I'm worried about Mike

Lately, everytime we get up in the mornings, he gets dressed, and sits down on the couch, wraps up in a blanket, 6 kitties jump on him and he sleeps half the day. I know he is getting up there in age, but I can't get him to agree to go to the doctor to get a check up. In case you wonder, he is 17 years older than me and in his 60's. But he usually has high energy and is out in the shop almost every day working on his knives or working on the house.

I am sure the kitties aren't complaining, but I am just worried about his health.

Aww Hissy, Mike is in my prayers and I hope that you can convince him somehow to go to the dr, tell him that you care about him so much that you want him to get checked out. If memory serves me correctly, he is a diabetic isnt he? Might be worthwhile getting him checked out.

(((((HUGS)))))

hissy - i hope you can get him to the doctor. 60 is not old enough to be wearing down like that. i'm sure the diabetes takes a toll as well, but i hope the doctors can find what is slowing him down! (((hugs))) i'll be praying for him...

I usually am up in the wee hours of the morning working- and sometimes I leave the computer and go into the bedroom and just make sure he is still breathing! And yes, he is borderline diabetic. Right now he is sleeping on the couch, with stryker and Squirrel on his chest and Bartee curled around his neck....

i'm not trying to be nosy, MA, but does he follw a diet pretty closely? i am hypoglycemic, which is not as bad as diabetes, but has some similar side effects. diet REALLY effects me. if i load up on carbs and not proteins, it can wipe me out. just concerned.

He recently lost over 100 pounds! So yes, he is watching what he eats, however every time I go to clean out his truck I invariably find candy wrappers and ho-ho wrappers stuck underneath the seat! I just shake my head, because when he cheats, all he has to do is throw the darn things away and I would never know- but it is like he wants to get caught- you know?

if he wants to be caught, then it could be a cry for help? i dont know, i hope that it gets sorted out soon.

((((HUGS))))

Mary Anne, sending good thoughts to you and Mike. And break down that stubborness thoughts too. Men are so silly about going to the Dr. when they really need to. Keep working on him, you can wear down his resistance eventually and get him in to the Dr.

I think you should convince him to go to the doctor. My father is diabetic and is 65, and he still goes fishing almost every day with his buddies. He has NO lack of energy. It could also be depression, or a variety of things.

Hissy: I'm sorry about you situation, I have no adivce to give but I hope it turns out to be nothing. I have a hard time getting my fiance to take simple medications for a headach or anything, let alone seeing a doctor! I know how stubborn people like that can be, and how difficult it can be to encourage them to help themselves, or to want to go to the doctors.

Hissy, if you have to drag him to the doctor yourself then do it. There are so many possibilites from the lack of energy he's exhibiting that it's scary not to do anything.

Two of my family members (one being my dad) started feeling weak and just not himself. It ended up he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Not to scare you since it could be a multitude of things, but the worry and waiting could be doing more harm than good.

It's tough, but it's better to get angry and make him go to the doctor, than to let time pass and make whatever condition he may have get worse!


Sending positive 'get off your butt to the doctor' vibes!!

Hissy,could you make the dr.appt,and just tell him you want to take a ride and just happen to stop there? And when you get there tell him you made the appt.,because you love him!

Positive thoughts and prayers are going to you and Mike. My dad is a type II diabetic, and when he was newly diagnosed my parents told us that he just hadn't been feeling well in general and went to the doctor. It's possible that Mike's disease has progressed and he's not borderline anymore. I agree with Sherral, make the doctor appointment for him and then get him there somehow.

Originally posted by sherral46
Hissy,could you make the dr.appt,and just tell him you want to take a ride and just happen to stop there? And when you get there tell him you made the appt.,because you love him!

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I like Sherral's idea. My mom didn't deal with her diabetes and, over the years, developed chronic pancreatitis, diabetic neuropathy, foot ulcers, liver problems and finally 4 heart attacks, bypass surgery and a subsequent stroke.

Mike really needs to stay on top of this. Drag him, if you have to.

Thanks guys, I can't drag him, but perhaps I can trick him.

You go, Hissy. Remember - we're smarter than they are!

awww i hope he gets some more energy soon. My dh is like what after work but he works from 7-5 mon-friday and 8-1 on saturday.

Oh Hissy, I am so sorry to hear Mike has lost his energy! You are right to be worried!! I am sending up prayers for him. I like the idea of making the Dr. appointment and not telling him till you get there! he might be a bit upset at first, but he will realize you did it because you love him so much and are worried about him! Please keep us posted!!! **HUGS**

Poor guy! I was thinking perhaps hyopthyroidism, but since he is losing weight an underactive thyroid is unlikely to be the culprit. I fear that it may be his diabetes, though he might have developed somthing benign but problematic like narcolepsy where you just can't fight the urge to sleep all the time. Also...does he snore? If so, it could be apnea which will cause exhaustion as well as a host of other problems.

Also...as someone mentioned above...could he be depressed. He has had so many stressors in his life recently it wouldn't be at all surprising to find that depression is the culprit.

I sure hope you can get him in the see the MD. Let us know what you find out.

Mary Anne, my Dad is a type I diabetic. He recently turned 71 (was given 15 years to live when he was diagnosed at age 9) and it affected all aspects of my life growing up. He (thus the rest of the family) ate a VERY strict diet. We grew up with no sweets in the house. Birthdays were special because we got cake (Dad got home-baked bread and home-made applesauce for his B-days). We never ate out because of the sauces and who knows whether or not they put sugar in the veges? So restaurants were out.

When my Dad retired, they moved to Brunswick, GA (from Chicago). He obviously had to get all new Doctors. He sees a specialist (endocrinologist) in Jacksonville, FL in addition to a family Doc in Brunswick.

The new Jacksonville Doc had long-term blood sugar levels done. It turns out that he had been managing his diabetes incorrectly with his Docs in Chicago, and he had high blood-sugar levels for probably decades.

Of course, today they have much more accurate ways of measuring blood sugar levels (which my Dad does at least three times a day), but he was put on a new regimen of diet, exercise, and insulin, and his energy levels changed DRAMATICALLY.

If Mike has sleep apnea, as Renae mentioned, that could definitely be a cause, and it is a serious problem (the ex had sleep apnea). It can be a killer, so it should be checked out too.

But this sounds very much like it could easily be that he has high blood sugar levels.

While there is no immediate threat to his life like there is with low blood sugar levels, the long term complications from the diabetes with high blood sugar levels are very, very serious.

My Dad just had to have both corneas replaced, he has very serious problems with the circulation in his legs and wears special socks to help correct it. He wears hard slippers around the house so he doesn't have to worry about stubbed toes and things that can lead to gangrene. He suffered a heart attack and required quintuple by-pass surgery. Eating a low-fat diet (VERY STRICTLY) his entire life, all of these complications are from the diabetes, as my family has a history of cancer, not heart disease.

Mike and you are in my prayers, but he MUST see a Doctor, and I'd go so far as to say skip the family Doctor and find him an endocrinologist. High blood sugar levels can be very, very serious down the road. (I don't mean to scare you, but you might try to scare Mike into seeing a Doctor. It IS cause for worry!!!!!)