1. Community
  2. Diabetes and hormone problems
  3. Diabetes

Advice please

Posted , 5 users are following.

buggsy1000
buggsy1000

Good morning everyone,

I hope you are all settling down and ready for Xmas.

I was wondering if people could give advice or opinion on some symptoms I have.

I have for the last few months become very fatigued, I thought it was linked to my medication for pain releife as I have major spinal problems, and take lots of opiate meds, I am a 38 year old male and sadly I had to stop working on September 2015, I am overweight as I am restricted and can walk less than 100mtr due to my spinal injury and they want me to use a wheel chair.

However recently I have noticed that when I eat something sweet, like sweets, cake fizzy drink, within 10-15 mins, I become extremely tired, and can hardly stay awake I have fallen asleep very quickly and could sleep for 4-5 hrs in the daytime.

I am wondering if I may have some form of diabeties and if eating sweet things is linked with it. I have booked an appointment to see my GP but at the moment due to Xmas my appointment is 19/1, so thought I would ask for advice on here.

Many thanks in advance

Wish you all a great Xmas

George ( UK )

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 buggsy1000

    Posted

    Could be diabetes. If you are overweight it is best to start cutting down on sugary things now, why wait till mid January? I know this is difficult particularly at Christmas but you need to start now.

    Also look at carbohydrate content of food not just sugar content.

    You can do so much to help yourself.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah

     

    • buggsy1000
      buggsy1000 sarah87162

      Posted

      Thanks Sarah

      It's amazing how much I thought I knew about diabeties until you think you might have it.

      As said I have an appointment with my Dr in January, and I will take your advice re cutting sugar. When I typed in symptoms it brought up hyperglycaemic but I stopped reading as started reading to much.

      I just hoped someone may have had some experience or know about the symptoms of hyperglycaemia.

      Thanks for advice and have a good Xmas.

      Regards

      George

  • anthony70799
    anthony70799 buggsy1000

    Posted

    There is no doubt in my mind that you have type2 diabetes.Everything you have said leans that way. You must start immediately cutting out all sugary food such as cakes,biscuits,chocolate,coke etc, all jams and marmalade,bought pies and should you have breakfast cerials have only Weetabix or Shredded Wheat which are the most healthy and less sugar. Ideally you should have a bowl of porridge(make it with porridge oats) which is slow release carbohydrate.I have been a sportsman all my life with the last twenty years being a racing cyclist. I have therefore been thoroughly manic about what I eat.I am asthmatic and for the last 2 years Type 2.My doctor at the last 3 month check noticed my sugar level had increased to 9 so I am now on Glicazide as well as metformin.(check these on the internet).Although I am 82 I am still active though no longer racing(boo hoo).

    Hope you can sort things with your doc in January.

    • buggsy1000
      buggsy1000 anthony70799

      Posted

      Hi Anthony

      Thanks for the information, I went to my local pharmacy today to get some meds for the kids ( coughs and colds ), while I was there I was talking to the pharmacist and asked if I could buy a device to measure my sugar levels. I explained my symptoms so they said they could check my glucose for me, i hadn't eaten and my glucose was 8.5 I then had a choc bar and 30 mins later it was 17.4. So I am now stopping as much sugar ( that I know it's in) and see GP in January, they will contact my GP as part of the surgery and get me an appointment earlier.

      Thanks for all your advice.

      Have a good Xmas

      George

    • buggsy1000
      buggsy1000

      Posted

      Sorry I meant to say the pharmacist didn't actually say what those scores mean, but said get earlier appointment with GP for further tests, are those score normal, mid or high??

      Thanks

    • anthony70799
      anthony70799 buggsy1000

      Posted

      Hello again.

      People who are not diabetic would on average record a figure of between 4 and 5 but doctors would be concerned if the reading went above 7(as was my case) so your reading of 8.5 would set alarm bells ringing! Whilst you can expect your blood sugar to rise after a chocolate bar, 17.4 is very high. The higher the reading means you have too much sugar and in time can bring disasterous results affecting your heart and kidneys and feet. So PLEASE get some help, get diciplined in food intake and I know it is hard but you will have to make sacrifices in in comfort food especially as you expect to be in a wheelchair with your disability. Because my three monthl check showed 9 (I have been ill for some time and could not exercise) my doctor insisted on me having a glicazide tablet every morning.This assists insulin uptake from the pancreas but two days ago I almost had a 'hypo' (my reading went down to 3.5) so I am still re-organising my life again.

      Hospitals by the way have diabetic clinics that are very good.

      In this season of goodwill to all men I wish you all the luck in the world and hope I have not frightened you. You have caught it in time

      Keep in touch George

      Anthony

    • buggsy1000
      buggsy1000 anthony70799

      Posted

      Hi Anthony

      Thanks for reply especially on Xmas day.

      Nope your email hasn't scared me it's just confirmed what I was thinking and will now move me forwards and hopefully get it all under control going forward.

      I will go and see myGP as an urgent on Tuesday as they are doing a walk in clinic over Xmas, I guess they can run bloods and stuff from there, and hopefully see the specialist nurse in the surgery.

      Thanks for your help and advice, I hope I have caught it in time before anything bad happens.

      Best wishes

      George

  • amkoffee
    amkoffee buggsy1000

    Posted

    You know it really irritates me that all you've talked about is restricting sugar. If you are diabetic you should also consider restricting bread items, potatoes and corn. As all of those also turn to sugar in your body. So it's not just sweet things. As a matter of fact sweet potato which is sweet naturally are good for you as a diabetic. Fruits on the other hand are natural sugar should be eaten in moderation. I am a pre-diabetic and I am new at this game and I'm trying to learn the rules. So I am fresh at this and don't know the all rules but these things I have spoken of I do know.

    • buggsy1000
      buggsy1000 amkoffee

      Posted

      I am not sure why it irritates you.!!!

      I asked a simple question and I know nothing about being a diabetic, I have been given some advice on what I need to do before I see my GP, so as it's the Xmas holidays and this always has lots of sweet things.

      But I do thank you for your input as this is good information. It seems like I have lots to learn but I am sure my GP and the nurse specialist will give me a lot of information to go forward.

      Regards

      George

    • anthony70799
      anthony70799 amkoffee

      Posted

      I can quite understand your irritation but although you are prediabetic you already have a great understanding of what to eat and what not to. Buggsy on the other hand is now commencing a big learning curve and I could have gone on and on about what to avoid but it is best that he gets quality advice and hopefully a diabetic dietician like I had at the Hospital Diabetic Clinic. Diabetes is an annoying disease especially when one has asthma and Bronchiectasis as I have. For the last 9 months I have battled with a persistant bug (haemophilus influenza) in my left lung which (hopefully) has been killed off with help from a wonderful Consultant aided by Papworth experts.As you can imagine my brain has been quite addled what with an increase in my blood sugar. I have been issued with a meter by my doctor and am at present wrestling with taking readings at various times of the day. So far since taking half a tablet of glicazide with breakfast(for the last week) it is 6.4 average so I am hopeful. One must bear in mind that age comes into it and in my case family genes. I have always been sport mad and spent 30 years playing league tennis and the last 20 years as a fanatical racing cyclist. I celebrated my 80th birthday two years ago by driving 750 miles down France to Provence(in 2 days)riding up Mont Ventoux 26km up to 2000 m. Then driving another 750 mile back! Even with my health troubles and pre-diabetes It was down to my fitness and lifestyle that I succeeded. Which emphasises the point of exercise with diet. Buggsy is likely to have a problem with exercise and having a spinal problem but one never knows, maybe once he gets on a good diet wonders may happen. As you say, learning about carbohydrates is essential. For years I pushed as much carbs down me and protein bars so that I could fare well in my racing career(maybe this did not help me later!!)but my body needed them. I hold the Anglian 100 mile record for 74,75 and 76 year old (4hours 41mins - 22 mph) and also 218 miles for 12 hours. I suppose I am a little exceptional for my age. I amazed myself how controlled I have been the lasst couple of days as there was so much 'goodies' littered about the house (12 family members staying) which I am now able to completely ignore  even our traditional Fox's chocolate biscuits, mince pies Roses sweets etc.

      Well, I have gone on a bit but you must allow a bit for age!

      Keep working at it and I wish you success in the future.

      Anthony

    • buggsy1000
      buggsy1000 anthony70799

      Posted

      Thanks Anthony.

      It sounds like you are an incredible strong and dedicated person in the field of sport, so well done and congratulations on what you have achieved.

      I do appreciate everyone's advice but I am sure it has taken a lot of time for people newly diagnosed with diabeties to totally understand the good, bad and uglies of this disease.

      Thanks for those who have advised it's been helpful.

      Enjoy the rest of the holiday

      George

    • amkoffee
      amkoffee buggsy1000

      Posted

      Oh it's not you I'm irritated at. It was the response you got. Sorry for the confusion. You asked quite a legitimate question and I think you deserve a good answer and I don't believe you got one. I just wanted to make sure you understood that it wasn't just sugary snacks that made the difference. Happy holidays

    • amkoffee
      amkoffee anthony70799

      Posted

      Anthony you are to be commended for your wonderful athleticism particularly at your age but regardless at any age you've done a fantastic job. But like the Buggsy I too have suffered severe back problems and because of this I lead a very sedentary life. I was leading a very healthy eating, exercising life when I injured my back. My life as I knew it fell apart. Since that time I have gotten nothing but one diagnosis after another. One of the newest being prediabetes. So no I do not have your healthy body and I really wish I did. And I do have a lot of improving to make but I struggle with a lot of pain in my body. But I wanted to make that point with Buggsy so that he would not be left astray thinking all he had to do was stay away from the Christmas cookies but that he could continue to eat the wonderful loaves of bread and mash potatoes.

  • rwls
    rwls buggsy1000

    Posted

    Hello buggsy1000,

    ?I Have type 1 diabetes, so on insulin.

    Should i have a sugary treat, high carb meal or catch a bug or cold causing my blood sugar to rise i get tired quickly. Sometimes i feel so exhausted i fall asleep before i inject the insulin meaning it rises further (trying to not make it a habit). rolleyes But i can say the tiredness wasn't as bad before when i was first diagnosed as it is now (i have developed another illness which might be adding to the problem so i understand if your medication is causing you a few extra problems).

    ?Have you noticed the same with a meal which is high in carbohydrates? Pasta is the worst for me... possibly try to make small changes now such as smaller meals, no sugar in tea or sugar free drinks.

    Fruit is also a bit of a problem as well as smoothies with the natural sugars.

    ?I have tried to make cakes with Splenda instead but wasn't very sucessful so just eat less normal cake and try to enjoy it more than swapping it.

    ?

    ?You mentioned about hyperglycaemia 'hyper'. It is not the same for everyone but when i'm 'high' i can feel it at 11.0mmol or not until 16.0 or even 20.0. I feel tired, can't quench my thirst but needing to pee all the time (your body tries to flush out the toxins), sometimes my vision is blurred if my blood sugar is especially high and i feel my hands are throbbing.

    ?Having a high blood sugar is just as dangerous as being low as it can cause ketoacidosis/ketosis.

    ?Hypoglycaemia 'hypo', low. I can go as low as 2.0 or start to feel my blood sugar falling at 4.0 (I need to be at least 5.0 on my meter to drive). My whole body shakes, legs feel like jelly, sweaty, feel irritated and lose concentration and become clumsy. If my sugar is really low i cannot communicate or focus on other talking to me and speak in gobboldy goop.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.