Question:
I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of……. Sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, I fell asleep three times after work during a video of NYPD Blue a show I love. I fell asleep in the waiting room of the Diabetic Unit LOL I’m a young 55, male, wonderfully handsome, modest, 6′ 5" and weigh about 14 stone (I don’t know what that is in Celsius). I use an exercise bike about 5 times a week for twenty minutes and od some stretching but I do have a desk driven job. Does anyone -YAWN – have any – Zzzzz – advice to wake me up? Pleeze ?
Response:
Hi, Have you had your thyroid checked and your iron levels? Could also be something as simple as not enough fresh air! Hope you stay awake long enough to read this 
Sue Type1 39yrs bovine insulin user with no complications.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of……. Sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, I fell asleep three times after work during a video of NYPD Blue a show I love. I fell asleep in the waiting room of the Diabetic Unit LOL I’m a young 55, male, wonderfully handsome, modest, 6′ 5" and weigh about 14 stone (I don’t know what that is in Celsius). I use an exercise bike about 5 times a week for twenty minutes and od some stretching but I do have a desk driven job. Does anyone -YAWN – have any – Zzzzz – advice to wake me up? Pleeze ?
Get off the bike and get outside into the fresh air! You may well still fall asleep, but it’s more likely to be at the right time… Dave
Response:
Jeeez, if I’d know I’d have to work at it I’d never have become Diabetic 
(Thanks <g)
Love it! Thx. Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia. — Everything in Moderation – Except Laughter.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of……. Sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, I fell asleep three times after work during a video of NYPD Blue a show I love. I fell asleep in the waiting room of the Diabetic Unit LOL I’m a young 55, male, wonderfully handsome, modest, 6′ 5" and weigh about 14 stone (I don’t know what that is in Celsius). I use an exercise bike about 5 times a week for twenty minutes and od some stretching but I do have a desk driven job. Does anyone -YAWN – have any – Zzzzz – advice to wake me up? Pleeze ?
Maybe it’s related to the T2, but there are lots of other possibilities, such as narcolepsy – see http://www-med.stanford.edu/school/Psychiatry/narcolepsy/ as an example. See your doctor. Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia. — Everything in Moderation – Except Laughter.
Response:
CUT FOR BREVITY Do you snore? Do you stop breathing when you’re asleep? If so, how often and for how long? [hint: ask your wife.] If your wife can say yes to these, then talk to your doctor about obstructive sleep apnea [sp?]. It is most commonly associated with middle-aged, overweight men with a large collar size, is more common with moderate to heavy consumers of alcohol, and there is a connection, not understood, between it and diabetes. Testing for it is painless and simple: they give you this teensy computer thingy that you strap on your wrist with a soft rubber "alligator" type clip that you put ona a finger when you go to bed. Next morning, you return the contraption and they run it through a computer, and it tells them how much oxygen you’re going through whilst asleep. If you do have OSA, treatment is equally painless and simple: you get a CPAP
I misread that the first time! machine with a mask that you wear at night, it keeps air moving down your airways to keep them open, you get a good night’s sleep, and you don’t wrap your car around a tree [and any incidental pedestrians] because you’re too tired to function. Be warned: the CPAP machine is *not* the sexiest nightwear I’ve ever come across, but it does save lives. Maybe they should put some lace or leather or something [depending on your and your wife's tastes] on the straps. HTH, Maggie
Thanks Maggie, kind of you. Unfortunately I should have said (I’d forgotten actually) that I’ve had that test and it turned in negative. I also hold the record for sleeping at work. (As a Civil Servant few notice) Two of my colleagues were chatting behind me when I dozed off and actually lowered their voices so they wouldn’t wake me (LOL). When eventually one got up she inadvertently knocked my elbow and woke me up. She apologised !!! Thanks again anyway. Donnie
Response:
CUT FOR BREVITY Maybe it’s related to the T2, but there are lots of other possibilities, such as narcolepsy – see
Oh boy I’m glad I came here ! Now I gotta have sex with dead people! * http://www-med.stanford.edu/school/Psychiatry/narcolepsy/ as an example. See your doctor. Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
* <g
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of……. Sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, I fell asleep three times after work during a video of NYPD Blue a show I love. I fell asleep in the waiting room of the Diabetic Unit LOL I’m a young 55, male, wonderfully handsome, modest, 6′ 5" and weigh about 14 stone (I don’t know what that is in Celsius). I use an exercise bike about 5 times a week for twenty minutes and od some stretching but I do have a desk driven job. Does anyone -YAWN – have any – Zzzzz – advice to wake me up? Pleeze ? Get off the bike and get outside into the fresh air! You may well still fall asleep, but it’s more likely to be at the right time… Dave
Jeeez, if I’d know I’d have to work at it I’d never have become Diabetic (Thanks <g)
Response:
Hi, Have you had your thyroid checked and your iron levels? Could also be something as simple as not enough fresh air! Hope you stay awake long enough to read this
Thyroid and iron checked yes thanks. Fresh air? Rings a bell! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sue Type1 39yrs bovine insulin user with no complications.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of……. Sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, I fell asleep three times after work during a video of NYPD Blue a show I love. I fell asleep in the waiting room of the Diabetic Unit LOL I’m a young 55, male, wonderfully handsome, modest, 6′ 5" and weigh about 14 stone (I don’t know what that is in Celsius). I use an exercise bike about 5 times a week for twenty minutes and od some stretching but I do have a desk driven job. Does anyone -YAWN – have any – Zzzzz – advice to wake me up? Pleeze ?
Do you snore? Do you stop breathing when you’re asleep? If so, how often and for how long? [hint: ask your wife.] If your wife can say yes to these, then talk to your doctor about obstructive sleep apnea [sp?]. It is most commonly associated with middle-aged, overweight men with a large collar size, is more common with moderate to heavy consumers of alcohol, and there is a connection, not understood, between it and diabetes. Testing for it is painless and simple: they give you this teensy computer thingy that you strap on your wrist with a soft rubber "alligator" type clip that you put ona a finger when you go to bed. Next morning, you return the contraption and they run it through a computer, and it tells them how much oxygen you’re going through whilst asleep. If you do have OSA, treatment is equally painless and simple: you get a CPAP machine with a mask that you wear at night, it keeps air moving down your airways to keep them open, you get a good night’s sleep, and you don’t wrap your car around a tree [and any incidental pedestrians] because you’re too tired to function. Be warned: the CPAP machine is *not* the sexiest nightwear I’ve ever come across, but it does save lives. Maybe they should put some lace or leather or something [depending on your and your wife's tastes] on the straps. HTH, Maggie — "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." — Albert Schweitzer
Response:
LOL! At least the membership fee is pretty low! One thing I’ve noticed since I ‘joined’ is that just about everyone still has a healthy sense of humour Dave
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – CUT FOR BREVITY Maybe it’s related to the T2, but there are lots of other possibilities, such as narcolepsy – see Oh boy I’m glad I came here ! Now I gotta have sex with dead people! * http://www-med.stanford.edu/school/Psychiatry/narcolepsy/ as an example. See your doctor. Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia. * <g
Well, I dunno. It should certainly keep you awake. I know we say YMMV, but that one would be unique I suspect. Um, you didn’t by any chance think I neant necrophilia? Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia. — Everything in Moderation – Except Laughter.
Response:
Ah, but have you ever fallen asleep for a few seconds while sitting bolt upright at a "Team" meeting, taking the minutes? —
Yep, did it a couple of weeks back , just nodded off for a few secs but woke up with a snort (snore) that caused everyone to look at me . Very embarrassing. Sometimes you just know you’re going to go but can’t stop it. I really need to go and take the test I think, I have all the symptoms! I do get a reasonable amount of fresh air though because my bike has real wheels on it My boss (a fit non-diabetic) also struggles to stay awake in afternoon meetings. I managed to get an audience with him and our IT team arranged for a supplier who was livid after his demo. "Your boss slept through the whole bloody thing" he said. Funny thing is, when he does sleep or nap for short periods he always seems to wake up and ask an awkward question – perhaps he thinks better with his eyes closed? Later Fred
Response:
16:29:48 Sat, 6 Mar 2004alt.support.diabetes.uk I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time?
Nobody seems to have asked you this yet, so here goes: how many hours’ actual sleep do you get each night? What time do you go to sleep (not to bed) and what time do you wake up? — London, UK Home Page: http://www.tucana.demon.co.uk Web Shop: http://buy.at/tucana Mobile Phone Ring Tones: http://www.ringamoby.com "Everything I do and say with anyone makes a difference." Gita Bellin
Response:
I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6.
how often do you establish this? High numbers will make you tired. It might be an idea to ask your wife to test you the next time she sees you nodding off. It might be that though your numbers are historically good, that you arte spiking periodically. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time?
If you’ve established that your tiredness isn’t down to high numbers, then speak to your diabetic doctor about it. — John38 – T2 : D&E : glimepiride 6mg : metaformin 1000mg : bp 110/70 Hb1Ac down from 11.9% to 7.4% in 3 months!
Response:
I also hold the record for sleeping at work. (As a Civil Servant few notice) Two of my colleagues were chatting behind me when I dozed off and actually lowered their voices so they wouldn’t wake me (LOL). When eventually one got up she inadvertently knocked my elbow and woke me up. Ah, but have you ever fallen asleep for a few seconds while sitting bolt upright at a "Team" meeting, taking the minutes?
No, but who’d notice?
Response:
LOL! At least the membership fee is pretty low!
And I get to stick pins in all my friends…" Can you test me???" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -One thing I’ve noticed since I ‘joined’ is that just about everyone still has a healthy sense of humour Dave
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – CUT FOR BREVITY Maybe it’s related to the T2, but there are lots of other possibilities, such as narcolepsy – see Oh boy I’m glad I came here ! Now I gotta have sex with dead people! * http://www-med.stanford.edu/school/Psychiatry/narcolepsy/ as an example. See your doctor. Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia. * <g Well, I dunno. It should certainly keep you awake. I know we say YMMV, but that one would be unique I suspect. Um, you didn’t by any chance think I neant necrophilia?
Now you bloody tell me ! Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
Donnie,
Response:
I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. how often do you establish this? High numbers will make you tired. It might be an idea to ask your wife to test you the next time she sees you nodding off. It might be that though your numbers are historically good, that you arte spiking periodically.
Well I don’t do anything like as much testing as I ought to. I’ve gone for months feeling okay, so haven’t bothered. I usually feel sleepy after lunch. At work I purposely take only 30 minutes or else I’d settle back and snore. At night I sleep pretty well, but even this morning reading alone, I felt relaxed and quiet so I dropped off for ten mins or so. I’va had two minor Hypos forgetting to eat at 12.30 (once when we changed the clocks by an hour) both times after I’d forgotten also to eat some biscuits at 11.00 and had been running around like a maniac. Spiking never occurred to me, thanks. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? If you’ve established that your tiredness isn’t down to high numbers, then speak to your diabetic doctor about it.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 16:29:48 Sat, 6 Mar 2004alt.support.diabetes.uk I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Nobody seems to have asked you this yet, so here goes: how many hours’ actual sleep do you get each night? What time do you go to sleep (not to bed) and what time do you wake up?
Almost always 22.00 hours to both, and set the alram for 06.30 getting up about 07.00. Thanks for the interest.
Response:
14:59:19 Sun, 7 Mar 2004alt.support.diabetes.uk – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 16:29:48 Sat, 6 Mar 2004alt.support.diabetes.uk I’ve been a type II D. now for about two years, well, recognised that is, maybe five years unrecognised. My sugar levels are usually fine, rarely above 8 and usually between 4/6. I take half a tablet of Glic. a day and have a wife who knows what a good diet is. So how come I always fall asleep all the time? Nobody seems to have asked you this yet, so here goes: how many hours’ actual sleep do you get each night? What time do you go to sleep (not to bed) and what time do you wake up? Almost always 22.00 hours to both, and set the alram for 06.30 getting up about 07.00.
OK. Well, it sounds like you might not be getting enough sleep (although I concur with the other poster’s suggestion of checking for BG spikes as well). You seem to have set yourself up for around 8 hours of sleep, but this is only an estimated average requirement, devised to coincide with the working hours requirements of the industrial revolution and not actually related directly to human biology, so I understand. A significant proportion of people need up to 10 hours a night. Some can do fine with 6. You might need to take Benjamin Franklin’s advice: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." 22.00 might not be early enough for you. Maybe try 21.30 and set the alarm for 7, and put it across the room so you *have* to get up to switch it off. Try that for a month and see if you feel better. Might you also be using too many stimulants such as caffeine? They keep you awake a bit in the day, but they also disturb your sleep at night even if you haven’t drank any of it for more than 12 hours (in some people caffeine has a long-term effect as well as a short-term one. I can’t drink it within 4 hours of bedtime, myself). Maybe look at "The Promise of Sleep" by William C Dement: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0440509017/qid=10786763… r=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-6789500-1816808?v=glance&s=books If you are in fact short of sleep, the author recommends you extend your sleeping hours enough so you catch up – this is also a way of finding out if this is in fact the problem, since once you catch up, you won’t be unduly sleepy (except perhaps after a big meal). It can take a fairly long time to catch up, though. He thinks all the deficit has to be restored. You should start feeling benefits fairly soon though. — London, UK Home Page: http://www.tucana.demon.co.uk Web Shop: http://buy.at/tucana Mobile Phone Ring Tones: http://www.ringamoby.com "Everything I do and say with anyone makes a difference." Gita Bellin
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I also hold the record for sleeping at work. (As a Civil Servant few notice) Two of my colleagues were chatting behind me when I dozed off and actually lowered their voices so they wouldn’t wake me (LOL). When eventually one got up she inadvertently knocked my elbow and woke me up. Ah, but have you ever fallen asleep for a few seconds while sitting bolt upright at a "Team" meeting, taking the minutes? No, but who’d notice? True, but it’s very disconcerting, because you’re never really sure that no-one’s noticed, and you miss summat important in yer notes
No, no, no. I’m a Civil Servant. By definition therefore there can be nothing important in my notes. Don.
Response:
CUT FOR BREVITY Nobody seems to have asked you this yet, so here goes: how many hours’ actual sleep do you get each night? What time do you go to sleep (not to bed) and what time do you wake up? Almost always 22.00 hours to both, and set the alram for 06.30 getting up about 07.00. OK. Well, it sounds like you might not be getting enough sleep (although I concur with the other poster’s suggestion of checking for BG spikes as well).
Well since I had to change my job I’ve had to be in work for 08.00 or 07.30 and I feel really tired doing this. The thought of sleeping even more though is horrifying. I waste most of the day (or so it seems) already. I’ll test myself for "spiking" starting tomorrow. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -You seem to have set yourself up for around 8 hours of sleep, but this is only an estimated average requirement, devised to coincide with the working hours requirements of the industrial revolution and not actually related directly to human biology, so I understand. A significant proportion of people need up to 10 hours a night. Some can do fine with 6. You might need to take Benjamin Franklin’s advice: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." 22.00 might not be early enough for you. Maybe try 21.30 and set the alarm for 7, and put it across the room so you *have* to get up to switch it off. Try that for a month and see if you feel better. Might you also be using too many stimulants such as caffeine? They keep you awake a bit in the day, but they also disturb your sleep at night even if you haven’t drank any of it for more than 12 hours (in some people caffeine has a long-term effect as well as a short-term one. I can’t drink it within 4 hours of bedtime, myself).
I do drink a lot of coffee and a lot of Pepsi Max. Trouble is I HATE de-caffinated drinks. I LOVE coffee. I only have one measure of alcohol (Chianti in the evening) which whilst I enjoy it is basically ”cause it’s supposed to be good for my heart. Maybe look at "The Promise of Sleep" by William C Dement: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0440509017/qid=10786763… r=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-6789500-1816808?v=glance&s=books If you are in fact short of sleep, the author recommends you extend your sleeping hours enough so you catch up – this is also a way of finding out if this is in fact the problem, since once you catch up, you won’t be unduly sleepy (except perhaps after a big meal). It can take a fairly long time to catch up, though. He thinks all the deficit has to be restored. You should start feeling benefits fairly soon though.
Food (no pun) for thought. many thanks. Donnie
Response:
Just another thought for you, are you going too low at night and not knowing? That will make you very tired also. But as you say you fall asleep after meals! So is that a carb overload? Might be worth your while checking blood sugars before each meal and 2 hrs after for at least a week and see what is going on.
Another good idea. Thanks, I’ll do it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sue Type1 39 yrs using bovine insulin HbA1c 6.8% no complications
Response:
Just another thought for you, are you going too low at night and not knowing? That will make you very tired also. But as you say you fall asleep after meals! So is that a carb overload? Might be worth your while checking blood sugars before each meal and 2 hrs after for at least a week and see what is going on. Sue Type1 39 yrs using bovine insulin HbA1c 6.8% no complications
Response:
. If you have not had sleep-study, then this repost of my experience with one (and advice to someone a bit "shy" about things medical…) may be of use…: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As far as the sleep-clinic experience is concerned, even the most doctor-paranoid of us can deal with it easily. Basically, though the sleep clinic itself may be inside a hospital, it is like going to a small hotel room (at least where I went). You get ready for bed (in what looks like a passable copy for a tiny motel room – pleasant, but not "home"), then the technician sticks a bunch of small flat electrodes on you (the glue washes off easily in a shower – and these are "read-only" devices, with nothing coming out of them), mostly on your head, but some on legs, etc. (nowhere "awkward"…;-). They are surprisingly not uncomfortable, and the leads pass up in a bunch in a way that does not interfere with movement in bed. Two bands are put around you (these can be not tight) to detect breathing. A blood-oxygen sensor goes on a finger (like a clothes pin only, and it can be taped loosely on the sides to keep it from coming off), with a thin wire attached). There is no discomfort at all from it, if it is properly placed (and this alone, in a "recording" version can be borrowed and used at home to see if you have a basic problem before going to a sleep lab at all). There is often an infrared observation camera to record you during movement, and an intercom (and a mic on you, for snoring) if you need to be disconnected to go to the "john", or for anything else (no cameras, detectors there…;-). While it seems impossible (especially if you cannot sleep easily) to sleep under these conditions (I managed only 1.5 hours in the first part), all this gear is not very uncomfortable, and sleep is possible (and you can read or watch TV until you feel like trying to sleep). Generally, the first night is for recording your sleep (modes, breathing, wake-ups, oxygen levels, EEG, etc.), but if you do very "badly" in the first half (you are being monitored continuously from outside the room), you may get a "split-study" instead of a second night later to determine a good treatment, if needed. If you are awake, the technician may come in and set you up on an xPAP machine, the most common form of treatment for OSA (mine was so unobtrusive that I hardly knew what she did – the lights remained off), with which different pressures can be set to see what prevents OSA events. You can find scary-looking pictures of xPAP gear at www.cpapman.com and other sales sites, but don’t let this put you off – while good fitting of the interface is essential (and not easy for some, and it may take a few nights of minor adjustments to stop or prevent air leaks [these are uncomfortable, and cause the gear to be less effective]), use of the gear is often much easier than it looks. The consequences of not using it can be quite bad (heart-enlargement and eventual "heart-failure", clots and strokes, arrhythmia, etc.), though there are some other options, if you just cannot adapt to it (it does take a while, and a while for improvement to be evident). Going ahead with determining if you have OSA, and with treatment, is a good idea, though, even for us "medical-phobes"… Read back posts on this NG and Tal’s web page(http://talhost.net/sleep) for some more on particulars of why/how to prevent/treat OSA, ways to deal with gear suppliers and gear use-problems, etc. (there may be more good info here than supplied by those who *should* know all about OSA…;-). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ — David Ruether r…@cornell.edu http://www.ferrario.com/ruether 