Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Xinthia on February 14, 2008 at 4:32pm

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. First they thought it was Type 1... now their saying Type 2. So, I take metaphormin and insulin. Im on an extreme emotional roller coaster. Im having bouts of crying and depression. It feels like invasion of the body snachers! Is anyone else experiencing mood swings, depression, anger, fear, etc., etc., etc., ?

Permalink Reply by Bill on February 17, 2008 at 1:30pm

Hi Xinthia,

I have a website for you that might help to answer some of your Metformin questions (I'm guessing you meant Metformin for metaphormin.. although I'm not sure if the two are the same or not):

Metformin (Glucophage)

As I am a long time type 1 diabetic, I have never used Metformin. Hopefully, some people who are familiar with it can chime in and add to the discussion. However, I am intimately familiar with insulin.

Are you checking your blood sugars often? If you have a low blood sugar event (Hypoglycemia), then all kinds of strange things can happen with you (check out the Hypoglycemic Experiences group to get an idea).

It may be a combination of the two, it may be the severe stress from dealing with your lifestyle change or it might be something else altogether. You should report your extreme mood changes to your doctor and see what she or he says.

Let us know if you pinpoint an answer. Hopefully, your mood can change to happy, elated and even ecstatic, without a low blood sugar reaction. Be well.

-Bill

Permalink Reply by T2Diabetic on February 22, 2008 at 9:12pm

Xinthia,
I am a T2 and have been on 500 mg of Metformin ER for about 10 months. I have not taken the Metformin with insulin. Metformin works by helping restore your body's proper response to insulin that you naturally produce and decreasing the amount of sugar that your liver makes and that your stomach/intestines absorb. I don't understand why you would be taking Metformin with insulin. It is usually prescribed along with diet and exercise. Some of the known side effects include a metallic taste in your mouth, nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, or diarrhea. If you experience unusual weakness or tiredness, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, feeling cold, dizziness, lightheadedness, or a slow or irregular heartbeat, call your doctor immediately. I am not aware of Metformin causing bouts of depression although being newly diagnosed, feeling depressed and scared is normal. Whenever I am feeling down, I go for a walk. I know it sounds lame but once I get my blood pumping after 20-30 minutes I get that "runner's high" plus the exercise is benefitial in managing the diabetes.

Feel better...:)

Permalink Reply by Brenda on February 29, 2008 at 8:20am

Xinthia,
I was diagnosed in Dec.2007, so I know what your going through with the rollercoaster of emotions. My regular Doctor told me I was type 2, put me on Metformin, it didn't work, so he added insulin, that didn't work, he sent me to a endocronologist and he said I was type 1, put me on a different medicine and insulin, that didn't work, so now he says I'm type 1.5 or LADA (latent autoimmune diabetic in adulthood) . Like me you may require just insulin. and if your having alot of highs then you'll have the mood swings too. Ask your doctor about seeing a dietician and and educator, they are really helpful.

Permalink Reply by Karen on February 29, 2008 at 10:20pm

I was diagnosed Jan. 11th of 2008, man is this a whole new experience! I live alone since my son has grown up, graduated from college and moved away for his job. I haven't been used to making "meals" for years. now i have to actually think about what to eat and make sure it fits with my diet. This is a life changing desease for me since the diagnoses. I am a type 1 diagnosed at age 47, soon to be 48, never knew i had it until i landed in the hospital with ketoacidoses. i went into the emergency room that evening and they told me my sugar was "scary high", no actual number, and if i went home and not to a facility that could teat me i would die. i found out today, feb 29th 2008, that i am type 1 uncontrolled and that my actual number the night i was sent to icu was 413. i had lost 25 pounds and never realized it due to being winter and not working, sitting around in sweats. my family has diabetes in the line but they all have type 2, even my sister is type 2, so no one understands what type 1 is all about, so no one to talk to in my family and I had to change doctors right off the bat, I hadn't one since I had not been to the doctor since 1999, because he wouldn't answer my questions with anything but , a pat pat on the head, "there there, don't you worry everything will be just fine!" I don't know about anyone else but when I ask a health question I want a straight answer.
This for me is scary, and to top it off I am a smoker, so now I have to quit. arg!
The one question I do have is or does any one else have a problem with low sugar if they take a nap during the day? Also does anyone find that pain will make theor blood sugar drop? These are questions that both my doctor and diatetic nurse can't figure out with me.

Permalink Reply by Brenda on March 3, 2008 at 7:43am

Hi Karen,
Sorry to hear you don't have anyone to talk to---well you came to the right place. Everyone that I've talked to so far is wonderful here.
It sounds like your having alot of lows now, so you eithor are taking too much insulin or your not eating enough with your insulin. Taking a nap shouldn't cause a low, and if your in pain for some reason that will make your sugar fluxuate. Are you seeing a regular MD or an Endocronologist?

Permalink Reply by Karen on March 3, 2008 at 10:08am

Hi Brenda
I am seeing a regular docotor so far, he did lower the amount of my long acting inculin. They can't figure out why i am having a low if i nap either. i also see a diabetic nurse and dietician. Part of the problem is that the wasy they have a diet set up for me is more food than i am used to eating and sometimes i probably don't eat enough altho it is a carb based diet and i am getting enough carbs according to the diet. I have alot of pain esp trying to sleep, i don't sleep well at all and am constantly up and down during the 5-6 hours i try to sleep at night, that is why i end up taking a nap cus i am tired all day.

Permalink Reply by Bill on March 3, 2008 at 10:15am

Hi Karen,

You are so right about diabetes being life changing, but it doesn't have to be life changing for the worse. Many of the changes us type 1's have to make (and this goes for a lot of type 2's also) are generally about living healthier lives. Watching what we eat, getting enough exercise and yes, quitting smoking are things non-diabetics can do to live a healthier life too. As far as testing and shots go, well it's a real pain, but a pain that keeps us from feeling the awful complications from diabetes.

You should make sure that your doctors will work with you to help make this drastic life change as easy for you as it can be. If the health team you have is not as informed as you think they should be, then keep looking. It took me about 5 years of changing doctors until I found the right group of people that would always answer my questions (or be honest if they didn't have an answer for me and get back to me as soon as they did). I ended up going to a University Health center, where all the doctors I needed (or might need) are in the same area (all my records are accessible by each different type of doctor I see because they are all stored in the same system). The most important thing is that you are comfortable with the treatment you are getting from your health care team.

I could go on and on (and, as you see, I usually do), but let me try and give you some suggestions to look into about your lows while you are napping. Know the peak times for the insulin type you are taking (check this link): Insulin Peak Times Is your insulin peaking when you are napping? It might not have anything to do with the actual napping, just a coincidence of the insulin peak time. You should test as often as you can, and keep track of the carbs that you are consuming. Then report these numbers back to your Endocrinologist (or CDE... Certified Diabetes Expert). With a week or two of these numbers they should be able to adjust your insulin doses to help keep you in better control.

About the pain and low blood sugar... is the pain a chronic pain you have had for a while? Or are you experiencing the pain while you are having hypoglycemia? If the low is bad enough to cause a seizure, or just muscle cramps, that could be why you are having the pain. If the pain comes first, then later you are having a low, I really don't know what to tell you (other than another coincidence with a low). Try and keep a chart of when what happens... i.e. 12:30 PM pain in left leg, 1:00 PM Blood Sugar Test = 66, etc. and again, bring this info to the attention of your doctors.

I hope some of this will help you Karen, and please come back and let us know how things are going.

All the best,

-Bill

Permalink Reply by Karen on March 3, 2008 at 1:08pm

Hi Bill,
The pain is chronic and i have had it for 6 years. Chronic tendonitis and nervitis due to repetive work in a facotry. Carpal Tunnel in both hands, wrists, Elner nervitis in the rt elbow and now the chronic pain in the shoulder. This is something i have had even before i had the diabetes problem, also i was told it may be the darvocet i take for the pain that is dropping the sugar, altho a friend of mine her father has the same problem. The minute he has pain his sugar drops. I am really not sure which is doing it the pain it self or the meds. The pain and meds started 6 years ago and i am still taking the same thing except the endo guy i saw when in the hospital took all anti inflammatory drugs aways from me, he seems to think they contributed to the diabetes happening.
Thanks for the info and advice tho it sure helps to have someone to talk to about this. The website and the people here are awesome!
Karen

Permalink Reply by Sherry on September 25, 2008 at 8:21pm

Hi I am 60 years old and was diagnosed in February with type 1 , I went to the er and my sugar level was 1050, They said I was dying that my organs were shutting down. I had no clue as to what diabetes was. I am so depressed about this and I am so afraid. I have been having some leg pain for a few days now. It starts near my buttock and travels down, It is very painful. I went to a Dr today and mentioned it However she said its okay its coming from your back. I am uneasy with this as I felt she didnt delve into the problem. When I go to my foot Dr he always says my pulse is good in my feet.
This whole thing has me running scared. I am not sure wht I can and can not eat.
Thanks for letting me vent
Sherry

Permalink Reply by Marsha on March 31, 2010 at 5:14am

I was diagnosed with type 2 about a month ago. Gradually, I have been "getting the hang of things" and the blood sugars are starting to get in line better. However, I continue to have trouble getting my first morning fasting blood sugar down. My diabetic nurse educator suggested that I was going too long without food at night, and that I should add in a bedtime snack of about 1 carb choice. So, I have done that. Unfortunately, all my morning readings are usually above 120, even this morning of 140! Any ideas on what works to bring this down? Should I be getting up around 2 AM and eating a snack, exercising?? I also read that perhaps the hypertension meds are too high and should be decreased, as that can increase the fasting sugar in the morning. I have lost about 11 or 12 pounds now, so I am wondering if it IS the meds. Any ideas on this?? Thankfully, I see my doctor on Thursday and will see what she has to say about it.

...on a side note, I have very much enjoyed this web site and the depth of information from everyone is amazing and SO helpful to this girl!! :)

Permalink Reply by Bill on March 31, 2010 at 4:14pm

Hi Marsha,

I don't know how much I can help you, being a Type 1 myself; but I am pretty sure that ANY carbs you consume will raise your blood sugar without something else to counteract the introduction of said carbs. So I am not sure why you are being told to eat before you go to bed to lower your blood sugar in the morning.

If I wake up with a 140 blood sugar, I am quite happy! Have you ever heard of either Somogyi effect or Dawn Phenomenon? Here is a link to an article comparing and contrasting the two: Somogyi effect VS. Dawn Phenomenon. Try and give the article a read and see if either of these conditions might apply to you.

I experience the Dawn Phenomenon pretty severely, and I know that I cannot eat anything after dinner or I will wake up very high. I also try and exercise before bed and that helps a bit. Most endocrinologists have access to a Continuous Glucose Monitor (you wear it for 3 days, go back to doctor, they remove it and download the results. Now you have your blood sugar readings from every 5 minutes for the previous 3 days!) and that might be something to consider.

Again, I am not sure exactly what condition you might have, but above are some things to look into. I hope everything goes well, and any other questions/concerns please let us know.

All the best,

-Bill

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