Diabetes & Chronic Issues Support Group

[DimesDan]

That's why the health insurances offer disease management programs (DMP's) for both Type I and Type II diabetes. To prevent secondary diseases and to control vital parameters on a regular basis. Success depends on the compliance. I still know people who keep on smoking with diabetes or they drink alcohol. Wounds are not healing properly and the resilience is low. They risk a diabetic foot, even amputation.

It was actually a German study I found from years ago regarding the better control one has, the less complications and thus less strain on medical budgets that I used as a key point in my Literature Review towards my dissertation.

Both here and back in the UK, I've never wanted for medication and the various bits and bobs I use to manage my condition.

My health is fine - for now - and I want it to keep that way. I'm not fond of injections either. They hurt like hell

And I was a perfectly healthy teenager before I was diagnosed.

As for injections and pain, that's why you change a needle for each injection.

Yes, people have told me they were close to diabetes, but the bloodlevels improved over time...

I've read of a fair few cases where someone is type 2, vastly improves there lifestyle and there body naturally overtime becomes less resistant to insulin. Because a type 1 does not naturally produce insulin once there Pancreas dies, they're not afforded that luxury.

My dad's parents had diabetes, Type 1 and possibly Type 2; my mother's father had Type 1 and lost half of his right leg because of it; my father and mother both had Type 2 diabetes. I and one of my sisters have Type 2. A cousin (on my father's side) has Type 1. Maybe more cousins but that's the only one I know of for sure. A lot of times diabetes has a genetic basis and can't be "avoided". SOME people think that you get Type 2 diabetes because you gorge on sugary treats or live an unhealthy lifestyle and are fat, but that isn't necessarily the case. My family tends to be on the thin side. The only people that I know personally who have had their diabetes "cured" are the ones who had bariatric surgery.

I'm sorry to hear all that.

As for family links, there are no other diabetics (either type one or two) in my family line and the trigger for it, the best we can workout was my parents divorce.

 

[Amaris]

Type One, here. 4 shots a day, 8 pills, which can be frustrating, but the alternative is not something I'd wish to risk.

I noticed that we have rather a lot of diabetics here and maybe we could all gang up as a sort of support group for each other, exchanging experiences and advice.
Myself am a newbie. That is, I must have had diabetes (type 2) for about a decade, possibly longer, but it was diagnosed only last September.

As it's all pretty new to me, questions keep popping up, all the time. For example, for the last 3 months I keep having cramps and tics, mostly in the evening and at night. Could that be a side effect of the medication (Metformin 3 x 500 mg) or simply a dietary problem (lack of Magnesium)? Do you have any advice for me how to avoid these cramps or at least ease them?


edited to add:
Dear Mods, could one of you please have mercy and fix the thread title? It should of course be "diabetes", not diebetes *blush*

I take 2000mg of Metformin, and it will make you cramp up pretty badly sometimes. I have yet to find anything, for me, that prevents that pain.

 

[DimesDan]

I take 2000mg of Metformin

2000mg? Surely you mean 200mg?

Is your Bolus (and corresponding Carb counting) and Basal injections correct as that is some insulin resistance you have.

As for what I have to manage the condition, I have an Animas Vibe infusion pump which administrates Humalog which is also linked up to a CGMS which allows me realtime(ish) knowledge of what my Glucose levels are doing (if they're going low, high or just stable/sitting there) plus a "normal" blood glucose tester as the CGMS needs calibrating twice a day.

I also carb count what I eat and drink and try not to have more than 200/250 grams of carbs in a day, plus, although not as active as I'd like to be, I am also reasonably active which helps with keeping my Glucose levels down.

Last time I had my bloods checked, my HbA1c is 64% and has been holding around that for two years now.

 

[Amaris]

2000mg? Surely you mean 200mg?

Is your Bolus (and corresponding Carb counting) and Basal injections correct as that is some insulin resistance you have.

It's 2000mg. I do have high insulin resistance. My doctor believes it is likely hereditary.

 

[DimesDan]

It's 2000mg. I do have high insulin resistance. My doctor believes it is likely hereditary.

And I assume over time your resistance has grown which means you need more Metformin to try and make you more sensitive to your insulin regime.

 

[Amaris]

And I assume over time your resistance has grown which means you need more Metformin to try and make you more sensitive to your insulin regime.

I started with 500mg, jumped to 1,000 after 2 years, and was at the maximum dosage of 2,000 at 5 years. I don't know if it will get worse, as there are too many factors involved, but for right now it seems to be working. The thing is, my pancreas doesn't produce any insulin at all. The insulin production side is dead. Between the Metformin, the insulins, and low carb, high fiber meals, I keep things pretty stable though.

 

[DimesDan]

I started with 500mg, jumped to 1,000 after 2 years, and was at the maximum dosage of 2,000 at 5 years. I don't know if it will get worse, as there are too many factors involved, but for right now it seems to be working.

If that was me, I would question the need to be on such a large dosage of something that should be making me more sensitive to insulin. I assume your carb:insulin ratios have changed over this time period too and that you've increased your insulin intake.

The thing is, my pancreas doesn't produce any insulin at all. The insulin production side is dead.

Other than the honeymoon period, that is what happens when someone has type one diabetes. - Having the condition for nearly twenty years, I know all too well.

The insulin production side is dead. Between the Metformin, the insulins, and low carb, high fiber meals, I keep things pretty stable though.

And what may I ask was your last HbA1c as that is always a good indicator of how well someone has their glucose control.

 

[Amaris]

If that was me, I would question the need to be on such a large dosage of something that should be making me more sensitive to insulin. I assume your carb:insulin ratios have changed over this time period too and that you've increased your insulin intake.

The 2,000mg is making me more sensitive to the insulin. Any lower dosage and it's simply not enough to make much of a difference.

Other than the honeymoon period, that is what happens when someone has type one diabetes.

What bothered my doctor (and me as a result) was how fast my islet cells died. From his own experiences, his patients would get 7-10 good years where the pancreas could produce at least a little insulin before he'd have to account for zero insulin production. I went from teeny tiny production to none at all inside of a few years.

And what may I ask was your last HbA1c as that is always a good indicator of how well someone has their glucose control.

10.9, but that was before we started my current treatment, which has been going for six months now. I'm scheduled to see him in the next month, and I will get another A1C reading and we'll see if things are progressing, or getting worse.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Done.

You're a darling!

Bonzie, have you had a sugar stress test yet? Quite frequently inexplicable weight gain that defies all diets is caused by insulin resistance. The muscle cells can't take up sugar that well, so a lot of sugar remains in the blood for hours. Then the liver shrugs and decides "ok, apparently you don't need it, so we'll save it for emergencies" and turns it into fat. The patient feels very exhausted and tired but otherwise there are few symptoms at first so that it often stays undetected for a very long time.
It can be detected only by a sugar stress test: you drink a glass of a saturated sugar solution (it's not half as terrible as it sounds) and have your blood sugar tested before, after 1 hour and after 2 hours. In a healthy person, the sugar levels ought to be back to normal after 1 hour - after 2 hours the very latest.
Insulin resistance is very easy to treat and often can be cured completely with a moderate diet and exercise.
I lost 7 kg / 15.5 lbs since mid-September and didn't have to alter my eating habits much - I just take my meds and quit fruit juice and white rolls =)

If you dislike brokkoli, how about using one of its cousins from the cabbage tribe instead? Brussels sprouts or kale, for example. Savoy cabbage is delicious, if stir-fried with peanut butter and a dollop of soy sauce (and topped with roasted slices of almonds).

I will get another A1C reading and we'll see if things are progressing, or getting worse.

{{{{{{{Amaris}}}}}}} I'll keep my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for you
I have the cramps, too (1500 mg Metformin) and already suspected that they were triggered by the medication since I never had them before. I found that massive doses of Magnesium help after a few days. Unfortunately, food that's rich in Mg is also rich in carbohydrates: apricots, grain, legumes, nuts. I had immediate results with cramps in my back muscles when I propped up the foot end of my bed. It takes a bit to get used to sleeping head down but the cramps stopped instantly =)

That's why the health insurances offer disease management programs (DMP's) for both Type I and Type II diabetes.

I had my first 12 hours DMP in Fall and can only recommend these programmes to everyone. Being a biologist, I already knew a lot about how a body functions or malfunctions, but there I learned a lot of things they didn't even teach us at the Uni. These programmes are not only very interesting but also teach you how to deal with the illness yourself, since diabetes is one problem the patient has full control over, not the doctor (i.e. the patient has to take a lot more responsibility as with other illnesses: the doc prescribes but you are the one who conducts the therapy).

Dimesdan, did you read the German studies in the original language? I'm impressed! Med-speech is almost a language in its own right and foreign one is twice as bad. If you need help with special vocabulary, please don't hesitate to ask me - I'm a native speaker

 

[Gryffindorian]

As I've mentioned in another thread, I've had Type 2 Diabetes for nearly a decade now. I have histories of diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension on both sides of my family. My mom and dad were diagnosed with Type 2 much later in life. All of my siblings, except for one sister in her early 50s, are diabetic.

Before I was diagnosed, I wasn't always very mindful of what and how I ate, though I stayed fairly active (and continue to do so to this day) by doing 30 - 60 minutes of cardio exercise several days a week. I first started on 500 mg of Metformin back in 2009 and am now up to 2,000 mg per day, along with other meds. My A1C levels have been pretty steady for years, but at the last screening, it was up to 7.5. My fasting blood sugar has been above average (150+), as I've been eating out more and probably consuming too many sweets. I definitely need to eat a more healthful diet.

One thing I want to emphasize is getting regular exercise. I have a fitness app installed on my cell phone, and my goal is to have at least 10,000 steps every day. I try to put in at least 30 minutes on my elliptical machine. I believe this, if nothing else, has kept me in mostly slender shape for years.

 

[T'Bonz]

Bonzie, have you had a sugar stress test yet? Quite frequently inexplicable weight gain that defies all diets is caused by insulin resistance.

My weight gain is directly related to what I put in my mouth, unforunately!

I'm hanging in there though. Dropped my A1C down to 5.6 and I was very happy to see that. My all time high for A1C is 5.9 (pre-diabetic) and my low when I was 10 pounds lighter was 5.3.

 

[Twilight Phoenix]

Anyone with tips for managing medium to severe eye pain ?
Since I hurted myself 2 months ago, my cornea wasn't healed correctly so I had to get the most superficial part of cornea removed and I have a healing lense on it. The ophtalmologist examined it this morning and said it's working great ; but it's really, REALLY painful....Cried in the middle of the night yesterday because I was in so much pain...
I'm taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen, which doesn't make a huge difference...

 

[Velocity]

As I've mentioned in another thread, I've had Type 2 Diabetes for nearly a decade now. I have histories of diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension on both sides of my family. My mom and dad were diagnosed with Type 2 much later in life. All of my siblings, except for one sister in her early 50s, are diabetic.

Before I was diagnosed, I wasn't always very mindful of what and how I ate, though I stayed fairly active (and continue to do so to this day) by doing 30 - 60 minutes of cardio exercise several days a week. I first started on 500 mg of Metformin back in 2009 and am now up to 2,000 mg per day, along with other meds. My A1C levels have been pretty steady for years, but at the last screening, it was up to 7.5. My fasting blood sugar has been above average (150+), as I've been eating out more and probably consuming too many sweets. I definitely need to eat a more healthful diet.

One thing I want to emphasize is getting regular exercise. I have a fitness app installed on my cell phone, and my goal is to have at least 10,000 steps every day. I try to put in at least 30 minutes on my elliptical machine. I believe this, if nothing else, has kept me in mostly slender shape for years.

I agree that exercise is very important. I, too, take 2000mg of Metformin daily (and it can cause some alarming side effects with my guts) along with Januvia and Farxiga and exercise definitely helps the meds work more effectively. I like to walk for exercise but I use a stationary bike during bad weather. What app do you use?

 

[Pondwater]

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
A host of food allergies and sensitivities.

And pre-diabetic.

 

[DrCorby]

My weight gain is directly related to what I put in my mouth, unforunately!

I'm hanging in there though. Dropped my A1C down to 5.6 and I was very happy to see that. My all time high for A1C is 5.9 (pre-diabetic) and my low when I was 10 pounds lighter was 5.3.

It's hard, but worth the effort. My A1C jumped to 7.4 last year after my mom had a major stroke, and I spent several months traveling, dealing w/ doctors and rehab, and helping my sister clean out the house my mom had lived in for 30 years so she could move into a care facility closer to my sister. My doctor was surprised it hadn't gone higher; I'm still trying to beat it back down. I was surprised how much stress and poor sleep can adversely affect my blood sugar levels.

Snacking has been my bane for the 10+ years since I was diagnosed w/ Type 2. Fortunately, my wife taught home economics and knows some foods chemistry, so she's been able to modify dishes to be healthier while still tasty. But snacks have been hard, especially without depriving the rest of the family. To replace the crunch of chips & crackers, I use pork rinds to dip salsa. (But mind the fats & calories!) Raw veggies, like broccoli or peppers, sometimes with a low fat Greek yogurt dip, is also tasty. I learned the hard way that a lot of foods labeled "sugar free" often have different carbs added for bulk and taste, defeating the low-carb goal. And I react poorly to substitute sweeteners w/ sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, etc) used to reduce calories, but which are still carbs. The upshot has been that I read labels a lot more carefully now. Like others have said, I as the patient am much more responsible for keeping the disease in check.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

I'm not certain, but I suspect that there are two types of Type-2 Diabetes, Life-style-Related, and Genetic. Fairly certain my family has the Genetic type, because

1 I, my father, and his brother have/had it, and my brother is borderline
2 we're NOT big people, and at least two of us are in AMAZING shape and eat well.

Anyway, (I've talked about this elsewhere here) my A1C was up to 7.8 last November, because I'd been eating poorly, I'd been forced to change jobs at work, AND my father died, all within the space of three months - so MEGA stress.

With significant changes to my eating habits, I was able to bring that number down to an astonishing (to me) 5.7 for this past month. I'd also lost 11 pounds, more than half of what I wanted to lose (I'm 6'0, I want to weigh 170-175, but I've weighed 195 almost constantly since 1988. I currently weigh 183.)

Most of this has been walking as much as possible (POKEMON!), even in the bitter cold, no longer eating or snacking after 7 PM, and doing everything possible to only eat meals with 6g of sugar or less. I traded in Doritos for Pistachio seeds - that was HARD, I love Doritos, and I severely cut my Diet soda drinking for tea and water.

I, too, react badly to "sugarless" candy. Can't eat more than a couple of pieces, and who only eats one piece of candy? So that's out.

I'm on 1000Mg of Metformin twice daily, and 5Mg of Tradjenta one in the morning, as well as a statin and a blood pressure med (they recently changed the guidelines and what used to be "fine" is now "early hypertension")

 

[Amaris]

{{{{{{{Amaris}}}}}}} I'll keep my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for you
I have the cramps, too (1500 mg Metformin) and already suspected that they were triggered by the medication since I never had them before. I found that massive doses of Magnesium help after a few days. Unfortunately, food that's rich in Mg is also rich in carbohydrates: apricots, grain, legumes, nuts. I had immediate results with cramps in my back muscles when I propped up the foot end of my bed. It takes a bit to get used to sleeping head down but the cramps stopped instantly =)

Thank you. *hugs*
One of the injections I used to take was Victoza, and it was a pretty hefty dose. One of the side effects of the drug was cramping. Combine it with the 2000mg of Metformin, and there were nights where I would lay on the floor feeling like a linebacker kicked me hard in the stomach.

I hope you feel better!

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
A host of food allergies and sensitivities.

And pre-diabetic.

*hugs*

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I, too, take 2000mg of Metformin daily (and it can cause some alarming side effects with my guts)

I have only 1500 mg Metformin but had the same bowel probs. My pharmacist recommended drops that are called Iberogast. They are made from several plants (Iberis amara, Angelica archangelica, chamomile, peppermint, caraway, thistle, melisse,Chelidonium majus and liquorice). They are available in Europe (including GB) but maybe you can get them in America, too, just under a different name. The drops taste terrible but work miracles =)

Tau Cygna, have you told your doctor how painful it is? He might be able to prescribe a more effective painkiller and a salve that reduces the irritation. Ibuprofen is not all that harmless: particularly when taken over a long period it increases the risk for heart problems.

 

[Twilight Phoenix]

@Pondwater : I empathize with you about IBS. I've always had it since I'm born. It s*cks...

@rhubarbodendron : my ophtalmologist is not used to people so sensitive to eye pain...So he thought aceta' and ibuprofen would be enough...I went to my GP today and she prescribed me aceta'+opium+cafein, in addition with ibuprofen if I feel the need to continue it. I hope it will work...I tried codein last night but it doesn't work well on eye pain. And I can't use tramadol because it makes me very sick (extreme dizziness, hypersomnia, nauseas...).

 

[Gryffindorian]

I have only 1500 mg Metformin but had the same bowel probs. My pharmacist recommended drops that are called Iberogast. They are made from several plants (Iberis amara, Angelica archangelica, chamomile, peppermint, caraway, thistle, melisse,Chelidonium majus and liquorice). They are available in Europe (including GB) but maybe you can get them in America, too, just under a different name. The drops taste terrible but work miracles =)

I agree that exercise is very important. I, too, take 2000mg of Metformin daily (and it can cause some alarming side effects with my guts) along with Januvia and Farxiga and exercise definitely helps the meds work more effectively. I like to walk for exercise but I use a stationary bike during bad weather. What app do you use?

Curious. Exactly what types of gastrointestinal problems do you guys experience with Metformin? I have been on omeprazole for my acid reflux for at least 15 years, which is unrelated to my meds, but other than that I don't get any side effects from Metformin.

Velocity, I use the Samsung Health app on my S8 to record my stats, including oxygen levels and blood pressure.

My cholesterol and BP levels have been optimal because I take Atorvastastin, Lisinopril, and Slo Niacin.