It's a week since I was diagnosed. It came about because I was due to have surgery on my shoulder last week, but the pre-op tests showed that I might be diabetic. It was confirmed through further tests at my GP's. My BG level was 16.0. The surgery has been postponed while I start to manage my BG level with Metformin and a healthier diet.
Looking back, I have probably been diabetic for at least a few months. I have been managing the pain in my shoulder through strong pain killers, which have the side effect of making me very drowsy. For the last couple of months I have constantly felt like I was running on empty. I attributed this to the pain killers and to the effort of trying to stave off the drowsiness. Now I realise the diabetes was also a factor.
I had surgery on my other shoulder in March this year. The pre-op tests didn't show any diabetes at that time. They did show that I have fatty liver, which I still have. I'm told this can improve if I minimise my fat intake, which I am determined to do. I used to binge drink, largely as a comfort for loneliness. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful wife now. I've hardly touched alcohol in the three years we have been together, and I've given it up completely now.
This week, my BG level has averaged 7.1, and hasn't exceeded 8.9. I'm still taking pain killers for the shoulder and I still feel very tired and lethargic. It's not a sleepy tiredness during the day, it's just a general lethargy, which I guess is still due to both the pain killers and the diabetes/Metformin. I'm due to see the nurse in three weeks' time, at which point my shoulder op should hopefully be rescheduled. After the op, and the initial recovery period, I'm hoping to be taking fewer pain killers, so the drowsiness and lethargy should be less of a problem.
Looking back, I have probably been diabetic for at least a few months. I have been managing the pain in my shoulder through strong pain killers, which have the side effect of making me very drowsy. For the last couple of months I have constantly felt like I was running on empty. I attributed this to the pain killers and to the effort of trying to stave off the drowsiness. Now I realise the diabetes was also a factor.
I had surgery on my other shoulder in March this year. The pre-op tests didn't show any diabetes at that time. They did show that I have fatty liver, which I still have. I'm told this can improve if I minimise my fat intake, which I am determined to do. I used to binge drink, largely as a comfort for loneliness. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful wife now. I've hardly touched alcohol in the three years we have been together, and I've given it up completely now.
This week, my BG level has averaged 7.1, and hasn't exceeded 8.9. I'm still taking pain killers for the shoulder and I still feel very tired and lethargic. It's not a sleepy tiredness during the day, it's just a general lethargy, which I guess is still due to both the pain killers and the diabetes/Metformin. I'm due to see the nurse in three weeks' time, at which point my shoulder op should hopefully be rescheduled. After the op, and the initial recovery period, I'm hoping to be taking fewer pain killers, so the drowsiness and lethargy should be less of a problem.
