T2 + Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

[foxyccc]

Does anyone else have type 2 diabetes and also Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME. My ME consultant said many years ago that I was at risk of getting diabetes due to my unstable blood glucose and also the weight gain which arose as I went from being active to being housebound. I have had CFS for 15 years now.

I was diagnosed T2just over two years ago, and the diabetes has caused more fatigue for more body and has worsened my health generally. I am going to trial Bydureon injection after christmas( decided to start after christmas as I was told it might cause nausea and sickness for a few weeks) which apparently I take with my tablet medication as well ( I was hoping the weekly injection was instead of all the tablets), hopefully this may lower my blood glucose levels (currently about 8) to give my body some more energy.

I cant do any exercise to lower my blood glucose as I am housebound most of the time with fatigue.

If there is anyone out there who also has CFS and T2 I would love to hear from you and also if anyone is on or will be starting Bydureon I would like to hear from you

Regards caron

 

[Indy51]

If you are housebound, then I sincerely hope you have been tested for Vitamin D3 deficiency as it's highly unlikely as you are getting it via sunlight? Also Vitamin B12, folate and iron? A deficiency of any of those vitamins can worsen chronic fatigue symptoms. There is also a very strong correlation between Vitamin D3 deficiency and diabetes. If you haven't already been tested, my suggestion would be to get tested as soon as possible.

 

[foxyccc]

Thank you for your reply.

My GP recently ran a full blood test and all the tests came back ok. She checked for anemia and tyhroid as well. I take supplements of magnesium, B Vits, Vit D and also Co enzyme Q 10. I try and sit in the garden and get fresh air and sunlight when I can. My bad fatigue means I cant get out and about of the house doing normal activities, but I can at least sit in my lovely garden.

I had a SAD lamp that I use every day for half an hour to stimulate natural sunlight.

I am looking forward to the spring as this is very uplifting for me!

Regards

 

[Indy51]

It's great that your doctor is so on the ball about vitamin deficiencies - it's pretty rare to find such an open-minded HCP :clap:

My next suggestion would be to try and eliminate gluten/wheat from your diet for a month to see if it makes a difference to how you feel, as fatigue is a very common side effect and food sensitivities (especially gluten/wheat) are a lot more common than previously thought. Gluten sensitivity/coeliac is also highly correlated with diabetes. Here's some articles you might find interesting:

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-com ... nsitivity/
http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/11/30/glut ... ally-does/
http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/are-you ... ideo=15895
http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/are-you ... ideo=15896
http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/are-you ... ideo=15894
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/

Best wishes,

 

[ticker7]

I have recently been down a 2 year quest to pin down if I had CFS. I am T2 diagnosed in late 1990s principally this was driven by symptoms of extreme tiredness. But then I had other problems from the mid 1990s with my back. As I progressed through the diabetes therapy options - diet, tablets and then insulin injections I was concious of a number of new symptoms which could be attributed to some bad, long lasting adverse side effects from e.g. BP medication, Statins and Rozaglitazone, and Antibiotics

In 2010 I went to my GP when I noticed I could not sign my name and he suspected I had had a stroke, he asked me if I had any other problems and I mentioned that I could not stand up for any length of time. I have had a few minor strokes, but it is still not clear to me if the CT Scan showing the strokes are still a factor in my health issues

The Doc said that was called orthostatic intolerance could be due to CFS so I was referred to a CFS specialist, who initiated an extensive set of blood and BP tests, then had 4 head and spine MRIs, neurological tests, and vascular tests, through a diagnosis of exclusion.

CFS seems very difficult to diagnose and can be attributed to many different causes, and my CFS specialist
used an exclusion diagnosis. He was concluded that I do not have CFS, but the MRI showed a spinal problem which is the cause of my standing and walking problems. I am still hoping I can be cured.

As a non medical person, but trained as an IT Systems Engineer used to doing root cause analysis on system problems my own conclusion is this is a number of problems layered on top of each other, and this exclusion diagnosis used by the CFS specialist is the right way forward for me.

My advice:
1. Make sure you do not complicate the spectrum of problems your might have by getting the best diabetes management you and possibly achieve, and be relentless in continuously improving your own blood sugar performance, be hard on yourself in assessing your own performance very regulalry. Do not be seduced into feeling well and then easing up on your diabetes management and diabetes diary

2. Try to be the best manager of your diabetes symptoms you could possibly be? Do you keep accurate records of your medications, food intake, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugars etc. Do you review how good you are at record keeping and do you see trends in your Blood Sugars by reviewing weekly / monthly?

3.Are you clear on what adverse drug reactions you have? Are you using www.rxlist or something similar to research your medication and its effects? Pain and numbness symptoms led me to some disturbing conclusions on drugs like statins

4. Have you had an extensive CFS exclusion investigation like me, and have you had any other physical tests like brain/Spine MRIs?

5. Another possibly spurious area I investigated was Lyme Disease and Weill's disease as I had a UK camping holiday in a Lyme disease hot spot, and have had intermittetent problems with rats and our rubbish bins in the last 12 years in our new house . An extensive set of blood tests should show up markers of infections for these.

Thats all I can think of for now.

Good luck and stay curious until you find an answer!!

 

[lisba1]

Hi,

Just a really quick one to second Indy51's suggestion to cut out wheat/gluten and actually to extend this to other high carb foods. I don't have T2 (I'm on the forum for my daughter's Type 1) but I did suffer a really bad bout of Chronic Fatigue about 10 years ago. I saw a homeopath called Dr Lockie who told me to cut out all sugar and high carb foods (bananas, potatoes, white flour, bread, rice, etc) from my diet.

You may find this a bit hard initially but it was well worth it - I felt SO much better and was back to my old self within 2 months.

Good luck!

 

[foxyccc]

thank you all very much for your advice and comments. It might be worth me trying cutting wheat out of my diet. A few years ago I told by my ME consultant to cut out all sugar, which I did for a few years. It didnt make any different to my energy levels - at this point I had unstable blood glucose.

I think it will be worth a try. I do tend to crave carbs and especially white carbs. I eat a special granary type loaf instead of white, but I do crave cakes. I try to have things such as tea cakes occasionally instead of high sugar versions. A Doctor who is an ME specialist, called Dr Sarah Myhill recommends a stone age diet for ME, which is basically like the Atkins diet. High protein and vegs and fruit. So this is the same type of advice as you are suggesting by cutting out the wheat.

I have been following a low carb (170g per day) diet on the recommendation of the GP for the last few months, together with gradual increase of tablet medication. I have got my HBAIC down from 9.3 to 8 but the energy is no better.

I was diagnosed with ME/CFS by a Harley Street Doctor, and have seen two other ME consultants who confirm the diagnosis. The problem with ME that most blood test results come back normal. There is a problem with the mitrochondrial energy part of the cell. I have never been offered any special tests. There is very little treatment for ME except pacing advice and dietary advice. I have attended the EXPERT diabetes programme which was very useful. Since having ME I have had homeopathy for two years, accupuncture for six months, kinesiology for 12 years, and have tried herbal and normal supplements but nothing has madea great deal of difference.

The Wheat may be worth looking at though. I am trying Bydureon injection after christmas, which is an insulin mimic to try and get my blood glucose level down a bit more.

I will look at the links you have suggested regarding the wheat.

Thanks for all your advice and support

 

[izzzi]

Hi,Foxyccc

I am looking forward to the spring as this is very uplifting for me!

I think the weather plays quite a important part with your health as you look forward to the spring and your garden.

I hope you have some indoor plants that you can easily look after, and also you have views from your windows to your garden.

In the part of the country you live in,there will be orchards that thrive indoors.

Just a thought to help you while waiting for nice weather. ( I bet you have lovely plants and you can tell me whats best to grow indoors )


Roy

 

[foxyccc]

Hi Roy.

My husband is a keen gardener and we have a lovely garden with two ponds and a water feature! I can potter around the garden and sit in the garden when weather permits. I was bought a lovely cyclamen in a lovely purple colour at the weekend, and I am enjoying looking at this. I have a great husband and he regularly buys me flowers to put in a vase which I enjoy.

I always feel brighter on a sunny day dont you?

I also enjoy the christmas tree lights and I have twigs with lights on them, that brighten up the long evenings. I think that it is good to have things that give you happiness around you.

Perhaps a nice christmas poinsetta or orchid might be nice for you Roy.

Regards
caron

 

[Brian_Harkness]

Caron,

I am assuming that you are reasonably sensible about diet, monitor your blood sugars etc.

Caron you are not alone with this problem, quite a lot of diabetics with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome seem to report severe problems with control. The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome messes with hormone levels that affect blood sugar, it also messes with body chemistry that could affect insulin action. This makes it a major problem for all forms of diabetic. This seems to be a severe and very common problem, so much so that I am seriously thinking about trying doing some medical research into it.

I suffer both too and I am trying to get more precise hormone level tests and (if my suspicion is right) therapy at the moment. I would be glad to let you know how I get on.

I would really do with more information to try and help you, its a shame there is no way to 'talk real time on here'. Two things helped for me: Taking smaller meals & bigger snacks (in other words spreading the food out more)

It really seems as if we could do with a support group and telephone hotline all of our own doesn't it?

Empathise fully re the garden too, when highly fatigued love to be out in the garden and just gently drink in the view and the scents.

Brian

 

[caz78]

I have type 2 diabetes. I have m.s which i have chronic fatigue, and with my blood sugars being high it doesn't matter what I do I can put a washing on and a need to go for a sleep as I'm that excausted.
Its horrible to feel so drained in excausted

 

[nomoredonuts]

@foxyccc Hi!
Its been a fair while since you popped up on these boards. I would love to know how you have coped these past few years. Likewise @caz78. Having ME/CFS is testing enough on a person without adding diabetes on top.