Please help

[zipperhead]

Are there any tests I can request an endocrinologist carry out besides a FBG, OGTT, HBA1c, GAD or peptides to check for type 2 diabetes?
I'm in a ridiculous situation.
I've suspected diabetes beyond doubt for the past year and half(months of hourly pissing, feet tingling, eye floaters, cuts taking ages to heal, and 2 hr glucose readings of 9/10+ mg/dL).
I panicked, never went to the GP and instead trawled the web to try control it myself with diet,exercise and a meter. Over a few months I brought my carb intake down to 80g/day, began intense daily HIIT, alternate weights/ cardio, all refined to "suit my meter". I went from 90kg to 65kg. My hour and 2 hour postprandial readings are normal after my low carb meals, but still jump through the roof on my old diet(basically soft drinks,takeaways, rice, sugary cereals and white bread)
While my readings are ok with the new diet and exercises, I still use the toilet regularly and have weird eye floaters, occasional tingling and bouts of fatigue. I really need a diagnosis to maybe start metformin, but my results always come up within the maximum allowable parameters for a nondiabetic or prediabetic. Are there any other tests besides FBG, OGTT,HBA1c etc???

 

[himtoo]

Hi Zipperhead
welcome to the forum
your "old" diet makes you sound at least prediabetic so go in to your GP and ask for a fasting BG test and a glucose tolerance test -- these should sort you out once and for all ( for now )
it would seem the glucose tolerance is the one you are after !

 

[zipperhead]

My 8 hour fasting was 5.4!
Also my tolerance test was 7.7! For the 2 hours between each bloods I tested with my own meter every 15 mins, and watched it climb to 12 at 30mins , and slowly work it's way down to that 7.7! It seems like a big joke, I'm probably the exact border between prediabetes and type 2, but the doc is being stubborn on metformin. That's why I want to see an endo and do something more detailed. Does another kind of test even exist?

 

[Lazybones]

At the end of the day whatever tests you conduct on yourself, you will still need to have your diabetes test conducted by a qualified medic practitioner as they will be the only ones who can make a qualified diagnosis.
The HbA1c test combined with a fasting standard morning blood test and/or a oral glucose tolerance test is really the only way you will know the true answer. Yes you might reproduce the same results as your Dr or Medical team would, but they make the ultimate decision.
I would suspect that from what you are saying about the need to use the toilet so frequently, that you might indeed have diabetes but this is usually associated with much higher blood/glucose levels than you are currently experiencing. That doesn't mean that diabetes or pre-diabetes should be ruled out as this problem can also be caused by a low renal threshold or urine infection.. You definitely need to know one way or another. Worrying about what you may have or may not have will also increase blood/glucose levels.

 

[zipperhead]

At the end of the day whatever tests you conduct on yourself, you will still need to have your diabetes test conducted by a qualified medic practitioner as they will be the only ones who can make a qualified diagnosis.
The HbA1c test combined with a fasting standard morning blood test and/or a oral glucose tolerance test is really the only way you will know the true answer. Yes you might reproduce the same results as your Dr or Medical team would, but they make the ultimate decision.
I would suspect that from what you are saying about the need to use the toilet so frequently, that you might indeed have diabetes but this is usually associated with much higher blood/glucose levels than you are currently experiencing. That doesn't mean that diabetes or pre-diabetes should be ruled out as this problem can also be caused by a low renal threshold or urine infection.. You definitely need to know one way or another. Worrying about what you may have or may not have will also increase blood/glucose levels.

Hi Lazybones
My problem is that I've probably brought it under control, so in order to get a dx I'd actually need to eat badly for a few weeks for the tests to come out positive, which to me isn't an option.
The first thing ruled out was the UTI with a culture test, and I've done a fluid balance to rule out abnormal osmotic diuresis (diabetes insipidus). The only factor that seems to affect the frequency is my carbohydrate intake. Which points to diabetes. Where is House when you need him?

 

[Lazybones]

Thanks for the prompt reply. Well it would look like you have done everything right. You were probably well on the way to developing Diabetes in the conventional sense but due to your careful changes in diet and B/G monitoring you have reversed this trend to the pre-diabetic levels.
This will as you rightly say, that you have been effectively forced into a corner. If you haven't been diagnosed as being diabetic then continuing as you are with diet and exercise will help keep you free of crossing the diabetic thresholds for diagnosis, however if you slip back to your old lifestyle, then no doubt thing will worsen and diabetes will then be the end consequence.
Your general health is important, so even though you are currently in this undefined state of LIMBO it will in the long term do no serious harm and with luck you might even revers the situation so that you are found to be consistently in the Non-Diabetic region. The initial diabetic warning was looming up there in front of you, but which you have successfully stayed clear of crossing the threshold must in itself be a good thing as having diabetes is certainly no fun.
As for your frequent urination, the figures that you mention are not that high as to cause such a consistent problem, so I'm wondering if there is no other explanation could it be due to you overall fluid intake or may-be down to a force of habit. Lack of insufficient carbohydrate intake (not the LCHF diet) can cause the fat consistencity of the body to break down as the primary energy supply and result in increased urination.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Are there any tests I can request an endocrinologist carry out besides a FBG, OGTT, HBA1c, GAD or peptides to check for type 2 diabetes?
I'm in a ridiculous situation.
I've suspected diabetes beyond doubt for the past year and half(months of hourly pissing, feet tingling, eye floaters, cuts taking ages to heal, and 2 hr glucose readings of 9/10+ mg/dL).
I panicked, never went to the GP and instead trawled the web to try control it myself with diet,exercise and a meter. Over a few months I brought my carb intake down to 80g/day, began intense daily HIIT, alternate weights/ cardio, all refined to "suit my meter". I went from 90kg to 65kg. My hour and 2 hour postprandial readings are normal after my low carb meals, but still jump through the roof on my old diet(basically soft drinks,takeaways, rice, sugary cereals and white bread)
While my readings are ok with the new diet and exercises, I still use the toilet regularly and have weird eye floaters, occasional tingling and bouts of fatigue. I really need a diagnosis to maybe start metformin, but my results always come up within the maximum allowable parameters for a nondiabetic or prediabetic. Are there any other tests besides FBG, OGTT,HBA1c etc???

I suppose that you have preemted any genuine diagnosis of diabetes by arranging that you are so well controlled that you look like a non diabetic.. I can only suggest that you stop controlling it and live as you normally do and them go for another diagnosis.

Many people have asked if they have cured diabetes with good control (and they haven't) but what do you want your GP to do if your tests return those of a person without diabetes.

 

[zipperhead]

I suppose that you have preemted any genuine diagnosis of diabetes by arranging that you are so well controlled that you look like a non diabetic.. I can only suggest that you stop controlling it and live as you normally do and them go for another diagnosis.

Many people have asked if they have cured diabetes with good control (and they haven't) but what do you want your GP to do if your tests return those of a person without diabetes.

Hi Squire Fulwood,
I understand where you are coming from, but the urination is disturbing me at night, I find it very hard to go more than 4 hours asleep without needing the bathroom! This was never the case before. Also, my vision has changed slightly since the symptoms began, but as my BG control improved, the rate of change certainly slowed. The ophthalmologist I saw was puzzled by my eyes, said I might have a "vitreomacular adhesion", but that would be unprecedented in an otherwise healthy 35 year old(you need to be well into your 50's for this to happen sporadically, allegedly). I have constant black floaters in my right eye, and most text appears wobbly to a small extent, although I've gotten used to it since.
If I were to get a diagnosis, I could begin some small dose drugs like metformin to see if it can curb or even slightly alleviate the frequency. Also in my country there is a program that ensures top notch free eye care and scanning for all diagnosed diabetics, 1 & 2.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi,

I'm actually in a similar position - the tests showed borderline and got things under control, so haven't yet had a diagnosis. Though I'm def T2 by all the other signs and symptoms if I eat too many carbs.

A couple of questions:

What is the highest BG you go to during the day?
And what is your carb intake now?

The reason I ask is your nightly widdling.

Usually (although we are all different) the excess urination doesn't happen unless we spend some time with BG above 10mmol/l.
If that is happening, then I strongly urge you to control your carbs more, and the problem may disappear.

Alternatively, if your BG is never above 10, then your excess peeing may have another cause.
When I'm eating carbs, I soak up water like a sponge. No toilet visits in the small hours.
When I go very low carb, there's no water retention. And what goes in, comes out. Quite fast.
If I drink a big glass of water I can be running to the loo in as little as 45 mins. Food can delay it for a while, but never as much as those good ol' days of spongification.

I try to drink lots of water, but I have to watch it during the evening, or I could be up 3x a night. Simply because without water retention, it goes straight through. And I may need to drink in the night, or if will wake up feeling like a desiccated prune.

My kidneys are fine (tested as part of routine check 2 months ago), but I just don't retain water any more...

Does that ring any bells?