Newly Diagnosed

[SandraRN]

Hi everyone! My name is Sandra. I am new to this site and to the diagnosis of DM. I was diagnosed with T2 in December of 08 and I am being worked up for T1.5. I also have Hashimoto's disease. I am 26, have no family hx, I'm 5ft 6in tall, weigh 110lbs. I do NOT fit the T2 profile in any sense of the word. my A1c is 5.8 and I did a GTT and my fastings are ALWAYS normal 80's to 90's but my BS peaked at 275 so my doc started me on Janumet. I did NOT do well on this. I was getting hypoglycemic from it alllllll the time no matter how much food I ate. She cut the pill in half, still wasn't working so just today I started on Metformin at dinner time. My sugars just always seem to be all over the place and I feel like I can't get a handle on them. I eat my meals and snacks inbetween and nothing seems to help how I feel. I am seeing a dietician in two weeks to talk about meal plans. I am so frustrated and I am looking for some words of encouragement and please share any stories that you may have of the same problems. I need all the uplifting I can get right now.

Thanks!

[EeyoreButterfly]

Other than the weight part, I feel like I could have written your post. (24, no family history, very active, good fastings, horible post prandial, feel like I don't fit the "profile" and am thinkign 1.5) I'm still trying to get it figured out, so no good words of wisdom, but wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

Many people here have great luck with low carb, some go as low as 15g per meal or even less. I would avoid snacks with carbs at the moment to give your BS a chance to get back to normal. You can try keeping a food journal to see if you notice a trend. The other thing I would recommend (if this is something that works for you) is the Ultra Smart meter. You can assign readings to before/after specific meals, comment if you are sick, on your period, feeling hypo, enter medicine or insulin, and even enter nutrition facts for meals. It might help you spot trends.

[SandraRN]

Thanks Jessi. I have been so frustrated and I do feel alone because no one around me deals with this on a daily basis. I'm getting antibody tested in April so I am curious to see what that will show. I started metformin XR today and I feel like ****. It's making my BS go up.....I've been checking it about every hour here cause I feel so blah and it keeps climbing....I started at 104 and I'm now 131 as of 11PM.....I still don't understand all of the aspects of this and I'm a nurse....I can see how people are noncompliant....

[genie86333]

Hi, Sandra.

First of all, take a deep breath. :) Stress can make your bs go up. The Metformin won't take effect for several weeks as it takes that long (some people up to 6 or 8 weeks) to build up in your system to levels that affect you.

Also remember that meters have a 20% variance, so your 131 may not be *that* much higher than the 104 earlier since 120% of 104 is about 125. You *may* have gone up that much, but it might not be that bad. Also, it's generally believed that 140 is the level where damage begins to your body...so you're still below that level.

Finally...a reading of 104 within the first few weeks of starting Met was something I'd have killed for. Well...ok...not actually *killed* but you get the point.

Oh, one more thing...don't worry, you're not alone. We've all been there & understand. Keep visiting us here (or heck, just move in like some of us have done) and you'll feel less alone in no time. :)

[SandraRN]

Thanks Genie. I will probably be on here a lot now that I have discovered it. I never thought about the variance in my glucometer. I hope to learn from all of you who have had the disease way longer than me. I am a cardiac ICU RN, and I like to think I know more than the average person on DM, but no one knows best than those who suffer from it. I am overwhelmed like I said even having some knowledge on it. Thanks again!

[EeyoreButterfly]

Thanks Jessi. I have been so frustrated and I do feel alone because no one around me deals with this on a daily basis. I'm getting antibody tested in April so I am curious to see what that will show. I started metformin XR today and I feel like ****. It's making my BS go up.....I've been checking it about every hour here cause I feel so blah and it keeps climbing....I started at 104 and I'm now 131 as of 11PM.....I still don't understand all of the aspects of this and I'm a nurse....I can see how people are noncompliant....

I know how you feel about not being around anyone who deals with this on a daily basis. I have had a few friends in the past who were diagnosed Type 1, but it was almost never something we talked about. I'm not very close to any of them anymore. Most of my friends and family don't really understand, although they do make an effort. It's frustrating because you see the screening for prediabetes/Type 2 starts at 40 and you're sitting here in your mid 20's wondering what the **** happened and is there any way they got it right.

I would not be too worried about 104 or 131, those are pretty good numbers for somebody who is newly diagnosed. I doubt it is the metformin doing it. Like you, my number seem almost random at times, so I'm betting there is something else that you are not aware of effecting it. Whether it is stress, something you ate before, or even whatever stage you are in in your menstrual cycle.

I wish you luck iwth your testing in April. I have a doc visit tomorrow. I requested the testing from her... no go. I am going to demand an endo referral and try to get him to do the testing. It's kind of nice to know that there's another person here in the same boat I am at the same time. (Even though I feel bad that you are going through this as well). Keep us posted on how you are doing. We are here to help.

[dbc]

Hi Sandra

Welcome to the club........

There are quite a few of us here who were initially misdiagnosed T2, and later corrrectly diagnosed T1/T1.5. Many GPs automatically diagnose T2 if you're "not young enough for T1", and seem to completely ignore indications that something else may be going on, such as not fitting the "standard" T2 profile.

And most of us have been through the shock/horror/why me/depression stage at diagnosis - it takes a bit of getting used to, especially when there's no family history of diabetes. But there IS life with diabetes - doesn't have to be much different to life before diabetes, depends on how you want to run with it. (Some would say life in some respects is better than before because of being forced into a changed-for-the-better lifestyle). For now, learn as much as you can, and take charge of it yourself.

Seems to me the "most successful" diabetics are those who regard their medical advisors as being "on the team", but who as individuals take charge of their team. This way we get to make the decisions. Of course, it means we have to learn a lot of stuff to make the right decisions. . . This forum is a good place to learn a lot of good stuff.

good luck

Dave

[foxl]

Hi, Sandra. I too suspect I am a 1.5 or LADA. I am older, fatter, but also have Hashimoto's, had it 10 yrs and when my diabetes was dx'd, my T4 was also wonky. My MD is taking a wait-and-see approach, and my BGs are going down with the oral meds, and as I lose weight ... but I am still so interested in LADA and how it occurs.

[princesslinda]

Welcome to the forums Sandra!

[Nelrine]

You are not alone Sandra!!! We all are in it together. Stay encourage.

[MODY-RN]

Hang in there, from another slim/in good shape, mis dx as type 2, likely have MODY according to my daughters Endo (she is an 18 year old athlete who has some sort of diabetes, not type 1) who still has no clue what is going on... :) Seeing an Endo in 2 weeks... Watching carb intake and trying to keep weight "on" is my big problem...

[SandraRN]

I have never heard of MODY, that is interesting. I have trouble keeping weight on as well. I stopped taking my metformin (my doc knows) b/c I have lost 7 lbs since my dx in December and that brought me down to 110!! I am also repeating my GTT and doing a 5 hour this time. I'm curious to know what my antibodies will show too.....I will have to research this MODY....