Starving, Hot Flashes and Wee Loads at Night Now

[SandyDS]

Hi. I was diagnosed in January and was first put on 1,000 am and pm Metformin, but due to side affects, I was changed to Sukkarto SR. I take 2,000 together at my tea time. I had no symptoms before of diabetes, but the feeling starving/hungry, hot flashes and needing the toilet between 4-5 times a night is ridiculous. I did not expect the side affects of Metformin to be what people usually get when they have symptoms of diabetes. I have tried a small sugar free snack before bed for the hunger. Unknown as to whether my bloods have changed as I have only had one blood test in January to diagnose and apparently the next blood test can now be anything up to a year or later so unknown whether medication or a diet change has helped etc.. Any help and ideas please. Thank you.

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Hi and welcome to the group, SandyDS . Thank you for introducing yourself to everyone.

Has your doctor told you to get a home blood sugar testing kit to do testing daily/weekly/when you're not feeling well or when your blood sugars are low and/or high? Did your doctor say what the A1c (3 month blood test for 90 days) result was at the last appointment?

What snacks did the doctor suggest for bedtime? How many carbs. do you eat at each meal and/or snack?

[SandyDS in reply to Activity2004]

Hi Thanks for the help . No suggestion of buying machine or wee tests etc . Only had a first appointment that is all so far . They don't do that sort of thing anymore apparently because that only measures daily opposed to blood tests . When I rang after 3 months I was told anything up to a year . I checked the government site and that is what it says so they are doing exactly right according to rules . I thought that I would of had one after 3 months also as new meds and taking medication for chronic migraine etc as well . I was just told if you have any problems with meds causing more or worse migraine to let them know . I cut out biscuits. cakes and all obvious sugars and now I have been cutting down my carbs slowly so as not to cause more migraines from being hungry as advised by my migraine specialist . I hope to eventually have about 15 carbs a meal by the end of the year . I have not felt unwell at all . I did not have any symptoms of diabetes it was a general test to the discovery of being diabetic.. I was surprised as I had no symptoms at all. But as I said I have been having to go for a wee more times in the night now on meds than before so I find that strange and my hot flushes have returned exactly the same times as a couple of years ago . . I eat a couple of Aldi sesame crispbreads with either sugar free wholemeal butter or grated mature cheese. I have tried not eating after 7pm . I never feel full now after a meal so . I am confused why I am continually hungry and I even tried eating exactly the same as before and no I was still not full where as I was before . I am going to try and get an appointment and request a blood test again . Cross fingers

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to SandyDS]

Yes, definitely get in touch with your doctor's office and either schedule an appointment for in office or on video chat and see what the doctor says. Please let us know what you find out after the appointment is over.

For me, personally, I have a 30 gram protein bar before bed so I don't drop too low while I sleep. The bar is 27 grams of carbs.. I also eat a Greek yogurt if the blood sugar is lower than normal.

Sorry to hear that you've been having migraines. Sometimes, they and other headaches are from not enough carbs./slight drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia). With using the restroom more at night, your blood sugar may be going higher than normal. What do you usually eat at dinner?

[SandyDS in reply to Activity2004]

Thank you for your help .I have had migraines for 48 years now so have always tried to eat something every 4 hours to try and keep my sugar levels even . I have not slept properly since March 2019 since not smoking and my doc just said it would sort it self out naturally and even though I used to be a savoury person I became a sweet person as always tired so ate biscuits, sweets and anything to give me energy. But don't now . This hunger from Metformin is diving me crazy though . How many carbs do you try to stick to ?and how would I know when they are too high or too low please as my daily migraine which I have had for 4 years now have the same symptoms . Thank you . I will get on to my docs .

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to SandyDS]

For me, I have 25-44 carbs. for snack. I have 16-19 for breakfast. Lunch is around 45-50. Dinner is 60-75. These depend on my blood sugars. If I have a bigger amount of carbs., then I have to do a bigger dose of insulin afterwards. No carbs. or some, but not too many, then it's a less dosage at meals. Bedtime shots are usually around 10-12 units.

[SandyDS in reply to Activity2004]

Hi I first read to have 100 carbs a day then read it should only be 50 a day so all depends on where you rad it . Did you go to any particular good sites to learn at the beginning . Thanks

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to SandyDS]

My doctor when I was 13 years old, had me see the nutritionist at the doctor’s office with my mom back then. They helped us with learning about counting carbs. for insulin dosing.

I have been type 1 since I was 2 weeks old as an infant after two surgeries.

[Kniste in reply to SandyDS]

Hi SandyDS, I have been using Metformin for a number of years. Be careful about eating too little, a person of 150kgs needs more food that someone of 55kgs. I started calorie counting using an app with great success, I calculated my base calorific requirement and logged everything that I ate. I cut down on sweet things but I did not eliminate them, Just bore in mind that a hot chocolate (150) cost a lot more calories than a cup of black tea 3-4 if you add milk.

I also believe in the saying that if you give up food, drink, s*x and fun, you may not live longer but it certainly feels like it.

I cut alcohol out (easy), minimised sweet things. only had them if I really wanted them . I also and this was the best medicine, I started exercising more. When the gym was open I did one hour (nearly) everyday, rowing, elliptical striding and walking on the conveyor. when the gyms closed I walked 3 miles (nearly) every day.

Emphasis on the nearly! I refuse to beat myself up if I did not get my exercise done or if I had apple pie and custard because I wanted it.

The need to pass water during the night, in my case I drank a cup of hot water before bed and in the morning.

Any comments that I have made refer To my success and does not everyone.

If you are in the UK, the health system is fantastic, you just have to be persistent.

Kind regards,

Steve

[SandyDS in reply to Kniste]

Thanks for that help. Does the drinking a cup of hot water work and why hot please. Thanks

[Kniste in reply to SandyDS]

This is how it was explained to me, 2 of the reasons to get up during the night to pass water. a) full bladder, if that is the case then once is usually enough then rest for the remaining night. b) irritation in the plumbing system for whatever reason. You then get up and the passing of water is unsatisfying, and then you get up again short while later.

Drinking of hot/warm as possible water. gives a feeling of being full. it also has a flushing effect on the plumbing. Have been doing this for a number of years.

[SandyDS in reply to Kniste]

Untill Metformin I did not have this problem so find it weird I do now.

[Kniste in reply to SandyDS]

Suggest that you have a read of these notes.

nhs.uk/medicines/metformin/

[SandyDS in reply to Kniste]

Hi Thank you . I had already read this but worth reading again .

[Kniste in reply to SandyDS]

I found this in Pappa Google:

Does metformin affect urination?

This medicine may increase risk of having urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis or urosepsis. Check with your doctor right away if you have bladder pain, bloody or cloudy urine, difficult, burning, or painful urination, or lower back or side pain.

I have no idea what these things are, they do not look very nice, I suggest that you call 111, these doctors are on the ball and they will give you an accelerated appointment to a specialist.

Good Luck

[SandyDS in reply to Kniste]

Thanks but no pain or any of those problems but will mention it when I finally get to see the diabetes nurse.

[SandyDS]

Thank you. When I finally manage to get my first blood test after being diagnosed I will see whether what I have been doing and medication has helped any so far.

[MissKota]

If you are newly diagnosed and still trialling you’re medications I am surprised they are not checking you every three months.

Try to find out if your GP surgery has a dedicated diabetes nurse. S/he should be able to help you.

[SandyDS in reply to MissKota]

Thanks. It was the Diabetes nurse that I saw . She asked how I had been on Metformin for the last 2 weeks and I told I had not been given prescription yet . The doc was suppose to give me one but some sort of mess up again . My surgery is not that good anymore . I told the doctor exactly that when I spoke to them in March before everything closed .I have to have a blood test for my kidneys after 2 weeks of being on a another medication I am trying for my migraine so have told them I need a blood test for diabetes at the same time . So hopefully the paperwork I collect will have 2 tests on and they will do the two at the same time . Fingers crossed . At least I will know what my bloods are like now .