Have been getting more fatigued with passing time. Was diagnosed with Diabetes Jan. 2003. My physician said the fatigue is from the diabetes. Does anyone else suffer from this and how do you handle everyday life? I don't sleep during the day but drag myself around and am to the point where I can't wait till bedtime.

Have you had your whole blood count done to determine if there are any anemia issues? Thyroid checked? Sleep apnea? How is the exercise level? A moderate amount of exercise can improve the energy levels. I find it also lets you get a better sleep. If you BG is in good control I would not agree it is the diabetes.

Ron

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Type 2, diagnosed Feb 01, Prandin (GlucoNorm), Diet & Exercise

Avia,
How good is your blood glucose control? While diabetes definitely can cause fatigue, it's usually because of rather high blood glucose, and once it's under control the fatigue should go away.

As Ron pointed out, maybe something else is going on? If your numbers are good, push your doctor to run some basic tests, especially thyroid.

If your numbers are NOT good, then that's what you need to work on.

Ruth

Hi
I have to agree about the high BS. This will drag you down each day. This fatigues the body due to its not knowing what to do with the extra energy that is unneeded.
As soon as you get the BS under control for a period of time, You will get energy and at least not any where near as much fatigue like you are feeling now.
Don
Don :)

I have had blood tests for my thyroid as well as for anemia and they checked out OK. My 14 day average for blood sugar is 108. I suffer greatly from neuropathy and find when it is bad then that is when I am at my worse fatigue wise. Also I could stand to lose about 100 lbs. so I know that is against me but I have never been this tired in the past until about a year ago.

Diabetes itself in NO way, shape or form causes fatigue or has ANY impact on energy levels--I'm the "Poster Child" for that! I've been type 1 for 38 years. I'm 51 years old, and work as a Special Education teacher in a 12-month program--in other words, NO summers off. I also have a teenager still at home, one away in college, and an aging home to maintain and repair. I grade papers and write lessons until midnight each evening, I'm up by 6 am, and at work by 8. I'm usually running errands until 4:30, cooking dinner from 5-6, and cleaning up, making lunches and helping with homework from 7-10. I never watch TV--no time! I do admit to sleeping in on the weekends on occasion. Oh, and I almost forgot--I run 15 miles a week, or bicycle 45 miles, or some combination of that. My co-workers, most half my age--cannot keep up with me, and I miss maybe one day out sick every 4 or 5 years. I eat about 1000 calories per day total, and I'm about 5 pounds underweight. I feel energetic and alert almost all the time.

Diabetes--Bah, humbug!!
Michael
Type 1 since 1965

What symptoms are present indicating diabetes for some people may not be the same for others- most of us are not doctors here so be leary of people dismissing your symptoms compaired to theirs as absolutely not possible with diabetes- these are only people's opinions on this board. Nothing is absolute for all people-

BUT - I will say that before I was diagnosed with diabetes I was very tired- now that I have been on meds, learned to monitor my food, exercise and BS I feel 100% better. Fatigue was my only symptom and I mean - get up in the a.m. send the kids off to school- lay down, pick them up - do homework lay down, then dinner- lay down -so - fatigue may not bother some people but it was my indicator to get to the doctors- I was so tired the day before my endo visit that I pulled off of the road and fell asleep in the car. My doctor, who is a very prominate doctor in the diabetes field said- and I quote "extreme fatigue can be an indication of high blood sugars"-

Domestic,

You are very correct in saying that fatigue is a symptom of untreated diabetes. Before I was diagnosed I had times when it was impossible to stay awake. I once drove straight through a red light and nearly ended it all before I found out I had diabetes. However, once you are diagnosed and controlling BG well, there is no longer any good reason to have fatigue - at least any more than anyone else.

This site has a good list of the symptoms of untreated diabetes. See this:

http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/warningsigns.htm

Ron

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Type 2, diagnosed Feb 01, Prandin (GlucoNorm), Diet & Exercise

Avia, you and I both suffer from diabetes and neuropathy, I find myself fatigued most days. I do take care of an ailing husband, I due suffer from sever neuropathy pain, an My sugars and under control its a possibility that like me the neuroapthy meds make ou very sleepy and fatigued but they work for the pain for the most part because with out the meds there would be no walking. Hang in there I do understand your concern it too is a concern of mine as well