Help adjusting when decades of managing prediabetes no longer works
For those of us who have controlled prediabetes for decades, but the progressive T2 disease no longer responds as well as it used to, suggestions to keep the control going to suffiently ward off the inevitable? Exercise is tough, because I can barely walk. I suffered nerve injuries during surgeries, sciatic, peroneal, LFCN, right leg. Gabapentin side effects, NSAIDs prohibited due to CKD. Tylenol doesn't touch the pain. Using hand weights, to try and get moving after cleaning up meals. I cut food consumption by 50%, then again by 25%, still not losing excess weight due to my T2 insulin resistance. This disease is hopeless when you get to the point no diet plan nor exercise controls it any longer. According to my FBG, I have crossed over into T2 diabetes. A1C goes up by a tenth of a point every six months blood draw. I’ve changed internist, as the last one doesn’t seem to care that my BP, cholesterol, blood sugar meds need adjusted. Cardiologist has now adjusted the BP and cholesterol meds. Will see if new doc will help with the T2, next appointment. Or maybe try and get referred to endocrinologist.
Lastly, on Medicare, cannot afford the newer T2 medications, copays aren’t doable for us.
Hi
. What a difficult situation. Have you tried intermittent fasting? It seems to work well for many people, especially those who can't exercise. Here is a link to an article about it: https://type2diabetes.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting. Sleep and stress can also impact blood sugar levels. Are you getting enough good quality sleep? If you do have to go on medication, I hope you don't see it as a failure. You have kept type 2 diabetes as bay for a long time. That's something to be proud of. I hope you get more suggestions from others in the community. Wishing you the best. - Lori (Team Member) Thanks. I haven’t tried the intermittent fasting (deliberately). I suspect I may be developing gastroparesis I have the burning sore throat, and times when my gut feels sluggish, like hours on end of cramping and one solid BM after another. I take meds for IBSD, BAM. I also have pancolonic diverticulosis. I also have little appetite, don’t eat much (still way overweight). I am prone to low blood sugar, so I force myself to eat just a little, several times per day. I already have major neuropathy, feet. Will be discussing the T2 with doc next visit. Expect he will adjust my very low dose of Metformin. I don’t view the disease progressing as failure. But it is horribly frustrating to no longer be able to maintain control of my prediabetes. I suspect it’s full-flown T2 now. I’m not opposed to the meds, just the cost. We are on Original Medicare. The drug plans stink. I get my spouse’s expensive inhalers, and one of my meds from Canada, simply not affordable in the US. I buy my own test strips, but with us having 20 maintenance drugs, we cannot afford the CGM, and certainly not the very expensive newer diabetes drugs, on top of our current drug costs burden. I’m very good at shopping the drug coupons, foundations, overseas meds sources.
As for sleep, lifelong issue. Every sleep study I’ve ever had, I never get past stage 2, never reach REM stage. Recently I am not sleeping much. I think I caught evidence of a liver dump this morning. When I couldn’t sleep, hadn’t slept yet, got out of bed, checked BG, was 125. Made a cup of coffee, sat quietly a couple hours. Napped a couple hours, blood sugar was 138. Night after night, same thing. Maybe 2 hours sleep the entire night.
I understand how pain, poor sleep, medications, etc, push up blood sugar. My new cardio has finally got my stubborn blood pressure in range, but Carvedilol is one of the suspects for creeping high BG. Sadly, the cardio has been on leave, family emergency. Can’t even get my 7-day heart monitor results from the office. Nurse ignores my calls, patient portal inquiries the last 3 months. Nobody is seeing the cardiologist’s patients, so don’t know if there’s anybody who will even refill meds scripts.
Anyhow, I may try a bit of intermittent fasting, if it doesn’t mess with the rest of my body. I’m just discouraged that my medical care is so fragmented.I wish there was a way to centralize your healthcare,
. It would be so much more effecient (and probably healthier for patients) to have one person as the lead doctor. It's a shame that anyone has to go without medications or medical care in this country because they can't afford it. It just shouldn't happen. Are you aware that the cap on out-of-pocket prescription costs for people on Medicare went into effect this year? That means you will never spend more than $2,000 a year. That's still a lot, but considering the copays for some medications, it will be life changing for some people. Keep me posted if you don't mind. I'll be thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)
