very discouraged and tired

nightmare, RN · Nov 25, 2007

Are you type 2 or type 1?

Sabby_NC · Nov 25, 2007

Am so sorry to read of your diagnosis.

I do pray for you that pain is eased with medication. I know my patient with severe neuropathy gets relief with Gabapentin.

Please hang in there and have the hope all will settle down once your diabetes gets under control.

Hugs I send to you today.

morte, LPN, LVN · Nov 25, 2007

try checking out benfotiamine (fat soluble thiamine) good luck

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2007

{{{{sylkiebird********

I'm sorry for your troubles, and that you're in pain.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2007

hi, silkiebyrd, and welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

my diabetes was discovered when i had a boo-boo on my leg that hadn't healed for a couple of months. while my dm doesn't require the amounts of insulin that yours does i still have some of the neuropathy. worse, i am going through chemotherapy for colon cancer and it seems that the side effects of the chemo are actually enhancing the neuro side effects of the dm so i am getting all kinds of neuropathic symptoms that are absolutely driving me nuts.

i have been on topamax for my symptoms since i also have some renal problems as well and it seems to work better for me. i didn't tolerate neurontin or gabatril very well at all.

one thing i have done since being diagnosed is grab everything i can find and learn myself up on this disease. i like diabetes for dummies and i also took a 30-hour home study course to fulfill my continuing education requirement a couple of years ago. you can also get information on the website of the national institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases at http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/ (our tax dollars at work!). my doctor at the time who was very knowledgeable about dm harped at me about following the zone diet of low carb foods. things should get better for you as you learn more about this disease and get more control over it.

here's a chuckle for you, or maybe not. my 14-year old cat has dm. she currently gets 3 units of nph insulin twice a day and she's very good about receiving her shots. she was diagnosed when i took her in for her yearly shots two years ago and the doc decided to do some labwork on her because of her age and found she had a blood sugar of 600. i've asked if cats get the same complications as humans, but i don't get much of an answer. i swear i think she's getting cataracts and she gets terribly restless more so than she used to. i wonder if she has neuropathy in her little paws. unfortunately, she can't tell me. she is the sweetest cat in the world though and i'm doing everything i can to keep her healthy. she's never had an insulin reaction, but i keep karo syrup on hand just in case (that is the emergency treatment for hypoglycemia in cats).

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2007

Modeator Note. Please use this thread mainly to emphasize with the person, and not offer medical advice. Thanks.

Silkiebyrd · Nov 27, 2007

Thank you for the hugs and messages. You know, sometimes as a nurse we forget the human part of our jobs because we get caught up in tasks to be done and paperwork. I just never dreamed that i would be in the same boat as some of the patients I have taken care of. I must say after being a nurse for almost 15 years we tend to become a little jaded at times. I truly think that this experience will make me a better nurse. I am just scared that this will cause me to not be able to work, so cross your fingers and say a prayer that something will work soon.

Selke · Nov 28, 2007

Sending you hope, hugs, and encouragement ...

{{{{{{{{{{{{silkiebyrd************************

C_raye · Dec 22, 2007

I found out that I'm Diabetic earlier this month, when I was at work and my vision blurred and I felt dizzy. I did a self assessment, checked my bp ect.and found that my glucose was at 460. My doctor did the usual labs and put me on oral meds which didn't help too much. Last Tuesday three hours after lunch, my glucose reading was high meaning 500 plus. I'm now on the oral meds, regular insulin on a sliding scale, and lantus at HS. I never miss work, but because of complications with Diabetes, I missed a few days this past month, so my unit manager requested that I take FMLA to get my health in order or risk losing my job. Of course I had to do this, and without pay for at least three weeks, meaning that I had to drop my insurance. I've been off two days now, and just the rest along with the oral meds and insulin seems to be helping my sugar levels.This past year, I had a lot of pain and neuropathy too, that seems to esculate with stress and if I get too tired, and now figured out maybe because of what I eat too . Knowing now that all this is caused by the Diabetes, I was kind happy in a way to have a reason for this, and although not cureable, at least with my doctor can find different ways to help me handle this disease and relieve all the pain and fatigue I experience .SilkeByrd I can really feel for you, as like yourself caring for Diabetics I had no idea what they were really feeling like. No one knows unless they experience it first hand, and we also don't owe anyone any explanation if they don't understand. I hope that you're on your way to feeling a little better yourself. If I can make a suggestion, the best thing for me is to talk with other nurses who have been Diabetic for a while, and also to visit the websites like the American Diabetes site and others specifically dealing with diabetic issues.

sharona97, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2007

I agree with the other posters, that knowledge is key. And until it happens to you it is then that we really learn from what our patinets have been telling us for years.

I hope your neuropathy diminishes soon, and that you can get some rest and start feeling better very soon.:balloons:

Silkiebyrd · Dec 25, 2007

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Sometimes it just helps to know others out there understand or have been through things and survived. I was going to give an update. I had been doing really well with monitoring glucoses and taking meds but with no insurance just one insulin (Novolog) was 850$ for a month. I went to see my endocrinologist, she was really good about addressing different questions and starting different meds (cheaper). I was very optimistic....until the time that I was getting ready to leave. I had lost almost 80 pounds this past year, I though due to lifestyle change and exercising (now I know a lot of it was probably due to diabetes) She looked at me and in the midst of everything I had been dealing with...money, pain, new illness with new meds, gaining weight rapidly....she says (direct quote) "maybe you should try putting a lock on the refridgerator door":angryfire Needless to say, I was rather upset. I have not gone back to see her or gone to have my labs drawn. I allowed her to make me feel fat and lazy and like I was the one wrong. I know people can't make you feel a certain way unless you let them but that was a little overwhelming to me. I have avoided going to my internist as well because for the last few weeks I have not done anything I was supposed to, I did not even take my meds. I don't know why I haven't, no excuse as I have insurance now. I guess maybe I have hoped that it was all a mistake. I have turned into that noncompliant pt that we all get so angry and frustrated with. I guess that is the bottom line of why I haven't gone, I know that my internist has tried to help me and I turned my back on the life preserver and swam the other way so to speak. I am going to go Friday and am preparing myself for the lecture that I will rightfully get :nono:but I am still not going to the endocrinologist ever again.

I have been taking benfontiamine (supplement). We tried Elavil but the dizziness and vision changes were too much. We started low dose and built up. They told me to stop taking it but we haven't tried anything else for the neuropathy...am hoping to get to try to Lyrica or something similar on Friday.:)

Thanks for listening to the rant and complaining, hopefully soon some relief in site.