The good news is that my new eating plan and meds are working. I have lost 21 pounds so far and my A1c was down to 5.9 on my labs done in March. My next labs are due in June..So my diabetes is under control for now.
The not so good news is I still have some other self improvements I need to work on, of course no one is perfect me included so I will not dwell on the negative and will be happy with my achievements and the progress I have made so far.
Thank you for listening and for your genuine support as always. I will consider trying the medication again in a week and if that doesn't work out I will continue with my diet and exercise as usual. The doctor did say that my numbers were really not that bad and that we were trying the medication with the hopes of me being able to add more carbs back into my diet so I would not have to be on such a strict low carb diet..So the diet and exercise are working on the own for the time being. So like you said only the strong survive and I will continue to be strong just like you my friend.
The first list of common side effects could cause night mares as a secondary effect of the anxiety condition you already have. EG, as a trigger. But it sounds from what you say that you are getting the more rare side effects. It would be a shame if you can't take this drug, but it happens doesn't it. I know it is very common drug in use so no one has mentioned anything different that works. There must be.
I take most of my meds twice a day so maybe she will say to do that.
Here for you, no matter what you do. Always.
If it is just acting as a trigger there would be ways to deal with that. It would just be a set back of sorts and you have dealt with setbacks, even though they are unpleasant. We do what we must do to survive. It sucks but is a fact. Only the strong survive. Be strong my friend.
I started my new medication last week but had to stop due to nightmares which could be a side effect from the medication which can cause nocturnal hypoglycemia which can cause anxiety, nightmares, fatigue and depression on awakening. I found this out after doing some research online after waking up in a bad panicked state and while waiting for a call back from the doctors office. I thought I was losing my mind for awhile there but was relieved to find this information online. I put in a call to the doctors office first thing on Monday morning and she had someone call me back yesterday. She said to stop the metformin for one week and then try taking it again to see if I get the nightmares again if I do than I am to call and leave a message for her letting her know. I also sent her a email too when I did not hear from her right. I still have questions that have not been answered like if I continue with the medication does she still want me to increase to a double dose after taking it for one week and should I take the increased daily dose together or should I split the dose taking one in the am and one in the pm. As of now I am not taking anything and am hesitant to take this medication again. If it is the medication than this is not something I am willing to take on a regular basis. I let her know that too in my email to her. Of course I don't know if she read my email or not since she has not emailed me back and I have not talked to her in person or on the phone either..I would never knowingly take anything that would cause me to have nightmares, panic and severe depression ever. If this is the case the risks definitely out way any benefit that I could get from this medication as far as I am concerned.
I would rather takes my chances without it and be alive instead of dead.
Now this is interesting in the fact that the work has paid off.
Last night I had my reoccurring claustrophobic dream but it was different. In the past when I have woke in terror I have changed the scene to something pleasant so I could go back to sleep. A form of visualization where you don't change the
background but the activity in it. I've always just made up pleasant activities to replace (bury) the terror so I could go back to sleep and it works. Last night it started off as claustrophobic as usual but went right to pleasant activities without my coaching. Parts of the dream were still not possible but there was no terror.
I have always said if you put a positive spin on things you will access positives in your memory when you need to make a choice. And you will do it subconsciously.
I have some reoccurring dreams that used to trigger panic attacks quite bad. The dreams are often different but the theme is always claustrophobic. And they are always impossible. By realizing that they are A, impossible and B, I would never get into that situation they go away. Using those thoughts and visualization they go away and I don't get an attack. It has got better and better, becoming automatic. This last time I went one step further. I was an observer on the sidelines instead of in the dream. And "I" was obvious right from the beginning watching it happen. A lot of very scary things happened that were not possible but appeared to be. The person in the dream was and was not me. This time that person was okay right through the whole thing, start to finish. The terror that should have been there was not and there was no need to consciously tear the dream apart to get rid of the panic attack because there wasn't one. I had already done that, start to finish. This is the first time I've ever done that asleep. I know positive thought breeds positive thought but it is nice to see it do it without conscious thought. The next step will be to realize the trigger is not possible and stop it before the dream happens. I wish I could have done this years ago when they were very bad.
Just bringing this thread to the surface again...Bump Bump...
Posting here on this thread keeps me motivated..
It's one of my little rewards...
I spent a good part of the morning organizing my diabetes diet info into one large binder today. I joined the American Diabetes Associations online program this year for people newly diagnosed and they email me a newsletter every 3 months and sent me materials in the u.s. mail to help me understand and manage my diet and blood sugar too. This is a free service and the program lasts for one year..I look forward to getting their materials. Putting it all a binder makes it easier for me to use..Now I will be able to sit down and study it without having to read everything online..This is just one more of the small steps that I am taking to reach my main goal..
We had company come to visit and stay with us overnight Saturday and we all went to the zoo on Sunday and had a good time. I felt a little down after everyone left so I decided to get busy and started to work on some plans that I have been working on for the future again..
Yesterday I rested for a bit and started to worked on getting back on track again. I decided to work on some plans and goals for the new year. I was able to make some calls out for information about a diabetes class and a diabetes support group. I received some calls back that same afternoon about a class and a support group starting up in January. The the support group starts on January 22nd and after that meets every other month on the last Tuesday of the month The Diabetes nutritions class part 2 is on January 24 and is a one time only class it is part of a series..
I called last week and asked the program operations manager if I could take part 2 over because the first time around we had a student in the class that was very disruptive and it was hard for me to concentrate and stay focused. She had to speak to the clinical supervisor and said she would call me back on Monday. Which she did and now I get to take the class again and am enrolled in a support group, plus they she they will sent me a letter in February for a review class that will be available in March to those of us that completed the series of diabetes education classes. After that they will contact my doctor for a referral and then they will see if my insurance will approve the review class. This was so nice of her to for me. This is her last week at the clinic. She starting a new job working for another hospital the first week of Janunary..So it looks like we will be both off to a fresh new start in the coming year. I am glad I was able to thank her before she left. I will miss her..
So all in all my exposure work went better than expected. I am glad I got over my fears and called. I asked my questions and asked for help last week and again yesterday...and now I have a plan..
Today was definitely small steps. Too sore to do much else. Not enough sleep last night. So I stumbled around and managed to make mince meat tarts and a raspberry pie. I put two pie shells in the freezer too. Come Christmas I'll just have to fill them. I hope to make cookies tomorrow if I don't go to town to get my microwave. If it is in I sure would like it. I used to do this in my little cabin on a wood stove. No power, no microwave. No running water let alone hot running.
No neighbours for miles. I should have stayed there. The last 15 years have not been kind to me but I'm still here and making the best of it. And being successful at it.
