Newly diagnosed type 2.Very high heart rate.Will the meds fix this?

Hi and welcome,

It is unlikely the Metformin will stop this, and as far as I know the fast heart rate and palpitations are not normally associated with diabetes. I could be wrong, but there are many other causes. Have you had a 24 or 72 hour ECG? That may well indicate the problem.

As you are newly diagnosed, I will tag @daisy1 who will post her introductory post, which contains a lot of important information. Take particular note of the role of carbohydrate.

Hi and welcome!

Sorry to hear you have joined the D club, but hopefully it is one step closer to feeling better.

My only experiences of rapid heart rate have been absolutely nothing to do with diabetes, and a lot to do with caffeine and stress. Turned out that I had to give up caffeine in tea and coffee, and can't even tolerate the the decaff varieties, because of the tiny amounts of caffeine they still contain.

So you may find that other factors are involved.

When in doubt, consult your doc. They have a lot of experience with these things, and can do a proper examination and diagnosis.

When diagnosed my resting HR was high also. My pulse was easily in the 85-90 range. Metformin may have increased it slightly but that’s a wild guess. Two years later and I’m just about getting back to 65-70. I was an absolute metabolic train wreck though, so it could take a while to get into really good numbers. For now my pulse is still falling but verrrrrry slowly. ECG has never shown any rhythm problems. Just godda keep my head down and hope it continues to improve. Interestingly, at no point has any HCP ever mentioned my pulse, which I’ve always thought was a bit weird.

Ian2477 said:

I've just been diagnosed type 2 after months of symptoms I thought were work and stress related.Ive been prescribed metformin.One of my symptoms is a fast heartbeat and palpitations.Anyone know if this is down to the diabetes and if the medication will sort it out?

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Its best that you make an appointment with a cardiologist I have been through this a couple of times and ended up having atrial ablation to solve the problem. No need for alarm. Wishing you all the best and a quick resolution of the issue.

Jim Lahey said:

Interestingly, at no point has any HCP ever mentioned my pulse, which I’ve always thought was a bit weird.

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Because even at 85 to 90 it is still in the normal standard range. No-one ever mentioned mine, which was and still is in the 80 to 90 range until I had a fainting episode, and a pulse of 126 on examination straight after the faint. (not surprised it was high - I fainted in the doctor's waiting room!!) The GP told me it has to get to 130 before they worry, and only if it is combined with arrhythmia is it a matter of great concern when it goes above 100.

Jim Lahey said:

When diagnosed my resting HR was high also. My pulse was easily in the 85-90 range.

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Which is well in the normal range, according to dr.Google, so why would you have expected any HCP to mention your pulse?

When you checked in on the weigh machine, I assume you weren't resting? It is the resting heart rate that is important. We all get raised pulses when we are exercising or moving about. The palpitations need checking though. The ECG may discover what is behind them. Is it just a quick ECG or is it a 24 hour one when you wear a monitor round your neck for the 24 hours? My best guess is the anxiety and stress, or are you taking medication that has this as a side effect - or using aids to stop smoking?.

Antje77 said:

Which is well in the normal range, according to dr.Google, so why would you have expected any HCP to mention your pulse?

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85-90 may be in the “normal” range, but l always at least expected someone to say that it’s higher than it ideally should be, which in my opinion it was. I’m certainly much happier now at 65-70 which let’s be realistic is more “normal” for a very active and slim man in his early forties.

Do you have a pulse monitor of some sort at home? Blood pressure monitors usually include a pulse. It may be a good investment for you. You need to be sitting, resting, at least 30 minutes after food, before taking your pulse. How do you know it has been high for some time - do you take it manually and what sort of levels do you see?

Ian2477 said:

Just the routine ECG.I don't smoke and apart from the diabetes medication the only other thing I take is tumeric for my IBS.I used to have a few pints after work most days bit stopped that 2 weeks ago.Im a bit stuck as I've had this fast heart rate for a while.Stress and anxiety definitely won't help!

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anxiety can offer raise our heartbeats. It can also make our hearts feel like they are thumping hard, which feels like it is racing when it isnt. I would mention this to your GP, and get things checked out. If it is anxiety, beta blockers can help. So can breathing techniques. Often just knowing its anxiety can also help break out of it and help ignore it. Caffeine can also work alongside the stress to cause anxiety. Again, learning relaxation and breathing techniques can help. Best wishes, with this - anxiety is not nice.

Ian2477 said:

Thanks so much.Im just hoping and praying it isn't due to a cardiac problem related to the diabetes.I think the fact I constantly swallow down catarrh is making my chest feel heavy aswel.

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do you know what is causing the catarrh? It could be an allergy or rhinitis maybe.

@Ian2477
Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 600,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

@Ian2477
Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 600,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.