Cynical Chatter From The Underworld

September 2008
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
« Aug
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Frustration

By The Morningstar | August 28, 2008

Since my visit to the practice diabetes nurse on friday of last week, my frustration has been mounting. I really want to get on with learning more about controlling diabetes, unfortunately the system seems to think I am;

Going to be so upset about the diagnosis that I have to be handled with Kid Gloves.
So shocked that I can’t take any information in at all.

I say this because rather than being told to go on a diet, cut out smoking and take the prescribed medication, I was asked very nicely if I wouldn’t mind doing those things. In a half hour appointment I learnt nothing other than my depression meds may react with the medication for diabetes, and that I should inform DVLA that I have diabetes. At the end I was given one photocopied dietary handout, a leaflet about driving and diabetes and a leaflet about type 2 diabetes that wasn’t very helpful.

Since then I’ve had a further fasting blood test for a number of things and a urine test, both of which apparently indicate that there are other problems, although my Thyroid is apprently still working properly. I now have to wait for Tuesday for the next thrilling instalment of my education about diabetes, however I get the impression that I won’t actually be learning anything about controlling it, I’ll be having a foot examination.

What I’d really like to know is how I can check what my blood sugar levels are, I can’t count on my body being able to to tell me as the Beta Blockers I take mask the symptoms of hypoglycaemia. The nurse did a quick test when I last saw her involving pricking my finger and putting a drop of blood onto a strip sticking out of a small machine. She didn’t bother to explain it and just kept talking about other things.

Meanwhile I’ve changed my diet a lot, I’ve reduced my sugar and caffeine intake by about 75%, I’ve cut meat by half, eat cereals every morning with berries of some sort to liven them up, use semi-skimmed milk and eat granary bread. I have also started getting exercise and I’m doing a 1km walk each day, I’m also about to start using weights as well.

So I’m doing what I can, I just wish the NHS and GPs surgery would catch up with me, hence the frustration.

Topics: Diabetes, Personal | 8 Comments »

The Joys Of Thrush

By The Morningstar | August 21, 2008

I’m not talking about the bird either.

I first got Thrush about 4 years ago after having to take a course of antibiotics. For men it can be pretty damned nasty and seriously painful. So I wasn’t impressed when it returned in January of this year, since then it has kept recurring time after time. Last week I went to my doctor to see if there was a stronger medication available, I nearly begged for a tablet but apparently the most effective treatment is a cream, cue several days of serious pain trying to apply that cream.

There is a ‘but’ hovering around in there though, and that is that persistently recurring thrush is a symptom of another problem, a more serious one, Diabetes.

My GP told me I needed a blood test and I had a fasting blood test carried out on Tuesday morning, I got the results about an hour ago, the glucose levels in my blood indicate that I am in the early stages of Diabetes. It isn’t a huge shock, I’ve had a number of hypoglycaemic episodes in the past and I’ve also had a number of other symptoms which I now realise were pointing in this direction.

Without the recurring episodes of Thrush I would have had no warning at all of the onset of Diabetes, the other individual symptoms are not ones that would have seen me going to the doctors. I’ll be back a the surgery tomorrow, though I’m not sure what for this time and it looks like I’ll have to start trying harder to lose weight.

Topics: Diabetes, Personal | 6 Comments »

Public Convenience Leads To Public Humiliation

By The Morningstar | August 21, 2008

I went down to Manchester a couple of weeks ago to spend some time with Lynda, all went well, right up until I went into Piccadilly Station to travel home.

I needed to use the toilet and went to the disabled one, typically, it was locked, bright thinking when you consider how often incontinence is an issue with the disabled. Unlike the able bodied who pay 20 pence for the privilege of entrance to the toilets, the disabled have to press a button to attract the attention of the attendant. However the button doesn’t discretely attract attention, it causes a wail like an air raid siren with the hiccups, and as you look round blushing in bewilderment, every ey