[critterwarrior]

i have only been awake for 4 hours today and i have not had any regular coca colas since waking up. i've had two glasses of citrus juice instead. i am craving a coca cola pretty darn badly. in fact i feel that my craving for a coca cola is worse than my desire to smoke. i quit smoking too. and thats kinda spooky. i dont eat alot of sweets but i tend to drink alot of coca cola in cans and with me having been without for only 4 hours today and seeing how badly i am doing i am a little worried. if you were feeling the same way would you suspect i have diabetes ? i know a test is the only way to know, i'd just like to hear some of the peoples here gut instinct.

thank you

[notme]

Craving a soda isn't necessarily a sign of diabetes. Craving liquids of any kind could be. Are you urinating more? Waking up several times a night to urinate? Are you having vision problems? Feeling ill?

Honestly, there is no gut instict answer. You need to go get tested and look at the big picture. Craving soda, isn't a symptom.

Let us know how you do when you visit the doctor or take a blood test.

Good Luck!!

[fgummett]

Also consider that Cola has caffeine in it and that causes a craving if you drink a lot of it and often... but have not done so for some time.

Only way to fidn out if Diabetes is a test... no gut feeling diagnosis

[Emm]

I wouldn't suspect diabetes at all. (But if you have any reason to think it could be diabetes, see your doctor)

Cola and other fast acting sugar drinks can be addictive, but I think that's mostly from craving that energy boost it gives you. But then you drop afterwards and crave more, til you have another drink and energy levels go up again, then down again, then up again, and on we go. In the end it's a bouncy ride that wears you out.

You're much better off drinking (and eating) stuff that isn't so high in sugar so that you can keep your energy levels fairly even without the ups & downs.

It's a great idea to give up the sodas, well done And congrats for giving up smoking too! What's brought on this health kick?

[critterwarrior]

hi Emm, and others that replied.

what brought on the health kick ? the thought of imminent death.

i have to be honest with myself, anyone who has smoked as often and as much as i have, ought to have cancer, and someone who has drank as much sodas as i have might have diabetes. i am happy to report that while i urinate at night a little bit more than the old usual that its usually not out of control and when i do crave something to drink, its definitely for something sweet like cola. its kinda rough for me to gauge without the test whether i have it or not. definitely slightly more frequent night time urination and craving sweets. i may be thristy sometimes but i'm not desperate (except i tend to drink considerable more when i am drinking sodas). so -- its a big maybe. i got a referal for testing. i'll hopefully test tomorrow. i have a good number of health problems and its real rough when some of them dont let you take care of others.

thank you Emm, and those that replied.

[PepsiLvr]

I would definitely say caffeine is the culprit. I know if I go for more than 4 hours without caffeine, I am a wreck and get a terrible headache that takes forever to go away. I never smoked so I can't say if caffeine or cigs are a stronger addiction, but I would rank caffeine right up there. It's a pretty powerful "drug"

Having said that, I'm glad you are going to get tested and find out. There is nothing better than finding out sooner rather than later. Good luck, and I hope you get good news and don't have to worry when fulfilling that craving for sweets!

[Stuboy]

oooh the thirst, dont remind me of the thirst!! i spent £30 in one hit just on drinks and drank them a ll in two days flat!!!

If it was diabetes you would be needing to pee very frequently, an uncontrolable urge to drink sweet drinks, probably have a really dry (gloopy) mouth.

If you're in doubt just get a test to find out!

[critterwarrior]

hmm..

well i did good for about 4 days and have not drank any sodas in that time. what i've replaced it with is V8 splash.

i definitely have a dry mouth but i've always told myself its because of psychiatric medication.

last night i was freaked out. the last 4 hours of my sleep i probably took 4 trips to pee. strange thing is i dont remember drinking all that much yesterday.

i definitely drink when i'm thristy and pretty often thats throughout the day but -- i dont know. i'm spooked.

i went to have my diabetes tests done today. will probably be 3 days before my primary physician gets the results. i hope that if i do have diabetes that i dont have to stick myself in the finger all the time. thats bad stuff.

[fgummett]

I keep a couple of 2 litre wine carafes in the fridge with filtered tap water in them... if I'm thirsty, cold water is the best. By having two I can rotate them and usually have cold water when I need it

[UpNorth]

Shortly before my T1 diagnose i was thirsty all the time, peeing all the time and craving sweet things a lot even though they just made me feel worse.

It's good you've gone and had the test done since you're worried. Hopefully it will show everything is normal Quite unbelievable you have to wait so long for the results though... Testing a bloodsugar just takes 5 seconds these days

[Emm]

Originally Posted by critterwarrior

i hope that if i do have diabetes that i dont have to stick myself in the finger all the time. thats bad stuff.

It takes a while to get used to - then it's no big deal. As soon as you relax over it, and learn the best spots, it becomes just another part of your day.

If you do have diabetes, you WILL have to test - there's no way around that. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if you do have it, and your doctor doesn't offer you a meter, (s)he's failing you... there's no way to control diabetes if you can't see what your blood sugar is!

[Cormac_Doyle]

In 99 (before I was diagnosed with Diabetes), I was working shift-work as a security guard.

I would typically drink 5 or 6 cups of tea or coffee with my breakfast, and bring at least 2 2-litre bottles of coke with me (and normally be finished both of them before lunch.

I never really noticed how often I went to the loo ... it just built up slowly ... but I DEFINITELY noticed the fact that I was basically eating 10-12 paracetamol a day due to the continuous headaches caused by my high bloodsugars ...

It doesn't hurt to get your bloods tested - and many pharmacies (at least in ireland) will do a finger-prick test for you for free ... they should be able to advise you whether you need to see your GP