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Type 2 diabetic with major gut problems and my GP won't even see me

akindrat18

Well-Known Member
Messages
570
Location
Stoke-on-Trent
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello, it's been a while since I was last on here. I've been experiencing over the past few months problems with diarrhoea and abdominal pain in the left side of my tummy after I've eaten a meal. I've been in A&E four times now with the problem as the pain has been so excruciating some times. I've tried getting an appointment with my GP and I did yesterday, only to be turned around and be told "you've been seen at the hospital and referred to a Gastro consultant, why you come?"

I am Type 2 diabetic and I take fixed doses of Novorapid (54) and Tresiba (88) as well as Metformin (SR), Carvediol, Spironolactone and Tostran gel.

The abdominal pain and diarrhoea suddenly comes on after I've eaten a meal. I've been prescribed cocodamol and loperamide since Monday and it's helped until tonight, where I've opened up my bowels 10 times and counting. It's been affecting me at work several times now and I just want it to stop.

I've even thought about doing intermittent fasting whilst I'm at work, so that there is nothing in my system to digest, since my doctors won't see me for the problem.
 
Welcome back, @akindrat.
Has your diet improved or changed?
 
Pipp said:
Welcome back, @akindrat.
Has your diet improved or changed?
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My diet has changed slightly as since April 2022 I've been reducing my carb intake each month. I started off slowly by reducing my carb intake from 250g in April then 200g in July and then to 150g last month.

I've been including more protein and fat into my diet, whilst still having some carbs and reducing my intake of diet coke, which I am still struggling to do as I still drink about a litre a day.

When I was in the hospital in October, I was on some fluids as I got told I was suffering from Hypovolemia, Hyponaetremia and Thrombocytopenia.
 
It seems that you need specialist medical advice that we are not able to provide here.
If your GP is not going to see you, perhaps it would be best to contact your consultant via their secretary. Though if you are concerned about your symptoms, right now, ( and with that level of gastic symptoms, I would be) best to contact NHS111, for advice.
 
I can't contact the consultant as I don't know who I am with or even have a phone number to contact on. I will leave a message for my DN at 9am, then see what they say.
 
akindrat18 said:
I can't contact the consultant as I don't know who I am with or even have a phone number to contact on. I will leave a message for my DN at 9am, then see what they say.
Click to expand...
There is still the option of NHS111 if your symptoms are still so bad.
 
Pipp said:
There is still the option of NHS111 if your symptoms are still so bad.
Click to expand...
Well I phoned my DN and left a message as my blood sugar this morning was all over the place. From the same finger prick site I had three different results; 24.1, 22.0 and 19.5.

I've just had some eggs, bacon and avocado for breakfast. Now the pain in my abdomen has come back as a dull ache.
 
Then you have the option I suggested.
 
akindrat18 said:
Well I phoned my DN and left a message as my blood sugar this morning was all over the place. From the same finger prick site I had three different results; 24.1, 22.0 and 19.5.
Click to expand...

Given that glucometers have an error of +-15% that is quite consistent, if high. I hope you get a call back soon,
 
How are you now, @akindrat?
 
Pipp said:
How are you now, @akindrat?
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I still don't feel okay. Spoke to a hospital doctor yesterday over the phone who is sending a few blood forms to test for coeliac disease.

If I eat anything too much now, after an hour or so I feel more and more pain in my left side of my tummy, followed by diarrhoea. Even with having cocodamol and loperamide, it doesn't help to relieve it.

I have been injecting my insulin in my thighs rather than my abdomen, just incase that was worsening the problem.

The only thing I can think of doing is too eat smaller meals and for when I'm at work, to snack on some cheese or meat if I feel my sugar is a bit low.
 
akindrat18 said:
Possibly, but I've reduced my intake down by a lot and make a 1.25 litre bottle last me 3 days.
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Perhaps its like a withdrawal symptom as you have cut down. That happened to a friend of mine, just a thought
 
Lainie71 said:
Perhaps its like a withdrawal symptom as you have cut down. That happened to a friend of mine, just a thought
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It could be, but why has it only been affecting me these past few months. I only started cutting it down in October to see if the pain and diarrhoea would go down, but no success yet. A friend of mine at work who is Type 1 Diabetic, thinks it could be that I have a gluten intolerance.
 
@akindrat18 I also have severe pain from the bowel cancer I have, I am also on heavy duty painkillers etc under paliative care.

I never understood the pain range that they ask you between 0 and 10, untill till I see this diagram in one the leaflet / pamplets the palitive care nurses gave me.

My pain ranges from around 5 to 8 at present, if your pain is around that figure you should be telling the ED staff this, don't wait to hear from your nurse or gp go to the emeergency dept at the hospital.

Ignore the text as most of it dose not matter, I did not edit it out.

 
Probably time to press your GP about it if its been going on for a while, I hope you get it sorted xxx
 
According to the patient information leaflet, possible side effects of spironolactone are diarrhoea and vomiting, so maybe worth discussing this with your gp or with A&E if you go. It may have nothing to do with your symptoms though, so just another avenue to explore with someone who is medically qualified (which I'm not).
 
My father, who is type 2 has something similar. Was referred to gastroenterology. Various tests including a scan plus samples determined that his pancreas had shrunk and was no longer producing digestive enzymes as it should. He was prescribed something called Creon tablets and was also put on insulin as tablets no longer effective. Apparently it can happen with type 2 where the person has had it for a while.
 
Lainie71 said:
Probably time to press your GP about it if its been going on for a while, I hope you get it sorted xxx
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My GP is useless. They said to me on Tuesday that there was no point with keeping the appointment as I was already seen by A&E.
Thanks for this, my pain is around 6 or 7 now. I had a omelette with bacon and cheese, now since I've ate the pain has returned to my left side and has been 6:30pm.


I had a light breakfast and nothing for lunch. The only thing that helps is lying down on my left side, burping and I hate to say it 'farting' as well.
 
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