afraid

isenephthys · 11-28-2005, 08:08 AM

i am afraid that i might be diabetic. i was diagnosed with pcos in early 2004; my gtt results were "high normal" and i started on glucophage. fast forward to nearly two years later. i've been off my glucophage for a couple months due to financial constraints. i've also started taking zyprexa for my bipolar d/o, which can raise blood glucose levels. i don't have adequate insurance coverage right now, so i don't even want to open the diabetes can of worms until i have coverage that actually will help me out. (i'll be changing carriers in december.) the past several days, i have been dry (dry skin, thirsty) and urinating more frequently than is typical for me. i also have occasional blurred vision, but i've had that on and off for a while- i need glasses too! i've been on several antihistamines the past few days because of some allergy issues... i am just praying that the dryness and thirst are from that and not diabetes. i'm really worried and not sure what to do.

thanks for letting me rant.

squidge63 · 11-28-2005, 02:24 PM

I know it is easier to say than actually do, but try not to stress over this as that won't help matters. The being thirsty and wanting to urinate frequently are symptoms of diabetes, as is the blurred vision. Do any of the pharmacies offer free diabetes checks? I know some of the pharmacies in the UK now offer this service along with other tests. Will keep my fingers crossed that it is the antihistamines causing your dry mouth and thirst.

I know it may feel like the end of the world if you are diagnosed as diabetic, I have been since 1999 and it took me several years to accept the fact even though I took my meds and that I was still denying that I had it and it would affect me. Even though I should know better after being in nursing and seeing what the results of the disease can cause. I am on 1000mg of metformin and 4 insulin injections a day and even now I still have bad days where I hate the fact I am diabetic, but at the end of the day I have it and it's not going to change. As long as you keep a good sugar control there is no reason for diabetes to ruin your life, and to be honest I would rather have the diabetes than some other diseases.

Try not to be afraid, I know it is scary, but if you can get your sugar levels checked try and get it done.

isenephthys · 11-28-2005, 07:18 PM

squidge, thanks for the advice. i didn't think about checking with the pharmacy! and i know its not the end of the world- i'm in nursing but it is still strange for me to be "on the other side" if you know what i mean. i think my major fear stems from the strong family history of diabetes and seeing my grandmother die at a relatively young age because of its complications.

i'll keep ya'll posted.

squidge63 · 11-29-2005, 02:30 AM

I know just how you feel being "on the other side" and I think in my time in nursing and out of nursing I have gone through so many tests for various things, at least if a patient was having it done I could tell them what to expect. I also know the fear as the last ward I worked on was an amputee unit and the majority of patients were diabetic, and of course they not only had pvd, but most other diabetic complications as well.

Take care
Squidge

isenephthys · 11-29-2005, 04:29 AM

thanks squidge! i work icu and cvicu... so many of our heart patients are diabetics with all the complications. sometimes you can "know too much." i am feeling a bit better today and i'm not taking those danged antihistamines, so i'm hoping that's all it is! and i should be back to work soon, so i'll just snag a blood glucose level while @work.