changed what you eat?

Metformin is known to support weight loss by suppressing appetite, but I haven’t heard of it causing a steep drop on its own. I’d definitely try and discuss with your doctor - it could just be a coincidence, but dropping 8 kilos in 4 days without consciously trying should always be investigated.

As the OP is in Seattle the weight is likely to be in pounds.

 

[EllieM]

I don't know what to do or think. I am afraid to eat, I am afraid to excersize, I am afraid to take the MET, I am afraid to test my fasting BG.

I'm sorry that you are so anxious.

I had a "freak out" last Friday the 4th and my bg went from 185 to 205 within an hour as I was freaking out.

Unfortunately stress is known to push bg levels up.

As regards your T2, am I right in thinking that up to now you have kept it in remission by a combination of exercise and weight loss? Your current figures aren't high compared to your original diagnosis but they are higher than those of a non diabetic. In your position, I'd probably reduce the carbs in my diet to see if that helps. (Measure your blood sugar immediately before a meal and 2 hours after, and if it goes up by less than 36mg/dL then your body can cope with that meal.)

But your weight seems to be a concern here, and I would urge that you get this checked out by the doctor. Though it might not even be diabetes related, sudden unintended sudden weight loss combined with high blood sugars is a red flag that should be seen by a medical doctor.

Are you able to test your blood or urine for ketones?

 

[NicoleC1971]

It is my weight. Hovered around 182-185 for years. Started MET again and within 4 days dropped to 176 and staying there as long as I eat.

Do you have an upset stomach. Can you clarify what the drug is ? Sounds like metformin which is standard drug for type 2 (biguamide may be its generic name?).
Hope things settle down there and then it could be time to look at what you are eating. All the right things to eat would also bring up your Vit D and B levels too btw (plus sunshine).
Lots of hope for you because although you are feeling your body is out of control, you are not doing so badly by the sound of those numbers!