For those with diabetes, how did you know/find out?

Cannot take any GLP-1 injections or tablets as they just don't agree with me. End up doing constant sulfur burps which is highly unpleasant and non stop diarrhea even after 3 months.
 
Guess which one is the new wonder drug :)

semaglutide.jpg
 
Horrible day today.
It was the first day of my new tablet regime, it wasn't only the one tablet, some taken away and others added.
I felt quite poorly and I was walked over to the Diabetic Ward 121 where a Nurse did loads of checks on me, a Doctor asked a few questions and he thinks it's my body getting used to the new pills.
I was then sent home and they rang my wife to come and get me.
I still feel awful now :(
 
SexyGreyFox said:
Horrible day today.
It was the first day of my new tablet regime, it wasn't only the one tablet, some taken away and others added.
I felt quite poorly and I was walked over to the Diabetic Ward 121 where a Nurse did loads of checks on me, a Doctor asked a few questions and he thinks it's my body getting used to the new pills.
I was then sent home and they rang my wife to come and get me.
I still feel awful now :(
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Sorry to hear that, why did they change your tablets? They want me to go on more tablets to help with blood pressure and strokes, yet at the minute feel fine. Yes I know they are there to prevent problems but half the time they just introduce another.
Reminds me of a bloke I used to work with, he was fine on the blood pressure tablets until they changed them for a new one, it almost killed him.
 
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tonys said:
Sorry to hear that, why did they change your tablets?
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I got to an HbA1c of 47 from 78 and lost 2 stone in weight, this last 3 months still on the same diet I've gone up to 62.
They have now finally accepted after all these years that my diet isn't the cause of my diabetes.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
I got to an HbA1c of 47 from 78 and lost 2 stone in weight, this last 3 months still on the same diet I've gone up to 62.
They have now finally accepted after all these years that my diet isn't the cause of my diabetes.
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Funny how they don't listen to the person who actually lives with the body daily. I was diagnosed last year and put on Metformin and told to diet, realistically the only dietary change I made was to cut out the 5 x2 finger chocolate bars a day. Next blood test I was back to pre diabetes levels and they go, of course the tablets have done their job. Noticed my AF was more noticeable so dropped from 2 x2 Metformin to just 1 x2 a day and feel better, the pharmacist I had to see about the high blood pressure said that it couldn't be the Metformin causing the increase in the AF.
 
I went to eye hospital last Tuesday for my 5 week checkups on my right eye which has wet macular degeneration.
They looked in my right eye and said no change - they then looked in my left eye and asked if I had diabetes. Not that i am aware of.
Called in Doc on way home and asked for blood test -Have to pick up form tomorrow to get me to hospital for blood test.
My last blood test was Nov 2023 and negative - I did splurge on wine and spirits over xmas.
My last eye check in December didn't show it either. Typical my next test was Jan but had to cancel three appointments due to catching Flu or something. Negative Covid tests
Now cut back to one glass of wine with dinner and one small glass of brandy after. Don't eat choc or use sugar on anything.

Oh well- I am 80 next month so haven't done too bad but it still gives you a kick up the ass.
 
Update.

I've now been on Semaglutide for 3 months and I have lost a bit of weight but need my Hb1Ac test soon.
My main problem now is Diabetic Neurothapy in my feet and sometimes I need two walking sticks to get around.
I've even bought a Tens machine for my feet after people suggesting one and I can't feel anything :( https://www.vytaliving.com/products/reflexology-reviver
If my wife or daughters stand on it they're jumping off after the first setting.

However there is good news, GP has referred me to Neurology so last Thursday I went down to the secretaries on the floor below my office to pick their brains - there is an 18 month waiting list :(
A Neurology Nurse said that it was pointless seeing a Neurologist and they should have referred me to a Diabetic Consultant.
 
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For me back in 2019 a routine blood test picked up higher than normal blood sugar levels. I guess it was detected in my HbA1c results. I don’t know what the results were but my GP did a glucose tolerance test and diagnosed me with pre diabetes.

So I cut out sugar all together and tried to lower my carbohydrate intake. Today I saw a doctor and asked what my last HbA1c was last time back in September.

He looked at the results and came back with 38 mmol/mol (5.6%). In the UK anything under 42 isn’t classed as pre diabetes so I may have reversed it a little. In any case it doesn’t look to have gotten any worse.
 
Peeing a lot is supposed to be one of the signs.

I thought I had it because I eat tons of sweets and crap, all I had was one blood test and from that they claimed I can't have it.
I was probably just drinking too much water, but I was thirsty all the time due to another issue


how old are you? there's some check the GPs can run if your 40+ I think everyone is supposed to have a quick check up, I'm pretty sure a blood test was included in that.

I only had one because I was at the GP anyway, but I'd imagine it's something people can ask about

Must be this
www.nhs.uk

NHS Health Check

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40 to 74.
www.nhs.uk www.nhs.uk


If you’re aged 40 to 74 and do not have a pre-existing health condition, you should be invited to an NHS Health Check by your GP or local council every 5 years.

If you think you are eligible but have not been invited, contact your GP surgery to find out if they offer NHS Health Checks or contact your local council to find out where you can get an NHS Health Check in your area.

Some pharmacies also offer NHS Health Checks.
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Diabetes is on the list of things they check for
 
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I’m on some medication that requires that I have monthly blood tests. This is how it was originally detected and possibly sooner than it would have been otherwise. Therefore I was able to take action sooner rather than later.

I would advise anyone to have at least yearly blood tests to check for diabetes, the sooner you know about it the better, I’m 49 btw.
 
After being diabetic for 20+ years I had my first, full on Hypo last week and it scared the bejesus out of me. I got up in the morning, did my normal blood test and it was 5.1, which is pretty low but was because I forgot to eat an evening meal the day before and I've had it in the low 4's before without any issues. So I took my meds, including my insulin and then had three pieces of toast & jam and milky coffee for breakfast, thinking that would sort it out. However, I think I must have accidentally injected the insulin into a blood vessel because my blood sugar crashed by the time I'd finished my breakfast. Headache, hands shaking, crazy sweats, extreme tiredness, my eyesight went really blurry and I felt absolutely dreadful. So I chewed four glucose lozenges, had another three rounds of jam & toast and a glass of milk and then had went and sat in my recliner as I was feeling so shaky. I woke up (thankfully) eight hours later, at which point I was feeling fine.
 
rids57 said:
After being diabetic for 20+ years I had my first, full on Hypo last week and it scared the bejesus out of me. I got up in the morning, did my normal blood test and it was 5.1, which is pretty low but was because I forgot to eat an evening meal the day before and I've had it in the low 4's before without any issues. So I took my meds, including my insulin and then had three pieces of toast & jam and milky coffee for breakfast, thinking that would sort it out. However, I think I must have accidentally injected the insulin into a blood vessel because my blood sugar crashed by the time I'd finished my breakfast. Headache, hands shaking, crazy sweats, extreme tiredness, my eyesight went really blurry and I felt absolutely dreadful. So I chewed four glucose lozenges, had another three rounds of jam & toast and a glass of milk and then had went and sat in my recliner as I was feeling so shaky. I woke up (thankfully) eight hours later, at which point I was feeling fine.
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I'm 17 years now but obviously not as bad as you if you're taking insulin.
About a month ago I attended my first Desmond's Course which was interesting but I'm so far gone now it didn't really apply.
If the Mounjaro doesn't work then I'm on insulin.
You're the expert but all the Nurses over the last few weeks have told me to have Jelly Babies with me just in case :)
 
After my wife's second cancer diagnosis, about 20 years ago, her GP told me that as I'm now a primary carer I should have an annual check up, including full set of bloods. This picked up that I was prediabetic. As luck would have it my wife had introduced me to Dr Atkins Diet a couple of months previously. Prior to that I was definitely in the 'all diets are fad eating' camp, mainly due to watching my mother yo-yo on a Calorie controlled diet for decades. If you've not actually read the book, get it out from your local library (or search the charity shops), it's well worth a read. It turns out my 'maintenance' limit for carbs is 52g/day. I'm no angle but I can honestly say it changed my life. I'd regularly have a carb crash at 3pm because I was eating sandwiches at lunch time, not good when that was when my line manager picked this time to have his meetings. Since Keto became popular the avalanche of recipes online is most welcome. In my annual tests I've never gone above prediabetic. They've had me on Metformin for years but I only take 1 a day, which appears to be doing alright.
 
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