# Greetings fellow diabetics, a few questions..



## Squeeshy (Jan 31, 2014)

Hi , I was just diagnosed with diabetes over Christmas. I had a bg of 37 and couldn't see too well. I'm a tall male of 41 and was 22.5 stone on Dec 1st  2013 I lost loads of weight in the few weeks leading up to my admission at hospital and am now 19 stone in two months. I seem to be doing OK with the diet and medication and my sugar is staying around 5-6 all day long. I used to be a chef so I'm good with the diet and I'm doing exercise daily now.

My first question is when do they tell you which diabetes you have as my doctor told me she wasn't sure yet.

Also I'm on 2 Metformin,  1 gliclazide and 22 ml of Lantus daily and occasionally lately I've been getting minor anxiety attacks, usually late at night and for no reason at all. I checked the side effects of both pills and they said this was a known side effect. Well does it subside, is it temporary or is it psychosomatically induced?? 

Anyway that's my questions for now, all the best and happy Chinese new year : )


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## Copepod (Jan 31, 2014)

Welcome to the forum, Squeeshy. Happy Year of the Horse.

Not the way you'd choose to spend Christmas and New Year, nor the way you'd choose to loose weight.

Regarding type of diabetes - that's not so important as getting the right treatment. If you have insulin resistance, you need tablets like metformin. If your pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin, you need to inject some, and may need some short acting with meals as well as long acting. A blood test for antibodies done early in your diagnosis would probably show which type, but it's expensive, so not always offered. As you're taking medication for diabetes, you're entitled to an NHS Medical Exemption Card for free prescriptions. Obviously, you may already get free prescriptions for other reasons. Do you have a blood glucose meter, test strips and lancets? you're on insulin, you must inform DVLA if you hold a driving licence.

Anxiety usually does subside, as you get more used to dealing with life with diabetes. However, it's worth mentioning to your prescribing doctor, as they may be able to offer eg psychological support, support groups, exercise on prescription etc. Services are very local, so options may or may not be available where you live.

Good luck - and keep asking here.


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## Pete H (Jan 31, 2014)

Morning and welcome Squeeshy, any questions ask away on here these guys will help you out.. Best of luck and hope things soon settle down..


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## cardinalGT (Jan 31, 2014)

Hi Squeeshy

Technically 9 months later I am still waiting for my doctor to tell me I have Diabetes! All I got handed was a prescription, a meter and told to "eat less sugar" - the rest I had to work out for myself.

The anxiety does ease off as you get more familiar with the disease and start getting a grip with it. When I was reading up on the Big D I did see the one of symptoms described as "helplessness". It actually made me smile at the time and bizarrely cheered me up no end!

Having said that, I found I had a fearsome temper after a while and seemed to spend most of my time wanting to shout at  people. I did resort to a doctor after about 6 months and bless her - she put me on vitamin B6 rather than anti-d's which when I googled Vit B6 made much more sense. (Very reluctant to take anti-d's - the B6 did help).

My goal is to not let the Diabetes control my life - I get to control it. Working hard / excercise / diet and 9 months later I have managed to come off the glic and am just on the metformin. I am working towards getting the met reduced next to a lower dose.

Good luck - dont forget you might have off days - dont let them get you down and come back here and ask away!


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## Squeeshy (Jan 31, 2014)

*Squeeshy says thanks.*

Thanks for  your speedy responses, perfect. It's very nice to have this resource for info and advice. Cheers : )


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## Vicsetter (Jan 31, 2014)

Hi and welcome.  It looks to me like your doctor is confused as to what type you are (not unusual).  You seem to be on medication for a Type 2 although you are unusual in being on insulin before going to a maximum dose of Metformin (4 tablets a day).
I would suggest you pester your doctor for a proper diagnosis (have he even done the glucose tolerance test on you?).  As Copepod says if you drive then you must inform the DVLA of your medication and you will be reduced to at best a 3yr restricted licence.


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## grovesy (Jan 31, 2014)

With a blood sugar of 37, a glucose tolerene test would not be needed.


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## Vicsetter (Feb 1, 2014)

grovesy said:


> With a blood sugar of 37, a glucose tolerene test would not be needed.



Without specific background data of this reading a proper diagnosis is required and not based on one reading (contaminated fingers spring to mind, or previous drink/food intake).  Squeeshy didn't say who gave the reading (is this the GP or S themselves).  I find it a little strange cause I thought most meters just said 'High' after about 25mmol.


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## bigheadmike (Feb 13, 2014)

the 37 result sounds like a HBA1c result not a meter test result

just as the others have said, pester your doctor to get the best out of them for you. you need to remember that diabetes isn't the world, keeping on top of it has made me a better person, i am in the best shape of my life right now thanks mostly to the kick up the arse D gave me.

Any question a welcome in this forum as i have found in the past. 

Mike


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## bigheadmike (Feb 13, 2014)

cancel my fisrt sentance on the last post i did, 37 would be an awesome result for HbA1c

my reader goes to about 31


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