CFS and diabetes

My husband is a type 2 diabetic, on insulin, and has chronic fatigue. He has suffered from this since he had Pneumonia. He also suffers from severe depression. He also has sleep aponea and suffers from excessive yawning.  He is absolutely at his wits end and I just dont know how to help him. The GP makes sympathetic noises but doesn't do much. Help!!

Welcome to HealingWell, fetherston. I'm sorry you haven't gotten any responses yet. I can only help by asking you what medications he's on besides the insulin. Perhaps some of them or a combination of them could be causing this excessive tiredness? Is he being treated for apnea? If not, maybe a sleep study should be ordered. I'm thinking either he needs medication for some of his conditions if he's not on any, OR, if he is already taking meds, then they might need to be changed or adjusted. How controlled is his diabetes? Is it his GP who is prescribing all his meds or does he see different doctors? Maybe you should consider looking for another doctor who will look into what's going on with your husband better than the GP he has now.

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Lanie

diabetes moderator
diabetes type 2 controlled so far by diet and exercise
very low carb way of eating

Thanks or your reply. He is on Citalipram for the depression and meds for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The previous GP said a lot of thing like "Oh dear, what are we going to do with you", so we changed and this one is about the same. He is up to 50 units of insulin now and still waking up with 14 blood sugar. I have asked today if he could be referred to the hospital but have been told no because he hasn't asked himself!

First, you understand I'm not a doctor, ok? But if he's waking up to 14 (which is over 250 here in the US), then something is wrong and his diabetes medication is not working. Blood sugar that high is dangerous. He probably needs oral meds to make his body actually USE the insulin because it appears that the insulin alone is not working and he may even be using too much. An endocrinologist is a specialist that treats diabetes (as well as other conditions) and I suggest that if his GP cannot get the blood sugar controlled with the insulin he's prescribing, then your husband must insist on seeing an endo. This is a serious situation. Please get your husband to agree to go to the hospital OR get to a doctor who understands what medication your husband needs. Dumping insulin into the body is not working - obviously!

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Lanie

diabetes moderator
diabetes type 2 controlled so far by diet and exercise
very low carb way of eating

fetherston, it sure sounds like you husband diabetes is still not under control. I am so sorry for that, I know nothing about diabetes but fortunately you got some good advice from LanieG. You didn't say if your husbands sleep apnea is being managed, is he using a cpap machine? Also, the yawning can be a side effect of an antidepressant, how long has he been on his? If it has been awhile then this will not be the case because it does go away after a few months

I want to welcome you to the forum. I also, want to suggest you post on the diabetes forum. You will get lots of help there I am sure. Many hugs, Denise

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Fibromyalgia-dx'd: 2006, ME/CFS-dx'd: 2006, Holt-Oram Syndrome dx'd 1975, reduced lung capacity dx'd 2009, nasal allergies, food allergies, depression (lifetime problem) IBS, neuropathy in hips

I have 4 children & 7 grandchildren.

As apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time for it. Prov. 25:11