Prior to 2000 I have had episodes of Hypoglycemic shock and even some situations where I could have passed-out and who knows what.
In 2003 I had some health problems, such as weight related (BMI number was/is higher than should be) and fatigue (and some other symptoms, including circulatory problems and chest pains), so I had my blood checked. My Cholesterol was high and my Potassium low! I am 5’6" and around 180-190 (overlapping pot-belly, so-called love-handles on the sides, chin-fat, thighs are fatty, upper underarms are full of fat nodules nearer to my armpits).
Prior to 1992 I was slim and fairly energetic, but my life was very stressful.
Anyways; in 2003 I had to work for a whole year as an overnight security guard (official California State licensed) at the entrance of a 55-plus retirement condo community. And my life was a mess. The reasons for having to take this job are various, suffice it to say my wife was not a citizen and had not yet been given her papers to be able to go to work, so I had to make enough money for the two of us.
It was during this time that I began to have frequent urination, dryness of my mouth and thrush on my tongue just after awaking and if I forgot to drink enough, I was constantly thirsty (now I do not even feel thirst or hunger when I should, nor do I shiver or sweat when I should !!!), and often I would wake up with my fingers turning from red to brown, sometimes even to almost greyish-to-black! My lower legs would suffer swelling (Edema) and injuries, especially to my legs, would take too long to heal! These symptoms have since gotten worse. And on my feet, fortunately in only a few places (mostly on the outer side next to my little toe) I would feel constant itchyness. My skin has become dry. I also developed eczema on my forehead between my eyebrows and around the nostril-fold of my nose…which (my nose) tends to get, every now and then, one or more infected pores (acne).
The worst thing is that if I accidentally eat anything with MSG or Caffeine or excess sugar my condition gets serious!
One time, a few years ago, we went out to buy Chinese take-out and I specifically told them not to put any MSG (they had a sign suggesting they can accomodate). After eating my food, within minutes, I was fighting for my life! I had a Ketoacidic reaction so severe. At least I had the sense to drink A LOT of water. But the symptoms of that attack were really scary ( I had similar attacks prior to that but not as severe). My vision was impaired by flashes of what looks like micro-lightning, I had serious trouble breathing, I was struggling to avoid losing consciousness, I even poured the other half of the One Liter of cold water on my head (which helped a bit)! I was shaking and feeling very nervous and insecure!
I’ve noticed that I have also got a problem with Caffeine: if I drink regular Coca Cola (in the UK they do not have the Decaffeinated sugar version…what they have here is Decaffeinated with Aspartame…which I know is toxic), or caffeinated black tea (coffee is out of the question!), I start to feel like my brain has trouble controlling my natural breathing and I have to force myself to breathe! Even then, unless I take Ascorbic Acid to break-up (the molecules)the accumulation of caffeine, one side of my brain feels very unpleasantly stuffy and lacking access to oxygen!
Obviously I have long since…due to not having health insurance back home in the US….learned to use the Internet and Merck manual to try and figure out what my symptoms may be due to and what action, dietary and otherwise, I might take to remove or at least reduce those symptoms.
Anyway; I just had my blood tested by the NHS here (this is the British National Health System…which is availble to all persons living in the UK legally….). This was after consulting with my new doctor (GP – Physician) here. The test showed elevated cholesterol, but no major indication of Diabetes Melitus 2 (adult onset type)!!! I find this result upsetting; not because anyone in their right mind wants to be diabetic, but because all my symptoms, including sudden mini-bouts of Hypertension that have also failed being detected, would seem to be signs of Diabetes or some other Endochrinal disease (Hyperthyroidism, Graves…).
I did fast 10 hours before going (which was not easy, as you know), and drank only a little water a couple of hours before being tested.
True: I have been taking Potassium Gluconate 99 milligrams per day…which I usually break into two pieces and take with my meals. And I have been eating as healthy a diet as I can, given that we are not doing well financially and we cannot afford to buy enough of the best possible fresh (life-force-rich) natural-state foods, such as certain types of fresh vegetables, fruits, etc. And I did stop eating cheese again! The cost of fresh produce in the UK is ridiculous! Even in the USA on the East Coast as compared to California; the price of healthy, fresh produce is too high!
So: here are my two questions:
1. If this is not Diabetes 2, then does anyone have a theory? Mind you: My GP here seems not to care to tell me what else it might be; saying that he does not know what is causing these symptoms and that he does not think I should be too concerned!!!
2. If this is Diabetes 2 then how can I find out for sure and get authorized to receive the kind of discounts on things like testing strips and Keto-strips…whose costs, without NHS reduction of cost, are too high for me to buy on my own?
I even bought my own Glucose meter two years ago, but I quit using it because I could not afford the sticks…and yes, sometimes my Sugar was too high or too low…but rarely, and since I abandoned my kit when I moved over here I could not test when I have had my recent most severe symptoms (which seem related to Caffeine and/or excess glucose and abnormally fast internal dehydration)??
Also; I heard from someone here that the NHS has issued secret instructions to GPs (doctors) not to prioritize diagnosis for non-British patients (the recent financial crisis here has obviously begun to have a very negative financial impact on the NHS). Anyone here in the UK with similar concerns??