Thanks I-John. That’s good information to know. Kind of like a heart monitor which I have worn before with my cardiologist. Makes sense.
I can bring it up to the new endocrinologist at my visit with her. My PCP says he likes this endo and she easy to talk to and work with, he works with her and I trust him. The original endo you could not talk to him about anything–it was his way or the highway for the patient and any other doctors involved.
No, I’m still doing the diet (low carb) and exercise regimen (original endo’s orders). The second opinion endo said I needed insulin (especially for meals) and was going to prescribe insulin or Victoza and possibly do additional tests during the follow-up appointment. But…I can’t get another appointment with him (due to being stonewalled by his office staff) until next month. So my PCP said he would refer me to the endo in his office group.
It’s like a never ending moving target…when I think I’m doing good, I crapshoot; and, when I think I’m doing crappy, I come up with a good number. I was officially diagnosed August 2013, and was holding steady (around 100 - 120), but since December 2014, I’ve very sporadic (75 - 180), and now since March I’ve really been missing the target (65 - 298).
At diagnosis my non-fasting lab BG was 264 and my A1C was 7.1, but my last test in May my non-fasting lab BG was 86 and my A1c was 6.5.
Tim - Yeah, I don’t think I have the prostate problem. 
I also notice that I retain fluid, so I don’t know if its the diabetes or RA or a combo of the two, but I seem to be smaller weight-wise in the mornings due to all the traveling at night. 
I tried the Methotrexate injections (couldn’t take the pill–GI problems) but they gave me abnormal labs for my liver and lots of nausea–I had once of week shot nights (Fridays) so I could sleep through the side effects. Methotrexate is really good for anyone who can take it.
That’s great that she teaching the kids to play violin. I always wanted to learn piano. 
I just experienced a similar vision disturbance when wheeling the mower back into the garage. It was a whirling pattern kind of like you’d see in a kaleidoscope. I checked immediately and was 51!! Ate 2 glucose tabs right away. Didn’t otherwise feel low and didn’t see the disturbance out in the yard due to the glare, I guess. I was 148 a few minutes before I started. The temperature is mid-70s and I drank water before I started and was only out 1/2 hour. Weird. I am thinking seriously about a CGM!!
Exactly the description I would have given it. I’m low when I see the whirling thingy, and then we I see yellow globs I’m real low.
It sounds like you’ve talked to at least one pretty aggressive endo, and I think that’s great! I have nothing against insulin, I’m a T1 and obviously need it! But I don’t see anything in your numbers that indicates insulin is the right choice for you, and I see several things (including hypos) which indicates it could be wrong for you. An endo would obviously know better than me, but metformin could be a possibility - it’s surprisingly effective for many non-T1’s.
I’ve experienced two or three episodes in the last few years like you describe. Some of my siblings have also experienced these visual disturbances and my mom had them. too. They told me that they found them to be a “visual migraine” or “migraine aura.” Here’s a Mayo Clinic explanation and video that matches well with my symptoms. I, too, had kaleidoscope-like effects. I also had small parts of my visual field appear as shimmering water-like filter that partially obscured the scene behind them. I was not low when this happened, I checked!
It’s curious that your symptoms occur when your BG is low. That has not been my experience. When I’m low, I do experience visual and audio caused irritation. I first realized that light variations irritated me when I was riding a bike on a tree-covered path. The on-off flickering of the sunlight really bothered me. With sounds it can be almost any ambient noise that I would normally just tune out. Children playing at the laundromat are one example. It could just as well be the noise from a construction site.
My optical migraine was much bigger, Had half a wheel in my periferal vision, and I wasn’t low when this happen. I never really had this before so I asked my eye doctor and she told me what it was and that it was harmless.
I get ocular migraines also, with NEVER the headache. I get a zig zag line like a lightning bolt that generally lasts under an hour. It comes on suddenly and intensifies over the course of the next 10 minutes or so. First time it happened, I rushed to my eye doc. Now it’s just,“oh, here it comes again”. Sometimes it’s so bad, I can hardly see, so I lie down, but generally I can “see around it”.
Good description. I thought I had detached retina or something. I couldn’t see that eye either. I had laser surgery recently too.
Please no metformin. I could not take it. Or the ER version. Bathroom all day and night. The endo did mention Victoza as a possibility. I am terrified of hypos.
My husband used to get them regularly (eye migraines) but I never knew what he was talking about until I had one once while under a lot of stress. It was quite fascinating, like looking through a kaleidoscope. I didn’t get a headache and knew what it was since he had had them. He hasn’t gotton one in a long time that I know of but I think I’ll ask him when he gets home. He had cataract surgery last year maybe that stopped them?
eye surgery has no effect on eliminating ocular migraines. the cause is believed to be in the brain. Sounds like he just hasn’t had another episode yet.