Worried about damage done before diag

[jamiek1]

I am a 37yr old male, I have been living an unhealthy lifestyle for a long time. I would eat fast food, drink stupid amounts of coke and not take care of myself. Two weeks ago I started to feel thirsty all the time and was waking up four times a night to urinate. I purchased a bg machine as I already knew I was probably diabetic, I tested at 40mmol. I made an appointment with my GP and had a blood test where my HBA1C was 104%. Obviously I am diabetic.

I was prescribed metformin 500mg once a day and increasing to twice a day after two weeks. My BP was also high so I was started on ramipril. I immediately made changes in my diet and I have been sticking to around 130g of carbs a day. I am now getting readings of 5-7mmol with my highest over the past few days being 10mmol in the morning.

Over the past week I have been having slight numbness in my hands and feet, but only really feel it at night. My eye sight has been fine however the last two days i have had trouble focusing on my phone and anything on a white background it makes my eyes feel tired and weird.

I am worried I have done damage to my eyes and nerves, my Gp said today she would epect these symptoms to go away as my blood sugar is more controlled but I can't help but worry. Has anyone else had those symptoms once they started to get things under control? On the plus side I have lost over a stone in weight in just under two weeks!

 

[miahara]

I am a 37yr old male, I have been living an unhealthy lifestyle for a long time. I would eat fast food, drink stupid amounts of coke and not take care of myself. Two weeks ago I started to feel thirsty all the time and was waking up four times a night to urinate. I purchased a bg machine as I already knew I was probably diabetic, I tested at 40mmol. I made an appointment with my GP and had a blood test where my HBA1C was 104%. Obviously I am diabetic.

I was prescribed metformin 500mg once a day and increasing to twice a day after two weeks. My BP was also high so I was started on ramipril. I immediately made changes in my diet and I have been sticking to around 130g of carbs a day. I am now getting readings of 5-7mmol with my highest over the past few days being 10mmol in the morning.

Over the past week I have been having slight numbness in my hands and feet, but only really feel it at night. My eye sight has been fine however the last two days i have had trouble focusing on my phone and anything on a white background it makes my eyes feel tired and weird.

I am worried I have done damage to my eyes and nerves, my Gp said today she would epect these symptoms to go away as my blood sugar is more controlled but I can't help but worry. Has anyone else had those symptoms once they started to get things under control? On the plus side I have lost over a stone in weight in just under two weeks!

It seems to me that you have really got to grips with your diabetes and are making brilliant progress in such a short time. As your GP has said it does take a while for the effects of high BG to subside so I'd not get too stressed and just continue on your present course and see how you feel in another month.
Your present BG readings are brilliant!!

 

[jjraak]

Agree with above poster @jamiek1

You're doing brilliantly

Eyes are very sensitive to changes in the glucose levels .

Leave it for a while and it will settle out

Just to set your mind at even more rest
(I know the fear of the unknown once we get our DX)
T2D get regular eyes tests
Not the optician types
Camera checks the eye for damage

Many who have been dx'd way longer sometimes get a warning of damage at these tests, but dictors wait until next check to review before doing anything

Many I have read about go back for THAT review check very worried, to be told all good, looks clear see you next year...without any intervention

So easy to say, but relax..it's just a question of time and you'll be good again.

 

[MrsA2]

Yep, I thought as if I was looking out from the backside of a waterfall for a few weeks. It does clear in time. I look on it as actually seeing the sugar leave my body, never to return!

 

[jjraak]

Yep, I thought as if I was looking out from the backside of a waterfall for a few weeks. It does clear in time. I look on it as actually seeing the sugar leave my body, never to return!

I like that image

 

[Outlier]

You are indeed doing brilliantly. Well done!

When I started on metformin, my eye sight went really blurry for a couple of weeks. It is indeed the excess sugar being cleared by the body, as is the excess urination. Bodies are brilliant at achieving homeostasis, but the process can be challenging at times. We are awesome creatures.

 

[jamiek1]

Thank you for the responses. It's not so daunting when you see that other people have been in the same position as you.

I am consistently testing in the 6's at the moment and focusing on losing the weight as I understand once I lose the weight it will be easier for my body to control my BG levels.

I actually feel like my eyesight has improved since reducing my BG, almost like the feeling you get when you get a new prescription.

Thank you everyone

 

[Lainie71]

Yep, I thought as if I was looking out from the backside of a waterfall for a few weeks. It does clear in time. I look on it as actually seeing the sugar leave my body, never to return!

Not just me then! I was convinced that my opticians had got the lenses wrong. Heaven knows how many times I went back for retest within months. Then my eyes would be okay for a while and kick off again so back to the opticians and they said they couldn't change it anymore as the prescription was the best they could do without making my eyes even worse! Now I realise it would have been my blood sugar!

 

[Mrs HJG]

Sounds like you have this thing nailed @jamiek1 your body/eyes just need to catch up!
I went through Christmas to the end of January having to use a magnifying glass to even see the TV despite wearing varifocals; it took about a month before I could see distance with the reading part and I was convinced I would need 3" thick glasses forever. But once my sugars were settled, my eyesight did come back fully within a couple of months, it is scary, and I had no help from my diabetes nurse other than suggesting I go to SpecSavers! So please be reassured, it seems to be quite 'normal'. The Sherlock Holmes look is seriously under-rated!

 

[Ronancastled]

Your body is in tremendous flux, it will settle, your brain & eyes have just become used to high glucose, the body likes stasis.

Over the past week I have been having slight numbness in my hands and feet

Guess why ? You're becoming aware of normal sensation again instead of being the boiling frog slowly losing sense of touch. It happens to many who regain control. Btw, this might get worse before it gets better, nerves heal, new pathways, brain relearns . . . it takes time, stick with it.

Has anyone else had those symptoms once they started to get things under control?

I had background retinopathy & self diagnosed neuropathy post diagnosis.
Once I achieved remission they both cleared up, the body can heal