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Type 2 questions

R

rolyatluap

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Hi all I was diagnosed a few years back with type 2 but without symptoms as part of a routine health check.I have controlled pretty well since loosing a bit of weight only using 1 metaformin(500mg) tablet after reducing it from 2 due to exercise .But recently I have noticed a rise in my sugar as the were normally 5.6 at three monthly check this time they were 7.9 and the doctor put me on 2 metaformin as well as blood pressure tablets(ramipril 2.5mg/larcanidipine 10mg) and cholestrol tablets(simvastatin40mg)
I realise I have had a couple drinking sessions with cider (weddings etc)since the last test but I have been monitoring what I eating better than I was a year ago.I seem to be having more episodes of bad heads when i drink tea(2 sweeteners) or have a pepsimax/diet coke too like I have really high sugar level..overall I am also feeling tired .I am monitoring with a meter and I am not convinced the meter is being very accurate after I changed the battery
I have suffered from slipped discs for a year or so and take regular 400mg ibruprofen to ease the pain and I am unable to exercise but recently started noticing I am losing weight not loads but a bit (I have nearly cut all alcohol out too)
My question is if you have well controlled sugar input, can your body get worse or could these additional tablets the doc has gave me be effecting the body and making the type 2 diabetes worse..??
 
Hi. First Ramipril and Simvastatin won't normally have any effect on your diabetes; I can't comment on Larcanidipine. You don't say whether your 3 monthly sugar readings are HBa1C or just Fasting test. It's your HBa1C that is important and if that is 7.9 then it's quite high. Metformin doesn't have that much effect on blood sugar and wouldn't make you feel worse going from 1 to 2 tablets. You don't say what sort of diet you are on? Is it the sort of low'ish-carb diet generally recommended on this forum? You say you are losing weight; is that from a normal weight or from being overweight? How old are you? I would trust your meter as they have built-in self-check mechanisms apart from a small degree of error that calibration fluid may be used to correct. Do come back with some answers to the above questions so we can comment further.
 
T2 is a progressive condition for most of us even if diet and excercise can make it appear to resolve for a while and it's not unusual for something to change and for medication to need to be increased. You're still on a low dose of metformin so increasing the dose after a few years would be considered fairly normal.

The only thing I can think that may make your BG readings worse after the increased dose of metformin is a B12 deficiency. I had a similar reaction when my dosage was increased about this time last year and putting that together with a few other odd symptoms led me to request a B12 test and the problem was found. It can happen to people who have been taking metformin for a few years because metformin disrupts the body's ability to take up B12 and eventually the reserves get depleted.

It's easily treated and worth the blood test to see if that's the source of the problem. The headaches, tiredness, difficulty with BG control after having success in the past, and weigh loss that you describe all fit with it potentially being B12.
 
thanks geocacher I will definately look into that test :)

Diabell thanks for the reply too
~I am 37 and overweight there for weight loss is a benefit but to achieve this I normally have to exercise very hard as diet isnt enough for me unfortunately.
It was a HBa1C test I think but the result was different this time in the 50 or 60's but I questioned the doc on this and she converted to 7.9,it was for the first time not a fasting test as the receptionist told me not to fast anymore as the surgery does not advise it to diabetics due to risks !!!(this is the first non fasting I have done since being diagnosed)
when I changed the battery I contacted lifestyle lite and they sent out a solution to check its reading and it read within the pre set tolerences but I have noticed I sometimes it works normally and sometimes it will read error 3...

thanks
 
Hi. Thanks for the info. Yes, and HBa1c of 7.9 is quite high and in need of further attention. You don't say what your diet is but it needs to be below, say, 150gm/day of carbs and possibly even less to get your weight down. As you are probably insulin resistant, it may be worth suggesting to the doc to go up to 4 Metformin per day to help with the right diet and exercise. Age 37 is quite young for type 2 and there is always the possibility of late onset type 1, but as you are overweight, type 2 thru insulin resistance is the most likely explanation. If you still have high sugars even with a normal BMI then you may want to discuss your diagnosis with the GP and insulin may finally be needed but hopefully weight reduction will bring your sugars right down.
 
Thank very much I will put appointment on next week ;-)
My diet isn't great but ok and needs looking at again for me but even as we speak I had my tea 4 hours ago which was a poor tea consisting of sat night take away which was a sausage and a half dozen of chips 2 slices if bread ( poor i know but only once in a while)But felt light headed and a headache so checked sugar levels and still were 13.9 so bit of a panic so went for a brisk 20 min walk to try reduce it . It went to 7.5 when I returned but creeping up a bit and still feel light headed . This had happened last night after cup of tea seems to be if I eat or drink :-(
So a visit to the doc a must next week

Thanks for the advice



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Update ..
I still feel tired and I am suffering from a headache but I went to the docs today and she found I have been suffering from high sugars due to having recent treatment of a back injury earlier last week,a cold coming on and being severly dehydrated.I have been off work on holiday for a week and I havent really been drinking but when I am at work I sit near a water dispenser therefore I am drinking loads generally but when I am off I dont really drink very much going hours without fluids.Therefore my body is trying to fight on all sides and having no water intake the kidneys are struggling .I think that what she meant but I didnt realise how important or detrimental not having enough fluids can cause.Ah well its a learning curve for me and now I know what I need to do
thanks for the advice :-)

Paul
 
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