Slept for 18 hours yesterday because I couldn’t wake up - GP or A&E?

[Headproblems]

Just looking for some advice because I know the NHS is massively overstretched at the moment and I don’t want to waste resources if this is just a GP thing.

Basically for the past few months I have been experiencing lots of headaches and some dizziness and oversleeping. It hasn’t been consistent so I’ve never really got it checked out because it’s never been enough to cause huge issues.

However this week, every day I have been struggling to wake up and until at least 10am I have been in and out of sleep feeling completely without control, no matter how hard I’ve been trying to stay awake I fall straight back to sleep within minutes and have to force myself to stay awake.

In the middle of this week I walked upstairs and my ears went fuzzy and my head started spinning, it was really scary because for about 3 minutes my ears went in waves and I could barely hear, like I was under water.

I’ve tried earlier nights but nothing has been helping. I have my own business and it’s affecting my work, being unable to concentrate and missing meetings.

Yesterday I slept for 18 hours throughout the day, it was impossible to wake up I was so drowsy, at one point I thought I was awake and I was talking to my partner about ingredients (?) but I was still asleep and apparently all he could hear was muffles, and it got to a point where my head started waving and it felt like I was falling every time I shut my eyes, this lasted for about 10 minutes.

I awoke at 8pm and went back to sleep at 1am, and this morning couldn’t wake up until 11am and had to literally force myself into a cold shower to wake up.

I managed to get up and ready, have come downstairs and I am so dizzy I feel like I’m going to pass out (I haven’t), and my head feels like there is pressure around my temples.

I’ve not taken any new medication and the medication I do take I have been taking the same for about 8 years now, no changes that I can think of in diet, I do feel dehydrated from all the sleep though.

I’m unsure whether to call 111 because I’m feeling shaky and dizzy but not sure if it would be better to wait it out until Monday for an emergency GP appointment.

But not being able to wake up is scaring me and frustrating me, I don’t want to be sleeping the days away, I physically just cannot wake up no matter how hard I try.

Please if anyone can give me some advice or has experienced this before I would really appreciate it

I’d definitely go to A&E if I was in your position. This sounds terrible and my concern would be that the episodes are related to or are some kind of seizure? Just go to A&E. x

i am glad you got to the bottom of things op and are getting treatment.
best of luck

Glad you have a diagnosis. Please listen to the voices about trying the ultra low carb diet - try the Newcastle University one or similar. It is nasty but short and you can reverse diabetes quickly. I did - HB1Ac down from 51 to 40 and still stable 5 years later. You don't have to do it forever. I eat normally now - just a few less carbs. Good luck.

The op started the thread 6 weeks ago, it's resolved now.

Glad you’ve been diagnosed eventually and can now start treatment/management. It’s appalling how you were treated in a&e though. I was there last year and the Dr was so nice as once my results were in he did say that I should follow up w my GP etc but in a pleasant way. Ie he know that something wasn’t right but they couldn’t deal then as not emergency.

I only found out I had type 2 diabetes last year because I had a nasty infection that I went to the doctors with! But I had been sleeping for Britain before that!
Im on Metformin and Dapagliflozin now, and also a weekly Ozempic injection ( for weight loss - I’ve lost 5 stone now!). I also look carefully at what I’m eating, but the medication curbs my appetite considerably. I’ve gone right off a number of foods.

Hope you feel better soon.

Glad you finally have an answer, OP, but it’s shocking this wasn’t picked up earlier. A simple blood test would have given you this answer. Do look at the Diabetes U.K. forum for advice. Watch out for other forums that aren’t connected to the charity, but have similar names. Diabetes U.K. is here:

Here

wow, I never knew that about T2DM. Worth knowing. So glad you're making progress.

So glad to see you post! I have looked this thread up often to see how you are. I am so sorry you were accused of health anxiety on the thread (I have it and it’s definitely not like your symptoms so it did make me feel angry for you)
It’s good you have a diagnosis and a plan to move forward. I wish you all the best xxx

@Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy would you like to apologise to OP?

It's terrible they were so rude to you in A&E. In no other job which is client facing would it be acceptable to speak so rudely. It's understandable you asked for a blood test under the circumstances and it turns out you were right given the diagnosis! It sounds like the best possible outcome in the sense that you know what is wrong and it's controllable if not reversible.

I've gone low carb recently for health/weight loss reasons and it's not that bad. I haven't done ridiculously low 20g carbs as I don't think extreme diets are healthy but definitely reducing carbs and it genuinely has helped in reducing my appetite and improving energy levels. I'm also exercising which I think is an important factor too. I started with walking. If I can't walk any day then I do an online walking YouTube exercise video.

Good luck and thanks for updating.

good luck op - glad you worked it out.

I had these symptoms when I first had Covid. I slept for 16 hours and could have slept for more.

is Long Covid a possibility? I had it and sleeping all day and vertigo where the symptoms.

It lasted months past when my Covid test went negative. A crash course of heavy steroids finally stopped those symptom and vertigo med for the dizziness.

I'm now on milder inhailor steroids 'for the rest of my life' according to the doctor to stop swelling in my airways.

OP has already updated that she has type 2 diabetes, thread is 6 weeks old

For some reason I never saw this thread and have just read through the OP's posts. You poor thing, what a terrible experience, am very glad you have a diagnosis and hopefully will be on the road to recovery with proper medication and diet. My heart goes out to you for what you went through in A&E and by your family, who should be ashamed of themselves. All the best to you.

OP I have only just come across your post and in a way I’m glad because I have been able to read your update and I wouldn’t have had anything worth contributing other than demand your gp take you seriously. Hope your mother is regretting her uncaring lazy remarks. More importantly hope you start to feel better soon now that they know the cause and can treat it. Would never have thought diabetes could have such worrying symptoms, read about various others but never such off the chart extreme tiredness. It is helpful for us all to understand and be aware when MN have discussions like this - without the unhelpful ones of course. 💐

How did A&E miss diabetes the first time round, they said they were going to test? I confidently predicted they couldn’t miss it but apparently they manage. It only requires a skin prick glucose/urine sample/HbA1c test - to get a fair idea - but apparently they managed.

Glad you’ve been diagnosed OP.

I lurked and read your thread when you first posted; so glad you've got a proper diagnosis now.

So glad you have a diagnosis and sorry you had to fight to get it when you were feeling so awful. Hopefully well on the road to feeling better very soon

I also highly recommend looking into the Newcastle diet, I believe the doctor can even prescribe shakes now however it only puts diabetes into remission and the use of the word "reverse" is not accurate.

OP, just read your thread. Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery. Thankfully you have a supportive partner.

I'm sorry you were dismissed in A&E They should've taken your sugar levels as standard but I'm glad you know what you're dealing with
Once your treatment and diet have stabilised your blood glucose level, you will feel much better.

I hope all the nasty commentators are ashamed of themselves. This kind of modern attitude is just appalling.
I hope you get well soon and it would be nice if you received an apology or two!
I have had I’ll send where you get that inner feeling of fear because you know something is really badly wrong. Always listen to your instincts and we’ll done for continuing to try and get the help you sorely needed x