My Diabetes Blog

Ok, so it's monday morning, things going as normal, driving to work, wondering what the day will bring, and i start feeling a little tight across the chest.

Didnt give this too much thought, arrived at work, and a few minutes later the pain was a little worse so i phoned my GP's practice to arrange an appointment, i was asked the normal question "is later in the week ok or is it urgent".  I responded with i wished to see a doctor today as i had pains in the chest.  at which point the phone was passed to a nurse.

I was asked a few questions, and then was told "i think the best thing to do is call and ambulance"..   i said "no im sure its not that bad, i can come to the surgery and discuss the problem"..  the nurse said"if you are really sure, then come in and we will stick you on the ECG monitor"

Anyway, i got to the doctors, they stuck me on the ECG, took the printout to the doctor, the doctor called me in he said "The readings are not quite right" he pointed to part of the sqiggly line and explained that the shape would normally indicate pericarditis or it could be a heart attack, but that due to my history of diabetes and high blood pressure they would assume id just had a heart attack.

The next thing i know im laid flat, sprays under the tounge, oxygen mask, doctors and nurses surounding me.

10 minutes later the ambulance arrives and whisks me away.

upon arrival at the hospital i was taken to intensive care, wired up, pills, morphine and lots of questions. an hour or so later they advised me i was to be moved to the CCU (coronry care unit) what i would still be treated for a hear attack.

upon moving to the CCU i was ask more and more questions by more and more people, more drugs more poking and proding.

Eventually a doctor comes across to advise that they were not 100% sure that i had a heart attack, but needed to be treated as though i had, and the way they can tell if i have had a heart attack is to do a blood test 12 hours after first pain, if there is mussle damage then there would be Troponin in the sample and if there is i have had a heart attck, if not then i have not, but more test would be needed to find the cause of the pain.

Anyway time went by, blood sample taken and fortunatly there was no Troponin, so ive not had a heart attack, they have however stated that the pain was from the heart, and i will need more tests (echo stress test) to find the cause.

Anyway that was a 48 hour holiday i did not expect!

When i picked up my recent prescription for aviva test strips, i opened the box to find the code chip was black instead of the normal white colour

Inside the box was a leaflet that explained the black chip, basically once you put thismchip in your meter you never need to take it out again, as this is the new universal chip, that will work no mayt what the code is on your strips.

Not a massive change, but one less thing to remember

Hi.. I have not said much for a few weeks, been quite busy with one thing and another! Late december when i had to visit the doctor, i had to lift my T shirt so she could have a listen to my lungs. fortunately they sounded ok, but she did spot a mole on my tummy that she did not like the look of, so she had a closer inspection and still did not like the look of it, so referred me to one of the other doctors to take a look.

2 visits later the doctor decided to refer my to the local hospitals cancer unit to take a look.. things moved quite quickly and had my hospital appointment within 7 days. The consultant too a look at a few moles and has described them as 'atypical' so a full set of photos were taken and i will have to return in a few weeks to see if there is any change, and at that point a decision will be taken on what to do with the mole.

it is possible yet that it is a perfectly normal mole and nothing to worry about, either way so far the NHS has done a good job.

so if you have any moles that are new, growing, or not uniform in colour, do get them looked at.

I have been a shooter for many years, but handed back my firearms license when handguns were banned.

Over recent years i have been getting back into shooting, mostly i have been using air rifles, but as i get permission to shoot on larger land, it has been getting more difficult with a low power rifle.

In November i decided that i would apply for a Firearms Licence again so that i could get a proper hunting rifle, my main concern about applying was that since the last time i had a license i am now an insulin controlled diabetic and the UK has some of the strictest firearms laws in the world.

The police are now required to contact your doctor to see if there is any reason that the applicant should be refused a license, and its fact that many diabetics suffer from some form of depression at some point and depression is a big no-no.  Fortunatly i have not at any point suffered from depression.  Another factor is hypo's, i didnt know if they would consider the risk of a hypo being to great to allow ownership of a firearm.

I am pleased to say that only 10 weeks after application my firearms license was granted, and i am now free to consider what rifle i would like to buy

if any diabetics are considering applying for an FAC, feel free to contact me if you have any questions

I was in specsavers yesterday for my regular eye test, this is an appointment i dont normally like, as it normally costs me quite a bit. this year my glassed have cost me just short of £300

The good news is, as a diabetic you can get the eye test done free of charge on the NHS, this is because diabetes can have several bad effects on your vision, so it is deemed bad enough that you can have an annual free eye test.

So, if diabetes can cause poor vision, why dont we qualify for optical vouchers towards the cost of glasses, old people and poor people qualify, so why not someone with an illness that is known to cause poor vision??