Diabetes advice needed...help!

[semperfiguy]

I am desperate for some really good advice on the diagnosis and treatment of Diabetes. I have had hypoglycemia (low sugar) for years and didn't even know what it was until one of my business associates brought me a book on the subject. I have been able to control it for the last ten years by eating three squares a day (used to skip breakfast altogether) and snack properly in between meals. However, for the past 3-4 months it seems to be out of control and comes on me more often than before. I am 62 and a little overweight, but not obese by any means, and I do a brisk 2.5 mile walk usually 5 days a week. I don't smoke and I haven't had a drink of alcohol for 20 years, and just recently I cut out all caffeine drinks because I noticed that it was really hastening the onset of the hypo. I urinate way too frequently, have numbness from time to time in my extremities, have burning eyes and generally just feel fatigued all the time. Diabetes runs in my mother's family, so I am beginning to be very concerned about all this. This stuff is nothing to mess around with. I don't know if my sugar ever goes hyper because I'm not sure what that is supposed to feel like and I don't have a meter, but the low sugar symtoms are unmistakable. So...can anyone out there recommend a particular doctor or clinic that I should visit. Also what should I expect in the way of tests, and if it is determined that I need treatment with drugs, what has been your experience with starter medication and dosages? I really need to see a doctor that will act as concerned about this as I am. I'm afraid that my experience with the doctors that have seen my wife and step-daugher for their ailments has not been favorable. They seem to be very indifferent and haphazard with their diagnosis'. Your advice is very much appreciated.

God Bless!

[BobHelm]

You might glean some information from here semperfiguy
http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/i ... 16825.html

[goodybags]

my advice is to firstly get a blood moitoring meter
i've seen them in boots/watsons over here.

back home in the UK they are oftern given away free,the machines are usually given free by bayer etc to get you to buy the test strips they produce.

sorry I am not sure where your from, but please get some proper medical advice

myself i've been diabetic for the last 10-15 years confirmed 12 years ago
(but knew it b4 just never went to doctor and faced it initially)

but now its under pretty good control, with firstly a healthy diet,
then onto tabletts and for the last 3 years, on a mix of tabletts and insulin.

are you on facebook as there is some good advice and you can get support from other diabetics on there
I Can send you link if you are.

OR a usefull site: may be Diabetes UK
(formerly know as the British Diabetic Association)
they are a UK charitable reaserch organisation, they do research, campaigning, and help people live with the condition
www.diabetes.org.uk - HAVE A LOOK IT MAY HELP ?

As far as doctors/ hospitals around Udon,
I can personally recommend Wattana Hospital,(they are situated Beside Lake Nong Prajak) www.wattanahospital.net
70/7-70/8 Supakitchanya Road, Ban Luam, Muang Udon Thani - 042-325999
I had to call on their service when I was very Ill a coupple of years ago (unrelated to my diabetes)
Had servere food poisoning due to eating village food.
I can honestly say" this hospital really cared and mnaged my diabetes to a higher standard than i've experienced in hospital back home in UK"

and last year when I ran out of my medication that i'd brought from home in UK, they sorted me out.

where abouts in Udon are you/Where are you from/How long are you here for?

Hope you get the help and suport your looking for,Im sure you will from users on here,I am happy to offer my help im here for next 2 weeks let me know if you do
good luck

[Bread Man]

Hi I started I have I diabetes i-have-diabetes-t16825.html
If you are urinating too much, means that your sugar levels way too high. This happens to me sometimes. Please make an appointment at the Military Hospital on the ring road. There's a diabetes Doctor there and he will check everything for you, I have to go every three months for a check. Also getting a Accu-Chek is a good idea. Slightly different from the ones in the Uk, but still gives you the reading.
Please do this quickly as this is a very dangerous and can lead to lots of problems if left.
If your require further info please PM me.

[Prenders88]

AEK Udon have a excellent Diabetes Clinic run by Dr Pongsiri.

[semperfiguy]

AEK Udon have a excellent Diabetes Clinic run by Dr Pongsiri.

Prender, do you have any idea of costs there for a first visit and analysis. Another forumite recommended the Military Hospital (where my Thai wife goes, so I am familiar). I know that the charges there for a farang are the same as the locals, and their prices are really low.

Thanks for the response.

[Prenders88]

AEK Udon have a excellent Diabetes Clinic run by Dr Pongsiri.

Prender, do you have any idea of costs there for a first visit and analysis. Another forumite recommended the Military Hospital (where my Thai wife goes, so I am familiar). I know that the charges there for a farang are the same as the locals, and their prices are really low.

Thanks for the response.

I go every month for the basic tests, and cosultation with Dr Pongsiri.

With meds I pay 1500 baht, I get 10% off as I'm a long term customer.

Maybe more if you need the eye scan, and kidney function tests.

[Khun Paul]

With Diabetes, a formal and thorough check-up by a fully qualified doctor is the first step to undrstanding and dealing with an illness if NOT treated and correctly does have terminal effects.
Once the situation has been correctly assessed, then managing it is fairly simple, I have heard good reports from the Military Hospital and although NOT a diabetic myself, i can recommend it, AEK is unfortunately going down the road like so many American Hospitals...it is cash orientated and that people is not good for the patient as money talks and the conditions are assessed by their monetary gain to the hospital, sad but true , it has in my estimation lost its pole position.

[Ray.Charles]

I have been told that Theptarin Hospital, Bangkok is top in diabetes. They also have classes for diabetic patients. I will consider joining you for a visit there.

[wayne747]

Hi Semperfiguy
I can only contribute with a link too, that may help you.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2 ... N=symptoms

They describe in understandable terms what diabetes is and symptoms.
The excessive urination is caused by high sugar levels, not low levels (the sugar "pulls out" water from the tissues).
I am no doctor, but given your age and slight overweight, you sound like a typical diabetes type 2 sufferer.
Lots of people have this, get it treated medically and have a fine life.
Untreated diabetes is dangerous.
Best of luck

[Ray.Charles]

Check this out:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/how-tes ... ose?page=2

[maaka]

yo Semperfiguy

from reading your OP post I get the feeling you are panicking abit to much at this stage..getting info off the internet can sometimes throw a person into a real spin.. hell no one urinates more than me, six to eight litres a day, and I dont have diabetes. I am fatiqued, have blurred eyesight and itchy skin, all systoms of diabetes according to some websites, yet I dont have diabetes and I have blood tests every 3 months for other medical reasons..so try and rein in the panick feeling abit my man, until you get professional qualified confirmation ok..I thought I had cancer once, dam well convinced myself I had it after reading info on the internet, turned out I didnt, but heck did I worry myself like a dog worries a bone while waiting days for the test results, so I sort of know where your at...there are plenty of mates here for you should you need someone later to confide in, or share your burden, but first things first ok...god bless.

[maikauzai]

This doesn't make sense. Diabetes is the illness with high blood sugar, not low blood sugar. The treatment and the management are just the opposite. You need to see a GP for your diagnosis first.

[semperfiguy]

Well, I just returned from the Military Hospital after having seen a doctor this morning for my concerns about the low blood sugar episodes and possible diabetes. The lab performed a battery of 18 various blood tests and the doctor gave me a clean bill of health, with the exception of my cholesterol being elevated just a bit, but no cause for concern and no medication prescribed. I suppose I should be very happy with the final analysis, but I am still concerned about what is making my blood sugar drop so often during the day. The doc couldn't give me an answer and only suggested that I make sure to eat between meals and before bedtime. I'm already eating the proper foods and exercising adequately, and I don't smoke, drink alcohol or consume any caffeine. My blood pressure was normal and the doc seemed to be impressed with my overall health for a 62 year old man.

Total bill: 2070 baht. Doc's fee is free since we ordered lab tests. Lab alone back in the States would have easily been $500 (15,000 baht) or more for such an extensive profile of testing, and that doesn't include the doctor's fee.

I want to thank all you fellow forumites for your concern, your advice and your encouragement.

Regards and God Bless!

[wazza]

This doesn't make sense. Diabetes is the illness with high blood sugar, not low blood sugar. The treatment and the management are just the opposite. You need to see a GP for your diagnosis first.

INCORRECT Advice, sorry

Diabetes is a disease - relative or absolute lack of insulin in the body. Insulin is a hormone that allows the blood sugar to transfer to the cells of the body.

A diabetic can present with either of the symptoms of the disease at any time, eh, if a diabetic skips lunch and works outside all after noon then the BSL( blood sugar level will / could drop ) and they become unconscious and develop a diabetic hypoglyceamic coma, easlier fixed with IV Gluagon or Dextrose 50% - reason is they have no sugar in the blood for the cels to receive. The insulin is there.

A diabetic can also have high blood sugar , from no insulin etc, and this causes hyperglycaemia, ( high blood sugar ) levels and this is normally a slower onset over a a few days, can cause problems for sure, like excess urination and unstable electrolytes etc ( keto acidosis ) . Diabetic coma can also occur in this stage, but not of suden onset like hypoglycaemia. Reason , the sugar is in the blood , BUT no isnulin there to allow it to transfer through to the cells in the body.

OP's have all confirmed one thing, you need to seek the advice of a person qualified in endocrinology ( Diabetes ) , ur local GP will do all the follow ups and monitoring, but u needs to get it all assesed professionally, dont take short cuts for the sake of a few 1000 Baht. Its a disease you need to keep on top of as OP's here will testify.

[wazza]

Im presuming the blood test he did for the BSL was " a fasting test " and not just a walk in off the street bsl test with a glucometer, he would have done a liver function also etc.

did he recomend you monitor your BSL 3 times a day for a period of time, before meals. U have stated that your BSL is dropping in the day ? so i presume that is being done ?

[semperfiguy]

Im presuming the blood test he did for the BSL was " a fasting test " and not just a walk in off the street bsl test with a glucometer, he would have done a liver function also etc.

did he recomend you monitor your BSL 3 times a day for a period of time, before meals. U have stated that your BSL is dropping in the day ? so i presume that is being done ?

Wazza, the tests that I had performed were complete kidney and liver, cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, PSA, CRP, hemoglobin and several others totalling 18. The doc said nothing about taking any meter readings, but just for my own peace of mind I will buy a meter and start keeping track. The low blood symptoms, which is what I am having trouble with, are unmistakable and I don't need a meter to know when I'm having an episode. But what I don't know is whether or not it ever goes hyper, so I will get the meter and find out.

God Bless!

[wazza]

Ok, good proactive measures, he will appreciate that in a follow up in say 1 month, particularly if your still have some clinical issues.

[maaka]

good to hear thingys didnt turn out as bad as your first thought Semperfiguy, and its not all doom and gloom. if you are going to buy a one of these thingys, make sure you keep a diary, and record not only the blood levels, but what you ate and drank that day, hours of sleep, exercise, etc..the causes it might be something as simple as having an allergey to a certain food, or to a metal like silver, or some such thing, or even a food tolerance..keeping a record for say 30 days might reveil that when you have these bouts on certain days, that you ate certain foods..it certainly wont hurt to keep a record for future use if needed..

[semperfiguy]

good to hear thingys didnt turn out as bad as your first thought Semperfiguy, and its not all doom and gloom. if you are going to buy a one of these thingys, make sure you keep a diary, and record not only the blood levels, but what you ate and drank that day, hours of sleep, exercise, etc..the causes it might be something as simple as having an allergey to a certain food, or to a metal like silver, or some such thing, or even a food tolerance..keeping a record for say 30 days might reveil that when you have these bouts on certain days, that you ate certain foods..it certainly wont hurt to keep a record for future use if needed..

Thanks maaka, that's great advice! Never thought about that. Maybe is has something to do with all this lead with mercury that I have in half my teeth for fillings since I was a child. Lord only knows what affect that stuff has on ones body.

God Bless!