Diabetes Advice Again Please?

[learning2me]

I have now been diagnosed type 2 diabetic for 3 months and have been following dietary advice very carefully.

However because of my Brain Tumour and some joint pains I am very limited on the exercise I can do.

I used to walk a lot, but my joints object now (waiting for an appointment for X rays)

Been to see my Diabetes Nurse this morning and had bloods taken. My blood sugar was up from 7 on diagnosis, to 17.

I have managed to put on weight.

My eyesight is changing daily - currently everything is rather fuzzy close to - OK for distance.

Dr and Nurse aren't too helpful. Suggested calorie counting using www,myfitnesspal and armchair exercises.

When I told her that I hadn't felt totally well for 15 years (menopause, Brain Tumour, Dental Implants, joint pain, eye problems - she answered "Well you've had plenty of time to get used to it!"
I nearly swung for her  

I have looked at the Diabetes UK website for help - hoping to find a local group that I can talk to, but they just seem to offer lectures.

May try to speak to a mentor, but I'm feeling very down about all this. Not sure where to get help or where to go from here.

[saasher2012]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear you are feeling down but understandable with all you have had to put up with, before I go any further may I ask what meds you are on as well as any meds for diab?

[**towery**]

Learning have you written down what and when you have eaten and  drunk, including tablets vitamins etc a?

try and work out  some meal plans that are 'healthy' and see if that helps

when does the nurse want to see you again

[learning2me]

saasher I take HRT, Omeprazole, Iron tablets Vitamin D capsules and aspirin

Same time as diabetes diagnosis I was tld that I was anaemic and not absorbing vitamin D.

Aspirin is following a TIA which was a side effect of BT treatment.

Currently experiencing severe joint pain, which may are may not be the result of my very strong, double dose HRT.

Towery, the Nurse suggested using myfitnesspal to record everything I eat and doesn't want to see me for 6 months.

I am still waiting for my DESMOND talk as they are months behind.

Surely daibetes can't change your eyesight on a daily basis?

[**towery**]

i think i'd go and talk to the pharmacist, and then sit in the soctors til i was happier

are they sure that any treatment you had in the past hasnt compromised the glands responsible for controling insulin  is it?

[learning2me]

The Nurse did query whether my pituatry gland could have been comprimised by my BT treatment. Looking at what the pituatry controls, perhaps this could be the case.

I spend half my life having hot flushes and the rest of the time shivering.

Pituatry also controls matabolism.

[**towery**]

i saw this internetland

Other ways diabetes can affect your eyes Temporary blurring

The changes in blood sugar levels resulting from diabetes can affect the lens inside your eye, especially when diabetes is uncontrolled. This can result in blurring of vision which comes and goes across the day. This blurring may be one of the first symptoms of diabetes although it may also occur at any time when your diabetes is not well controlled. Once your diabetes is controlled most people find this variable blurring goes away.

[**towery**]

can you ring and ask your brain surgeon

[learning2me]

I have been discharged from him as it's now 10 years since treatment.

Think I may have to see my Doctor again for a referral.

[saasher2012]

I'm afraid it can & does change your vision on a day to day basis & this is because your sugar levels fluctuate from hour to hour as well as from day to day& until that settles down & is under control it will continue, which is why all diabetics have the eye X-ray annually to check on the blood vessels behind the retina.
I presume as you are on no medication for the diabetes they are trying the diet alone treatment?
I'm afraid as everyone here will tell you the conflicting advice can be very confusing as Drs diabetic nurses differ in their advice from practice to practise, causing confusion all round.
Because of your other ailments & medication I advice that you go back to your practise & ask to see a Dr who is on top of the Diabetic situation ,

[saasher2012]

Sorry I pressed the wrong button ,
Explain that you are not happy & that you need help not silly unsympathetic advice, that you also need to see a professional dietician , etc !

[learning2me]

Agree saasher - saw GP last week and she is sending me for x rays of joints and referred me to Diabetes Nurse.

Having read up about the pituatry gland I think I'll be asking for tests as I have 8 out of 12 symptoms.

Pituatry is close to the jugular, which is where my tumour is. It was blasted by Gamma Knife, not removed.

[saasher2012]

Yes I thought as much which is why I hesitated on advice! If you are newly diagnosed with type 2 I am amazed they are letting you go for 6 months without seeing someone especially as your sugar levels are climbing. You need help & advice now!.
Please don't get uptight & down hearted, chin up & keep in touch with us we will help where we can even if you just want a moan.
Good luck. Sandra.

[cookiecookuk]

the only advice i can give is make sure you go to desmond as i and my husband found there information invaluable.

also as newly diagnosed you should have been told not to have your eyes tested for at least a year as it can change your eyesight..but blurry eyes is a side effect but will settle down.

[saasher2012]

Yes that's good advice , the optician will charge the earth for a pair of glasses that you probably won't need when it does settle down!.

[learning2me]

Several months waiting list for DESMOND and I'm told that it's the same to see a dietician.

My optician is very good. I wear contacts and he will just change the strength as needed (monthly use) so no costs involved.

The main thing is that I find it scarey when I can't see clearly.

If my 12 week reading is too high they will call me back and look at some medication, but otherwise it seems like I'm just left to sink or swim.

I have a stinking headache and feel sick because of the blurred vision.

I have had a small bowl of porridge, a small orange and a banana all day as she has scared me so much.

If all this turns out to be from my pituatry gland and they have missed it, I'll play holy hell.

[saasher2012]

Please don't stint on your food it will make it worse, the headache & sickness may be the low point of your sugar levels!
Take your breakfast as normal , have a light lunch say a salad with lean ham , & have dinner as you would normally, ie fish, lean meat, chuck, with veg & just cut down on pots, & bread, you MUST EAT REGULAR MEALS, sorry that doesn't mean I'm shouting at you,
The idea is to eat foods with a slow release to even out your sugar levels.high fibre, low fat, low sugar, but try & eat things that contain calcium & vit D, they both are important together one of them cannot be stored without the other& I can't remember which.have you got a decent library where you could get a book on a good diabetic diet. Ooh I just remembered I put up a booklet on a Diabetic thread here awhile ago, can you find it if you look back on the threads?

[bitsnknots]

Honestly Mags, as if you haven't had enough to put up with lately.  As Saasher has said, you must east regular meals or it will play havoc with your blood results.  Good luck and fingers crossed for you.

[learning2me]

Agree again saasher but she has suggested 1200 calories a day without giving me any meal ideas or recipes - not helpful.

Just had a couple of sausages with onion gravy and 4 tiny new potatoes.

Will look back for your recipes.

[saasher2012]

No I'm afraid this happens a lot , which is wrong people are left shocked & with no information whatsoever , we were discussing this on the thread I mentioned, there is so many differing ideas & it does get confusing as we all have been told different things, but you can't go far wrong if you eat regular meals & it's very important that you do! Another thing for you to understand is the fact if your sugar is haywire it does affect your moods, so keep that in mind if your feeling low, when you get into a healthy diabetic diet you will feel loads better, but we all fall of the wagon from time to time.lol. she says, as I feel a bit low today I've eaten something I shouldn't .lol.but I'm not gonna tell ya what!if you want more recipes let me know but be warned it takes me ages to do it cos I'm a n I pad numpty!.