Really Struggling and Feeling Miserable!

We are here to provide friendship, help and support Randi so please don’t feel alone!

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods#foodlist

Randi_B. said:

Hi All,

I was diagnosed in October with Type 2 Diabetes. It can't say it came as a total shock, as I sensed something was wrong for a while. I was always thirsty, slept more than normal, overly lethargic, constantly hungry, and generally felt terrible all the time. After winding up in the hospital for dehydration and a liver infection, I finally had my diagnosis.

My doctor was not helpful at all and basically just put me on medication (500 mg metformin twice a day) and told me to come back in 3 months. My tests showed that I was 8.6%, but I'm not sure what that number means.

In the past 3 months, I have tried my hardest to change my life style...low carb, little to no sugar, regular exercise. For the first two months, I felt great and really energized. I quickly lost 20 lbs and started tracking everything I ate.

Once the newness wore off, the diagnosis finally hit me. I have been feeling very depressed and despondent. My hands and feet are freezing cold and painful all the time, all I want to do is sleep, I have no energy at all, and I'm worried about food all the time. I am a very extroverted person, who loves to go out with friends and enjoy life. Lately, I would rather just stay home because its too stressful to worry about what I can and can't eat. I'm finding it to be a challenge to even get out of bed in the morning and take pleasure in any of my normal activities. My mood swings are horrible and I cry often.

Just as a side note, I have suffered from anxiety and depression for many years and have it well-controlled with medication. I haven't had any symptoms for years, but its starting to rear its ugly head again.

I am extremely scared and feeling completely overwhelmed. My friends and family have been very supportive, but they really don't understand how I feel.

Any help, advice, suggestions, support is greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much,
Randi B.

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I can't comment about the clinical depression bit.

"Diabetes burnout" however is a recognised thing. I've had enough of it myself at the moment, and I'm someone who quite likes the monitoring, logging and finding ways to improve aspect. But right now it's getting a bit much.

Re cold hands and feet, me too. I'm not sure whether that's because I've lost a fair bit of weight, or that I'm generally getting less than maintenance calories most days, or that storage heaters are rubbish! Could be a combination of all three. I used to be cold-proof and had a reputation for it, but not any more. I can't offer advice, just saying that you're not alone!

Re having no energy, it's probably a good idea to get some feedback as to how much of that is your mental state, and how much physical:

You didn't say whether you have a meter and take readings? If your blood sugar control is not as good as you think it is, that could explain the lethargy. The highest reading I've ever taken was when I was finding it hard to stay awake for more than 4 hours a day. Then again, when I wake to up very low (good) readings, I feel very weak also. I'm hoping that will get better if I get a long run of low readings and my body adjusts.

It's definitely worth getting a meter if you haven't got one. If you get very high readings, that could explain the lethargy, and in that case I wouldn't wait for the next blood test, I'd go to the GP ASAP. You'll need to decide whether to increase the medication and/or put more focus into lifestyle adjustments.

Hi Randi,

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time but you're making great steps just being on here! I've been through the same, you feel like you need to do something about it then it finally hits you and you have to go through the anger, regret, guilt, self pity etc. stages. Just be kind on yourself! I beat myself up for far too long rather than trying to find acceptance/pragmatic solution. I felt much better after an ultra low carb diet and lost loads of weight and felt great but after an emotional event I ended up gaining back a big chunk of the weight and feeling tired etc so I'm back in the game as of a week ago now and already feeling better!

So please stick with it! What's your diet like? Have you embraced snacking on pork scratchings yet? Haha!

Randi_B. said:

Hi All,

I was diagnosed in October with Type 2 Diabetes. It can't say it came as a total shock, as I sensed something was wrong for a while. I was always thirsty, slept more than normal, overly lethargic, constantly hungry, and generally felt terrible all the time. After winding up in the hospital for dehydration and a liver infection, I finally had my diagnosis.

My doctor was not helpful at all and basically just put me on medication (500 mg metformin twice a day) and told me to come back in 3 months. My tests showed that I was 8.6%, but I'm not sure what that number means.

In the past 3 months, I have tried my hardest to change my life style...low carb, little to no sugar, regular exercise. For the first two months, I felt great and really energized. I quickly lost 20 lbs and started tracking everything I ate.

Once the newness wore off, the diagnosis finally hit me. I have been feeling very depressed and despondent. My hands and feet are freezing cold and painful all the time, all I want to do is sleep, I have no energy at all, and I'm worried about food all the time. I am a very extroverted person, who loves to go out with friends and enjoy life. Lately, I would rather just stay home because its too stressful to worry about what I can and can't eat. I'm finding it to be a challenge to even get out of bed in the morning and take pleasure in any of my normal activities. My mood swings are horrible and I cry often.

Just as a side note, I have suffered from anxiety and depression for many years and have it well-controlled with medication. I haven't had any symptoms for years, but its starting to rear its ugly head again.

I am extremely scared and feeling completely overwhelmed. My friends and family have been very supportive, but they really don't understand how I feel.

Any help, advice, suggestions, support is greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much,
Randi B.

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Randi_B. said:

Thank you so much! I have been reading that website and it is very helpful!

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We are in this for life Randi.
Stay with us, we are here as your new family!

ChrisTeapot said:

Hi Randi,

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time but you're making great steps just being on here! I've been through the same, you feel like you need to do something about it then it finally hits you and you have to go through the anger, regret, guilt, self pity etc. stages. Just be kind on yourself! I beat myself up for far too long rather than trying to find acceptance/pragmatic solution. I felt much better after an ultra low carb diet and lost loads of weight and felt great but after an emotional event I ended up gaining back a big chunk of the weight and feeling tired etc so I'm back in the game as of a week ago now and already feeling better!

So please stick with it! What's your diet like? Have you embraced snacking on pork scratchings yet? Haha!

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Does pork scratchings spike bg levels?
Curious to know coz it’s fat with protein!

@Randi_B. Are you remembering the High Fat / Healthy Fat to go with your low carb. This is where so many nutrients are, all the fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids, in fact what all of us need to feel well, happy, sexy and lead a fulfilling life.

I went LCHF getting on for five years ago and although I had never had a diagnosis of depression (possibly because I had never asked) I had been so down for many years. The "black dog" got up, wagged its tail and left once I got some good fats into my system, and, of course, removed the sugars. (I was not diabetic, simply supporting my husband.)
Sally

Hey Randi_B, Welcome and like others have said, you have come to the right place to hear from all of us who are on this journey as well and have learned many things about diabetes and how to work with it in your daily life that you likely won't find in any textbooks!! But they work and you are welcome to ask as many questions as you wish and to rant and rave if need be too Peruse the various topics, even ones that you might think don't really pertain to your situation - I do and have learned many things from T1s for example....The number one thing to remember is that this is a marathon for you not a quick sprint....time, effort, desire to win, a good sense of humor are all helpful, and so is this Forum! Blessings/L

There is another thread on here for mental health that you might find helpful/interesting as well - I read it regularly as I too suffered for many years with depression and although not an issue like it was, as Sally called it "the black dog" is always willing to try and come back.....L

AdamJames said:

Re cold hands and feet, me too. I'm not sure whether that's because I've lost a fair bit of weight, or that I'm generally getting less than maintenance calories most days, or that storage heaters are rubbish! Could be a combination of all three. I used to be cold-proof and had a reputation for it, but not any more. I can't offer advice, just saying that you're not alone!

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Hi, I'm generally much colder now than before DX. Initially I put it down to not eating enough calories and weight loss, but when I asked a question on the low carb diet forum I was advised to eat a little bit more salt. This is because when we cut out processed foods and ready meals, our salt consumption drops. I now have a very small pinch of salt on my evening meal, and I think it has helped - but be careful if you have high blood pressure!

I’m feeling the cold too now. I was always the one who didn’t complain about the cold. Not now I’ve lost 5 stone of insulation!

Last winter, my first, I really suffered with cold fingers and toes. This winter they are cold but not horribly so like last year. My energy levels have varied. I was drained just before diagnosis, and after changing to low carb felt much better. After that, my job at the time gave me a o of stress and was affecting my BG as well as tiredness and stress. However my BG had got low enough to drop Gliclazide I was taking, and in spite of the increase in BG because of this, my new job since December is making me feel better and my BG is getting better again. In summary, the relationship of all of these things is really complex. Just do what you can, and keep looking up.

NewTD2 said:

Does pork scratchings spike bg levels?
Curious to know coz it’s fat with protein!

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Not mine but no weight loss if too many.
A great liver block before bed thou.

ickihun said:

Not mine but no weight loss if too many.
A great liver block before bed thou.

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There are plenty in China Town maybe I’ll get a bag to try out!

Randi_B. said:

I don’t eat meat (except for the occasional piece of chicken or fish) so that presents another issue. I’ve been living off of high protein foods like peanut butter, cheese, nuts, above ground vegetables, etc.

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I can really relate to this problem, as I used to be a vegetarian. Nowadays I have decided that with my blood glucose problems my survival demands some compromises. I still won't eat anything that could have been factory farmed but I do eat wild Alaskan salmon and pollock (available quite cheaply frozen and they top the lists of the least polluted fish). I have found sources for reasonably priced free range chicken and pheasant. These are all completely carb-free. And then there are free range eggs - only 0.6 grams carb per egg. I try to ring the changes to avoid getting sick of eating always the same thing.

Nuts, cheese, and even above ground vegetables do all contain some carbs. Nuts are very variable, with walnuts having about the least carbs and peanuts the most. Tahini is much lower carb than peanut butter, but personally I find the taste a bit odd! I must admit, I eat far more cheese than I ought, I'm trying to limit myself a bit but I keep breaking out ... To me the worst aspect of this new way of eating is that almost everything has to be planned and cooked. Before, eating mostly fruit, bread, hummus all I had to do was open the fridge. Of course you won't make the same choices as me, but you will find your own way and it will be more comfortable over time. You will find endless tips as to how to manage on this Forum. Good luck, and good eating!

archersuz said:

Hi, I'm generally much colder now than before DX. Initially I put it down to not eating enough calories and weight loss, but when I asked a question on the low carb diet forum I was advised to eat a little bit more salt. This is because when we cut out processed foods and ready meals, our salt consumption drops. I now have a very small pinch of salt on my evening meal, and I think it has helped - but be careful if you have high blood pressure!

Click to expand...

I'll give that a try, thank you. About a couple of weeks or so ago I started to keep an accurate food log. I logged salt but didn't actually pay any attention to it. I've just checked now and the daily levels in grams were: 8.91, 9.36, 6.81, 2.54, 5.11, 4.99, 4.11, 5.41. So I might have accidentally been hitting reasonably close to the recommended amounts on average! I had also been eating things I don't normally eat, not exactly un-processed meats. Things like kabanos, peperoni etc. I stopped the accurate food log shortly after I started, so don't know how much salt I've been having in the last few days. All I know is my extremities are very cold right now, and come to think of it, I can't remember feeling particularly bad for the cold when I was having all that salt!

One thing I suspect is that I'm now feeling the cold the same way "normal" people do, which is a shock to my system because I'm not used to it. E.g. a colleague who works in the next room to me regularly has a fan heater pointer at her, but I don't feel the need. And my home only has rubbish storage heaters and no double glazing. It's very hard to judge whether I "should" be feeling cold if you see what I mean.

I'm currently in the living room, wearing cotton socks with thick thermal walking socks over them, and the tips of my toes feel very cold, as do my fingers. It's been a fairly extreme day for calories however - I've had about 900 and I've just come back from about 2.5 hours of walking up steep hills. That sounds like an obvious explanation but I don't think it is - I'm pretty sure I get cold even on an excess of calories recently!

Randi_B. said:

I asked my doctor about testing my blood sugar with a glucometer and he simply told me no. He didn’t give a reason or explanation,

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He probably missed the bit about "diabetes" in medical school. Or if he resisted the idea because you were asking him to supply one, then it's quite common for GPs not to supply them, and many people buy their own. It's the most sensible investment you can make after diagnosis.

Randi_B. said:

I really wish I could find a doctor specializing in diabetes or a clinic.

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My GP is the diabetes specialist in the surgery. Trust me, you'll get more useful advice on this forum.

Randi_B. said:

I feel as though I’ve been left to fend for myself and that’s such a terrible feeling.

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Snap. But it brought me here, and that's a great thing.

Randi_B. said:

Hi All,

I was diagnosed in October with Type 2 Diabetes. It can't say it came as a total shock, as I sensed something was wrong for a while. I was always thirsty, slept more than normal, overly lethargic, constantly hungry, and generally felt terrible all the time. After winding up in the hospital for dehydration and a liver infection, I finally had my diagnosis.

My doctor was not helpful at all and basically just put me on medication (500 mg metformin twice a day) and told me to come back in 3 months. My tests showed that I was 8.6%, but I'm not sure what that number means.

In the past 3 months, I have tried my hardest to change my life style...low carb, little to no sugar, regular exercise. For the first two months, I felt great and really energized. I quickly lost 20 lbs and started tracking everything I ate.

Once the newness wore off, the diagnosis finally hit me. I have been feeling very depressed and despondent. My hands and feet are freezing cold and painful all the time, all I want to do is sleep, I have no energy at all, and I'm worried about food all the time. I am a very extroverted person, who loves to go out with friends and enjoy life. Lately, I would rather just stay home because its too stressful to worry about what I can and can't eat. I'm finding it to be a challenge to even get out of bed in the morning and take pleasure in any of my normal activities. My mood swings are horrible and I cry often.

Just as a side note, I have suffered from anxiety and depression for many years and have it well-controlled with medication. I haven't had any symptoms for years, but its starting to rear its ugly head again.

I am extremely scared and feeling completely overwhelmed. My friends and family have been very supportive, but they really don't understand how I feel.

Any help, advice, suggestions, support is greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much,
Randi B.

Click to expand...

Hi Randi.

Your post took me back to 6mths after I was diagnosed in 2002. I went through depression too. Not really due to diabetes being for life, as then it was thought of, but due to all the effort I put in and how slow the results were showing. My gp then was very plain and none jubilant at my improvement in hba1c and lifestyle changes.
Like you I've always been a doer. My 2 sisters and mum just exist but I enjoy life to the full. In fact that's what attracted my partner to me.

Currently I'm restricted due to bulging discs in my lower back but if none I'd be out working shifts and enjoying my work friends to the full. Instead I'm home with kids and ill partner.
I'm hoping to be given go ahead for bariatric surgery too to get rid of this disabling obesity and very high blood pressure. I'm working on losing myself currently. Low carb works brilliantly for me.

I won't lie and say everyday is a breeze but you know I still have ambition and know once I'm no longer trapped in my huge body I will fly like a bird.
Can you do that for me instead? I take huge joy in seeing any of the members kicking their diabetes in place and soaring through life. Getting out of this health problem a longer happy life.
Happiness you have full control of and this very very naughty health condition is manageable to suit your wants and needs.
A bit of compromise is needed like any long term relationship. Not too much to make your life unbearable or not enough for it to bite you on the bum with complications.
A life both of you can be happy with.

Now.
This is the exciting bit.

Go out and experiment with your meter so you know which foods can risk your sight or kidneys. Avoid them and make alternatives.
I don't think I've not seen an alternative for most foods yet.

Read the threads about 'what have you eaten today' and especially the 'successes and testimonials'.
Have fun and take heart your life is far from over.
It's just beginning.

PS. You have advantage of this forum, wish I had.
I love it here.
Home from home, at times.

Just under 5 hours ago you posted and look at the valuable responses.

Sounds like you have had a delay on the reaction to being diagnosed and maybe your macros need adjusting to get satiety and variation.

I thought I had cancer when diagnosed so Type 2 was a relief, then the various stages of grief affected me for a while....This soon turned positive when I got support from my wife and found the strength to improve my regime when I struggled to see my daughter across the room.

Once you get the macros right not only will you be too full, I am stuffed from one meal a day and workout a lot, this will also set you up to deal with everyday problems. As you have seen people on here respond.