What is the Hardest thing.

[oflynj1]

Every case and patient are different. But what is the hardest thing that you find personally, living with type 2 diabetes?

 

[martsnow]

I have recently (four weeks) been diagnosed with type two and am taking Glicizide. The hardest things that I have found is the severe deterioration in my mental health. I already suffer from suicidal depression and the diagnosis has dragged me into the pits of despair. I am not worried about having diabetes but the worsening depression has been brought about by the change in diet and the medication. Another thing that I have found is that since the change in diet and medication I have suffered cold after cold and ear infection as well as ongoing chest infections. Saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she said that as your blood glucose levels go down so does your immunity to fight infections.

I dont know if other members have heard of this

Regards

Martin

 

[LinsT]

I think you may have misunderstood what your psychiatrist meant @martsnow
As I understand it, high blood glucose levels make us more susceptible to infections. The glucose overloads our cells - including our immune system cells - stopping them working efficiently. As our blood sugars normalise through diet and medication, this risk decreases. Also, active infections can make our blood sugars go up. It may well be that I'm wrong (thats certainly not unheard of) but I haven't come across any evidence that infections are more likely as blood sugars come down.
I'm sorry to hear you're having such a hard time.

what is the hardest thing that you find personally, living with type 2 diabetes

I sometimes get a bit fed up when I can't eat cake - but quite honestly I'm actually quite glad to have this diagnosis. I know that seems a strange thing to say - but at least now I know I have some control over it and can do my best to avoid complications. If I didn't know, I would have carried on eating the way I was and would highly likely have gone on to develop something much more difficult to manage. As it is I am able to live a completely normal life, just one without cake in it!

 

[CharmaineOli4]

The hardest thing for me...? The constant pain my insides are in, the mood swings, esp the downs I get? My sight has taken a dive, the diabetic coach said it would go back to normal eventually? That its sugar behind my eyes but its just getting worse, I have lost 24 kgs in a year which is terrific, because I have managed to go off my hypertension meds. I am tired of not feeling like a normal person! Its exhausting having to constantly tell my family when they ask whats wrong? I feel ill!! When I really have loads of pain, I sleep! I am always exhausted.... I feel 73 and not the 43 I am! I have tried metformin, slow release and before meals one... But got so sick, swollen feet, so bad, I could not see the difference between my feet and ankles, then they tried putting me on Humulin 1, by the end of the week I was eating like a elephant, I never ever felt full, and just wanted more and more food, so took myself off the insulin, eventually I got put on Victoza, very good because it brings my sugar down to 12 .... That's the lowest I've been since I was diagnosed in Sept 2014. South Arican government hospitals are the pits of hell! I would not take my animals there! Filth and blood and dirty bedding, no food the list is endless...! Only my hubby works, so we cannot afford private medical aid. One victoza pen here in South Africa costs R700 ... I buy it when I can afford it, other than I go cold turkey.... No meds. My blood sugar level runs between 15 and 21.5 .... As soon as I can find work again, we can go back on prvt medical aid, and I can begin treatment again! Until then, well ...... I make sure to check my sugar levels and try eat correctly.

 

[CharmaineOli4]

I also get constant chest infections as soon as my sugar level goes 18 and beyond!

 

[britishpub]

what is the hardest thing that you find personally, living with type 2 diabetes?

For me, I can't think of one.

I've lost weight, I feel great, I eat a great diet and I never think about what I can't eat, only what I can.

I always try to stay positive, because I know there will be further hurdles that will appear in my way as time goes by, but I am determined to jump as many as I can.

 

[taffey786]

My blood glucose levels was 5.6mml this Morning at 4:42am.because I have to goto work in the morning start at 6:00am.i never have any problems at Work.

 

[Cathn61may]

The hardest thing I have ever experienced with Type 1 was when I went to high school in 1971. On the school bus in the morning the radio was on and every time the song Sugar Sugar came on the kids used to sing it to me and ask me did I want some sugar. At that time I was the only Type 1 Diabetic known to man in the village, school anywhere. So few children had Type 1 in 1967 when I was diagnosed.

 

[Trachet]

The hardest thing I find living with T2 diabetes is the judgement of the press and some medical professionals that we are guilty of bringing it on ourselves. Hardly a day goes by where we are not being used as scapegoats for increasing NHS costs. OK so T2 is linked with obesity but there are plenty of obese people who have not got diabetes. I feel constantly guilty which has led to depression and trouble with eating.

 

[Sean01]

Every case and patient are different. But what is the hardest thing that you find personally, living with type 2 diabetes?

Today (Friday) the hardest thing was walking into Victoria Station - all I could smell was chinese food and soy sauce. I then had to walk past umpteen food outlets looking for somewhere that had something I was happy eating. Eventually I found some overpriced nuts. My sense of smell (for food) seems to have increased massively in the last month.

 

[DeanLJ]

Every case and patient are different. But what is the hardest thing that you find personally, living with type 2 diabetes?

Food is now a necessity rather than an indulgence finger pricking

on the up side, i've not felt this good for years and i'll most likely live longer than i would have done with my old lifestyle.

 

[Sean01]

I have recently (four weeks) been diagnosed with type two and am taking Glicizide. The hardest things that I have found is the severe deterioration in my mental health. I already suffer from suicidal depression and the diagnosis has dragged me into the pits of despair. I am not worried about having diabetes but the worsening depression has been brought about by the change in diet and the medication. Another thing that I have found is that since the change in diet and medication I have suffered cold after cold and ear infection as well as ongoing chest infections. Saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she said that as your blood glucose levels go down so does your immunity to fight infections.

I dont know if other members have heard of this

Regards

Martin

Hi, Sorry to hear about your plight. I hope the following helps or at least answers your query. Defence against illness is reduced due to diet (not having the right nutrients, (e.g. vit c, zinc and b vitamins) and by tiredness (leading to physical stress) and depression (mental stress??) Low blood sugar will cause depression/sadness etc just because you don't have the 'jollies' running through your blood. As for the cure, to this one, you need to talk to qualified professionals. I don't want to say anything other than try to keep your spirits up. (not that helpful, sorry.)

 

[2131tom]

The hardest thing? Keeping to it - more-or-less all of it, at one time or another .....

My weight, my diet, my social life: Going out for meals can be a bind when the menu's against you and everyone thinks you're just being 'picky'. You all know the drill:- "Oh, go on, just a little bit, once in a while. After all, it's not going to kill you, is it?"

The sore fingers and sore eyes. Misunderstandings of family and colleagues, who you'd hoped might know better: ('when you collapse, do I have to shove a sugar lump down your throat?'), doctors and other health workers about what you have: (a 'touch of diabetes') and how to control it: ('you're T2, you don't need test strips'), and how you got it (or 'brought it on yourself'!). Worries about how it's going to progress. Dire warnings - even from the professionals - on how it's going to shorten your life. As if we needed any more fear in our lives.

But for all that I've developed a conviction that I'm one of the lucky ones. I found out about it earlier than many. I can exercise some control over it all, I can lose weight and try to keep it off, change my eating habits to lower my BG, exercise, and occasionally let go - well, providing I'm good afterwards.

And at least I know a lot more about what's ailing me, and what to do about it. We might not yet have a cure but I'm still hopeful. Even my parents' generation and their doctors knew very little in comparison, and that really couldn't have been an easy position to be in.

Regards,

 

[Robbity]

I think the hardest part of living with diabetes has been for me learning how to keep it under control especially since a lot of medical advice we're given is just plain wrong!... And then when I think I'm doing nicely along comes a migraine, an ear infection, a virus, and even my flue jab, and upsets my hard won nice steady glucose levels all over again.

Having suffered a serious and long term eye problem since just before I retired (well before diabetes), when it's finally cleared up, to then find my vision becoming somewhat erratic and unreliable due to diabetes.

Persuading myself to prick my finger for testing was hard initially as I had (like many others here) a "thing" about needles.

Having the expense of paying for my own test strips, and the whole somewhat disruptive clock watching business of testing even though it's my own choice to do so.

But often it's fairly trivial things that niggle, like making sure all the time that my husband (chief shopper and main meal cook) keeps to my low carb food needs; or knowing that feeling under the weather means I'll often have to do without my home baked low carb goodies for a while if I don't feel up to cooking them myself, when I could really do with a bit of comfort eating.

Robbity

 

[LinsT]

I'll often have to do without my home baked low carb goodies for a while if I don't feel up to cooking them myself, when I could really do with a bit of comfort eating.

I still haven't managed to find any low carb home bakes that I actually like

 

[Robbity]

I still haven't managed to find any low carb home bakes that I actually like

That's a great pity! I've always loved nuts and ground almonds in particular so baking with nuts is a great pleasure for me, and a certain husband can object at his peril to the higher cost when my health's involved.

Robbity

 

[LinsT]

It's the sweeteners that are the problem for me - I just don't like the taste

 

[4ratbags]

What I find the hardest to deal with is the fact that everyone in our house still eats all their normal foods and I'm surrounded by them every day. Also I can't believe how expensive it is to purchase the ingredients for low carb, sugar free baking. Other than that I consider diabetes to be the best thing that ever happened to me as it gave me the kick up the backside I needed to take control of my health.

 

[DeanLJ]

That's a great pity! I've always loved nuts and ground almonds in particular so baking with nuts is a great pleasure for me, and a certain husband can object at his peril to the higher cost when my health's involved.

Robbity

I can't handle nuts, love em but my body doesn't. i'm better eating a bit of chocolate than eating a few nuts. wierd how different things affect different folks. Gluten free flour is fine though so there is hope

 

[MDAVIES65]

The hardest thing I find is what people read and believe in the press. Type 2 since 2008, but we are treated as the lowest form of life as we have brought this on our selves. I even get this from certain members of my family, who see diabetes as a hugh joke, but the do not have to live with the constant taking of medication/injections and ensuring that there blood glucose is with in limits. We are seen as a drain on the NHS, yet I have paid my dues into the NHS for 32 years. The family members that make the comments dont even work or pay tax' s or NIC but get every thing free. It makes me depressed, but I know I have to keep going. I eat the best I can to keep my BG's stable, and i have lost 2.5 stone in the last 18 months, and my waist size has come down fron a 44" to a 36". I now have skin like a rhino, due to these type of comments, but my life must go on so i can see my kids grow up