How many folks yo-yo with Type2?

Type 2
1

Good evening folks,

I joined a few weeks ago but I have been a) dealing with alot of medical issues and b) been working this old posterior off as my company further "right sizes". I can't tell you how much I detest that term. :-)

Anyway, here are my issues and questions.

My sugar reading will go to almost 500 or even over and then sometimes it will drop to 35.

At 400+ I am lethrgic and can't concentrate and it has become fairly easy for me to figure out when my sugar is high. I realize that might not be the best term but it is what my wife and family use so I have gone to their vernacular.

I am on Metformin 1000mg twice a day and Glimepiride 4mg twice a day. I also take insulin now with the Humalog KwikPen and thank goodness those wonderful 31G needles. I try to use as little insulin as possible but right now for a normal meal, I am at 6 units for each meal and that keeps my readings under 150 for the most part. So far so good, right?

For some reason, though I pretty much eat the same things every day, driving my wife to insanity my blood sugar will suddenly crash or it will suddenly skyrocket. My endocrinologist is kind of stumped and she tells me she is concerned.

Some background. I am a disabled veteran. I busted my back up in a fall in 1974. I've had 10 major operations on my spine since then, the latest, number 11 was not major so I don't add it in. :-) The latest was a nerve stimulator implanted in my spine to feed pulses into the nerves to my lower body which has really helped control my pain levels. I am waiting for the upper back version but when they say, oops, there are issues, welll, I am not exactly standing at the front of the line for the operation.

I don't want to sound like a whiner but I have alot of pain every hour of pretty much every day, I wear a Fentanyl patch (50 Mcg, changed every 2nd day) and I take Hydrocodone APAP 7.5 as needed. Add blood pressure meds for a previous heart attack, I have been fighting arthritis since 74 and stomach ulcers since the same time period. Cymbalta for continuing treatment for depression and you get the picture. I don't like any of this by the way and I refuse to retire until they have to pry my cold fingers off my keyboard!

I've been told that the pain can affect my blood sugar and I have noticed that I have 30-90 points higher readings depending on what part of this old body is singing at the time. I am 53 by the way which may not be that old today but it is the miles that count and I feel like an over used old Ford most of the time.

What do you folks think? Could the pain levels or maybe even the pain drugs be causing the crashes or the crazy high levels?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Richard

2

I have no diagnostic insight, but I sure hope you and your endo can find a way get you better control. And help with your pain. And thank you for your service to our country!

3

Yes stress can certainly raise ones numbers. Looking at your history though there seems to be alot going on. Drugs used for depression can also raise your BG too.

It sounds to me like you need a top to bottom physical at a major medical center. My concern is with all the Dr’s treating you are they in the loop with one another as to what they are prescribing and doing? I live in Minnesota so the Mayo Clinic, or a clinic like that would be in order to better coordinate your overall treatment. A diabetes educator for your insulin dosage/usage would also be helpful.

4

You didn’t mention a long-acting (basal) insulin, Levemir or Lantus. If you are not taking one, you might ask your doctor to consider it. My own BG stability depends largely are getting my basals right. I’m Type 1, but once you start insulin, I believe the important thing is to get the dose right without regard to type.

5

Not being a doc I won’t be able to address the “why” issue. But I can tell you that I have severe arthritis in my knees and shoulder, when my pain level goes up so do my numbers…then I have to be very careful about eating and be sure to take meds at the prescribed time, exercise as best I can. I’d agree with Pauly a full medical physical is a good idea, and not by the same docs that are treating your diabetes or back problem, Mayo is perfect, but if you can’t get there, ask for a referral to the best place that you can get to…sometimes people look at a problem for so long, they can’t see anything anymore.

Good luck to you, keep in touch here…and my thanks too, you are a hero!

6

Pain increases my BG. I injured my back, nothing compared to what you’ve endured, & couldn’t get BG down for days with insulin.

In case it might help some, here’s a list of drugs that effect BG. https://forum.tudiabetes.org/topics/drugs-that-can-effect-blood

7

The stress that pain causes is detrimental to blood sugar. I also broke my back 2 years ago (lumbar 4 collapsed on my lumbar 5) and for 5 months that I had been recuperating, my blood sugar went sky high… The fact too that during those months, my activities and exercises were pretty limited. And indeed, there are certain medications that affects bg.

8

You folks are the best!

Thanks so much for the ideas and the resources!

The idea of a check up is a very good one, it’s just that I am such a coward when it comes to new doctors. :slight_smile:

I hope all have a great day!

9

Hi Rich, I feel that stress and pain has a lot to do with what your blood sugar is.All you can do is keep trying
and sometimes old Fords are better then new ones.Jean64