Sick of Counting! Grrrrr

[Aishia]

I was coun ting sheep last night.Started at 1am 1,2, 3,4, e t.c etc.etc.By 2 am I had lost count.(too many sheep
maybe). My point there is because we are diabetic are we also deficient in Serotonin.(read that somewhere).Please
don't ask me where, Forgotten.So maybe tonight I will start counting hens or better still read some more about the Serotinin.

 

[Aishia]

About the hearing loss Pipp.I also ha e been diagnosed with hearing loss.'Cookie byte'.Wondering if it a diabetic thing again. Less oxygen maybe everywhere. It's not nice really.Can't really socialise much because nobody undrerstands.
Just get a hearing aid they say. Not that easy it's the mid frequencies I can't hear. Has been adjusted several
times. One type fits its with them rea!ly.

 

[Aishia]

Sorry but I had to say this. just after 1 am now and just
Started COUNTNG hens. But it's no joke really did not sleep untill 7am this morning.

 

[Pipp]

@Pipp - you know how much you count to us in the forum! "Heaps" doesn't quite cut it - heaps and beyond! More like it.

What is your nurse thinking?! I was very moved by the word 'humiliating'. A good word to describe that kind of experience in healthcare indeed.
I've been watching lots of action movies lately, so your experience made me want to swoop down in full martial-arts gear and start swinging some kind of stick, or saber shouting, "Give her the tests and treatments she needs! Now!".

I guess us discussing these things with each other is our way of waving sticks and sabers? 'Rants' - all good!

Thank you, for that encouragement.
Unfortunately, the NHS is in a bit of a crisis. It was prior to covid, but even more, now. I am just one of many caught up in the mess.
Frustrating, but my experience is far less urgent than some. I am seeking solutions, but they will be expensive.

 

[Pipp]

About the hearing loss Pipp.I also ha e been diagnosed with hearing loss.'Cookie byte'.Wondering if it a diabetic thing again. Less oxygen maybe everywhere. It's not nice really.Can't really socialise much because nobody undrerstands.
Just get a hearing aid they say. Not that easy it's the mid frequencies I can't hear. Has been adjusted several
times. One type fits its with them rea!ly.

Hearing loss can be for many reasons. For me it could be possibly be due to damage to the vertebrae in my neck, according to the audiologist. I have had hearing aids for 10 years. Though a scan is required as the sudden, total deafness in one ear could be something else.
I understand how frustrating it must be for you, to not have correct adjustments on hearing aids. They are not really comparable with natural hearing.

 

[Oldvatr]

Sorry but I had to say this. just after 1 am now and just
Started COUNTNG hens. But it's no joke really did not sleep untill 7am this morning.

It might be easier to count eggs instead. Seriously though, maybe an OTC like Kalms may help. My goto is whisky, but thats just me. Are you screen timing till bedtime - there is some evidence that electonic devices can be detrimental to sleep patterns due to the light colour. Fluorescent lighting has a bad effect in this respect. CFL lamps are also constantly flickering at 50hz (in UK) and are not restful.

 

[Aishia]

That was really good 'Count eggs' now.My troube really is that I think too much.To logical (left brain
dominant maybe)They say than being creative helps with that. Painting, writing e tc.So yesterday tried meditation
for the first time, supposed to quieten the mind.Just became aware of how fast my thinking

was jumping from one though
to the next(monkey mind) Do it for 5 mins to start off with it they say. Well that 5 mins was really difficult.Found myself
COUNTING the mins.with practice maybe.

 

[Oldvatr]

That was really good 'Count eggs' now.My troube really is that I think too much.To logical (left brain
dominant maybe)They say than being creative helps with that. Painting, writing e tc.So yesterday tried meditation
for the first time, supposed to quieten the mind.Just became aware of how fast my thinking

was jumping from one though
to the next(monkey mind) Do it for 5 mins to start off with it they say. Well that 5 mins was really difficult.Found myself
COUNTING the mins.with practice maybe.

Well you know counting birthdays will make you old. I fried my right brain with a couple of strokes a few years ago, but I don;t really miss it. Seem to have plenty in backup mode, so not a worry. Meditation works quite well if you use "Om Mani Padme Hung to drown out the scurrilous thoughts. I gave up the breathing in through one nostril and out the other as being a pointless waste of my time. I am lucky as I drop off quite quickly, but I used to wake often for the necessary trips to the loo, but I bought an air purifier unit, and now II sleep till the sun is rising in the sky and the cat is attacking my nose to wake me up to feed him. The purifier blows filtered air across my face, and it seems to help me,

 

[Pipp]

Welcome to the noncompliant patient club, @Brekkie. You can get awards if you also confound the HCPs with brilliant control by following your chosen path.

 

[Pipp]

Whoot Whoot @Pipp

Wonder if we should have a quarterly “Non compliance Awards” day ... or a category for the “Most difficult Medical Professional”

Going for the “No Porridge bowl” Award
And “Jucie Steak” Awards taking nominations for “The Eggcellent Diabetic GP”

Aww, I think we need to leave the medical professional awards to the HCPs to sort for themselves. Unless we want to give praise to the most helpful, those that listen and understand, etc. They tend to be forgotten about as it is often the bad experiences we comment on.
I am all for heaping accolades on the good ones, and for celebrating those of us who find our own way to deal with the barriers put before us.

 

[Aishia]

Hw old are you then Odvatr?

 

[Aishia]

And please don't 'say 'Same age as my toes but a little bit older than my teeth.

 

[Aishia]

I just love this banter.Good night all.

 

[Oldvatr]

Hw old are you then Odvatr?

Older than King Charles III.

 

[Aishia]

Getting a bit confused now. Time for bed. Another thin g they say is if you have uncontroled
diabetes you are more likely to get dementia.Perish the though.But makes sense really
if it can affect our bodies so much why not the brain.So keep on trying.
all he best to you all.

 

[Aishia]

Good ans wer Odvatr. And yonger
than king Charles II.

 

[Oldvatr]

Good ans wer Odvatr. And yonger
than king Charles II.

And HE kept his head while all around were losing theirs.

 

[AloeSvea]

@AloeSvea I just wanted to remind you that your “counting” certainly came in handy in spurring me on with my weight loss goals! Oh such fun with those BMI pics! I’m not so far off any of my goals thanks to your counting!

I'm pleased about that! And that you enjoy the dial pics from Health-Calc as much as I do. I'm hotter on tracking my waist height ratio and that fun dial-pic than BMI. But BMI numbers are really for the docs and nurses - and can be handy in here too I think - yeah - for sure. Numbers can be handy little critters when it comes to comparisons and keeping track - no doubt.

Thanks for the thumbs up on eight years up above there. I did find it an awe-inspiring-ish number at first (I guess I am not the only person in the forum who has come to track the passage of time with how many years with the dastardly disease) - but yes - also can wear it like a badge of honour. Although I would have loved to have gone into remission, but see too that there are people like me with very, um, resiliant physical reasons for type two, and that have resistant to weight loss type two, and gee, I can be an example of it - sigh. Wear it like a war medal? Perhaps.

I'm enjoying the image of me at a club - The Returning People with Diabetes Assoc perhaps? And we wear all sorts of medals for different aspects of survival and health markers achieved and so on. I'm getting carried away here as I am imagining award ceremonies going to excellent Health Care Professionals for their services. And the bar with an enormous variety of low-carb and zero carb beverages options - and the kitchen - likewise. Ah.

 

[AloeSvea]

The country medical centre practice nurse did send me an email a couple of days ago telling me the date for my next HBA1c, which was very nice, and, that they would alert me when it was coming up. So, nice that they aren't making me count, literally, on what constitutes three months (calendar, or business days?) between tests. Only took over a month to do so! But… (you know I am going to say this….) whose counting?!

I am very disappointed in them that there was no interest in my low B12, considering how important good levels of B12 are. And that they are supposed to be on the lookout for it, regarding metformin.

I know that discussing weight, nutrition, and checking on feet, gums, and for diabetes distress are all things docs and nurses are supposed to be doing in diabetes care in my country – Aotearoa/NZ - at least. And def on bad side effects of medications (which for me significantly lowered B12 seems to be – a known side effect of metformin due to either shared pathway or gut absorption issues or both I am not sure). So a spot of …. Counting! Ie looking at the numbers, as I did, including borderline range, and asking me what my prior B12 levels were, would have been good work on their part.

Makes me more irritated with the excessive interest in putting me on the scales repeatedly for them to count my BMI a few months back. I wanted the new doc and the prac-nurse to actually listen to me on the topic, and take note of my height waist ratio instead. All that time on scales and BMI charts! What a waste of their time and mine. I Would have loved it if they did the same thing for me with my B12 numbers, and even better – translated that to prescribing B12 supplements/injection/intranasal gel. Much better use of time than reduntantly writing simple maths-meanings to me re my hba1c.

Anyway. My life circumstances are set to change again, so I can reinstate my city-GP, the gem, back on my diabetes care. My city GP would never think she needed to point out to me that 47 was a lower number than 52, and regarding blood glucose was a good thing! Bless her! Can’t wait to have her back -back where it counts. And, I can get my insulin production counted again, which both prospective-country-GPs turned me down on. Now that’s a number that interests me.

 

[Resurgam]

Hello @AloeSvea

Sometimes we are so in it that we really don’t realise our accomplishments and we feel worn down. Just today I mentioned to my daughter how upbeat you are despite the ups and downs. Your humour, candid responses and advice really shine through!
The most important thing is being your personal best in the circumstances. They say that Death and taxes are two things we can’t escape ...

Just the other day a family member commented “diabetes is the worst cos it weakens you” and in an instant my heart sank. I’m stuck with this “dastardly disease” as you call it despite my good efforts of having achieved my goal of normal HbA1c. Other members of my family are convinced that’s it Ive “reversed my blood sugars” and it’s business as usual. Even I’m thinking that’s it “Bish bosh all done” just stick to low carb but I know thats not it all. I’ll always be “counting to survive”. On the other hand I see you “veterans” and yeah you do deserve medals - medals for imparting your experiences, knowledge and kindness - literally adding years to people’s life and truly making a difference. So yes see you at the Awards in the zero/ low carb kitchen sipping low no carb beverages with all our friends on here - bliss!!

B xx

I'd have laughed at that comment. Admittedly the Metformin and Atorvastatin really hit me hard, but after throwing them away I have been able to regain strength and energy. I don't count anything other than the days to the next meeting up with friends for music dancing and singing.