Bit worried.. - Diabetes Message Board

_mystictiger_ · 12-06-2005, 04:05 PM

I'm a bit worried that I might be diabetic. There is only 1 diabetic in my family..my gran who is T2 and insulin dependent.

I'll try and give you a brief history. Back in Jan 2005 for a few days I was drinking loads, constantly tired and irritable. I was going to bed earlier than normal for me and slept like a log. I was having dizzy spells too and my face was "washed up" according to my gran and mum. One night I went to be about 10pm (which is very early for me lol) and I went into a hypoglycaemic coma. My gran who I was keeping a eye on that night because she wasn't well, woke up to fine the bed sheets, herself and me completely soaked in sweat. She tried to wake me up but couldn't and I was barely breathing and I was a grey colour. She called a ambulance and they took me to hospital. I went into cardiac arrest and stayed unconscious for a few more hours before I woke up. I couldn't remember a single thing. Not my name, address, and I didn't recognise my mum. The doctors did the usual CBCs and said it was normal, poked my tummy and muttered it oculd be a pancreas infection. Another doctor mentioned I could be in the early stages of diabetes then said my WBC was high. I was discharged 24hrs later and my GP knew nothing about it.

I was given blood tests because apparently the hospital couldn't find a cause for what happened and my family started saying I probably injected myself with grans insulin which I didn't. Anyway the glucose test came back borderline and my RBCs are low due to low oxygen in my blood. But my doctors done nothing about that.

I've been having these symptoms:

Drinking lots throughout the day.
Urinating more frequently. (I have a drink and I need the toilet)
Dizzyness
Paleness
Very tired
Numbness in hands and feet
A LOT of yeast infections and general body itching.

This is what I'm worried about: The last 8 days I've been feeling weak and lethargic and having dizzy spells. I've noticed that when I'm dizzy or feel "weird" my vision becomes grey or dull similar to a hypo. I've checked my blood sugar and I'm usually around 6-8.5. But my levels have been gradually decreasing from 5.7 to 4.3. In the UK 3.9 Is a hypoglycaemia attack.

I do experience hypos but I haven't in a while. I usually dont realise when I'm low till I'm very low.

But because of the symptoms I'm having I'm worried that I might go into a coma again. I've also lost half a stone in less than a week. My gran keeps saying I looked "washed up" again and I keep wanting to sleep. I'm also irritable.

Im sorry this is long. I'd appreciate any opinions. Do diabetics go to the toilet a lot after they've had a drink? Is the above a sign of going into a coma again? I dont know the signs unless its happening to my gran as I never expected such a severe hypoglycaemic attack to happen to me.

Thank you.

desertdiabetic · 12-06-2005, 06:30 PM

The numbers you give are high - (6 to 8.5 which relates to 108 to 153 here) The 6.0 is marginal, though high. The 8.5 is no doubt high, not marginal either - it is high. These numbers (the high for sure) do indicate type 2. Drinking a lot of fluids is also a classic symptom - It only makes sense that a lots of fluids in creates lots of fluids out. I don't know if going low is a typical type 2 symptom - people do have hypoglycemia that are not diabetic. Insulin resistance tends to make your numbers uncontrollable upwards.

Infections of any kind will cause your blood sugars to be extreme - I don't know that the infections are diabetic caused as much as the high numbers are infection caused - this is out of my experience so someone else will probably have a better handle on the relationship with the yeast infections and diabetes.

_mystictiger_ · 12-06-2005, 06:46 PM

Hiya Des.

Thank you for your help. I was wondering about the yeast infections because my gran has a lot of them and my GP said its a symptom of diabetes. Lol the fluid intake does make a lot of sense that you'll be visiting the toilet more often.

I thought it was high but I wasn't 100 percent sure. Im just worried about going into a coma again because of they symptoms I've been having which ...thinking back to jan...put me in mind of the percusors before I went into the coma. Maybe Im being paranoid. I dunno. But thank you and Im looking forward to more input.

DontWannaBsick · 12-07-2005, 09:22 PM

Hi Mystic,
I'm new to these boards and loving them sooo far. I just wanted to tell you a little about what I know about diabetes. {removed} a new diagnosed diabetic (type 1 late onset). The late onset just means that my pancrease has just quite producing insulin. That is the dirrerence in type 2 and type 1. Type 2 daibetics usually still produce insulin, but not enough for their larger body wieghts or their body is more insulin resistant. Therefore they alot of times can lose weight, change to a healthier diet, and exercise and control thier diabetes. Ofcourses there can be other issues and then they have to go on pills or insulin.
Now back to you, the yeast infections (and any other infections) and excessive thirst are caused by the excesive sugar in your body. Yes your peeing more because your drinking more, but your body is trying to rid itself from that excessive sugar. The sugar has no where to go because without insulin it can't get into the cells to give you the energy that you need to do all the functions you and all of your organs are trying to do that you need to have done daily.(hope that makes cents). You should notice when your peeing alot you are also losing weight without trying. Be very careful, you can and will go into ketoacidosis. I go through this more than I care for and it is life threatening. That is how I not only ended up in the ICU at the hospital, but was then diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I take insulin 5 times a day. I have lost 68 pounds and am told I look great. I have not tried to lose the weight, diabetes has done it to me. i HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH DIABETES, BUT THE WEIGHT LOSS HAS BEEN A BLESSING. Most the time type 1 diabetics don't have a weight issue, but I had thyroid disease about 6 yrs. before the diabetes(hence the weight before diabetes. I don't really understand you numbers, but here in the states they shoot for a blood sugar of 70 to 110 and some other hospitals shoot for 80 to 120. It is nother for my blood sugar to be 600. Here are the common symptoms of hyper glycemia to watch for.

Excessive urinating
excessive thirst
excessive hunger
very dry mouth
craving for very cold drinks
yeast infections
excessive tiredness
tingling in extremeties

Hope this helps. Hyperglycemia takes longer to do damage to your organs and eyes, and hands and feet. Hypoglycemia is much more dangerous right when it is happening. You are very close to coma and death. If I accidentally take my insulin and forget to eat, or exercise too much, or get stressed out then my sugar drops quickly. The symptoms for this are much more immediate amd moch scarier.

excessive sweating
fast heartbeat
extremely panicky feelig---I usually feel like I have done something very very

bad and am about to be caught. This is worst feeling.
confusion

hands are horribly shaky

Hope this isn't too long winded but I wanted to help you decide if you should have more tests done. Please talk to your doctor and keep a log of your blood sugars and the foods your eating. Best of luck and let us know how it goes. I'll be glad to answer any other questions. P.S. as far as your grandmother goes her blood sugar is out of control if she is having lots of yeast infections. Her doctor can give her diflucan and it will control the yeast infection, but she has to get control on her bloodsugars or the yeast will come right back.

The excess sugar in her ststem and vagina are causing her normal flora and or yeast to over grow. Sugar is the main food sourse for yeast.

Best of luck to you both.

_mystictiger_ · 12-09-2005, 01:58 PM

Hiya and thank you for your help. Nope it wasnt long winded it was very helpful hun. Thank you.

I completely understand about the hypoglycaemia attacks. I have them when I haven't eaten all day or if I've only had 1 meal in 2 days. I've been in ICU too because I went into a coma and into cardiac arrest. So I really understand how scary and horrible it is. You really cant explain what a hypo feels like all you can say is weird lol. What makes lips go numb during a hypo?

Oh one more thing: is orange urine a sign of diabetes? Im asking this because earlier today I had bright orange urine and I hadn't eaten anything orange to cause it. I've never had it before either. I showed it my gran and she told me to get a diabetes test because she had orange urine and took it to the doctors and found out she was diabetic. Im a bit worried again lol.

Its weird about the sugar thing causing yeast when diabetics dont have sugar. Weird bodies or what lol. I dont eat sugar either. Well not that much.

But thank you for your help again hun.