My dr told me I was pre diabetic about 18 months ago

[gardengnome42]

I'd had an HbA1c test as part of the health check which was 41 mmol/mol. They had diagnosed hypertension and concentrated on that, saying nothing to me about blood glucose levels. Almost a year later I realised what these numbers meant and had another test which was the same, at which point the dr said I was prediabetic and to "Watch your diet". He didn't say how I should watch it though!

So I lost weight and now have a BMI of 18.5, took up walking and gave up alcohol and generally became very active, principally to try and sort the hypertension [it didn't]. My current dr said not to worry about diabetes and I haven't had another HbA1c for 18 months. I decided to buy a meter and test myself and wonder whether a 6.2 reading 2 hours after sitting down to dinner is OK?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hello and welcome,

An HbA1c of 41 isn't strictly speaking pre-diabetic. Pre-diabetes starts at 42. You were right at the top end of non-diabetic. Your doctor was correct to warn you to watch your diet to avoid slipping over the line. Obviously sugary food and drinks should be avoided wherever possible, and carbohydrates need to be watched. All carbs turn to glucose once inside the system so it makes sense not to eat too many. The main ones to watch are potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and cereals. However, as you have lost weight and have a low BMI, and became very active, you have been doing the right things to help reduce the possibility of becoming diabetic.
Have you asked your doctor for another HbA1c? He may oblige if you are worried.

6.2 at 2 hours after a meal sounds fine to me, but it depends on what you were before you ate, and what you actually ate and drank.

Did you test yourself before you ate, and what did you eat?

 

[gardengnome42]

No I didn't test before dinner, didn't realise I should do that. Perhaps I should test again tomorrow. All very new to me but thank you for your reply.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Come back and tell us the results, and what you ate.

 

[JenniferW]

I was first told my blood sugar level was above 'normal' in 2006 and apart from being told to lose weight and exercise more, got no more than annual re-testing, and then only if I prompted the GP for it. I wish they'd been 'educating' me back then in the way it's now happening, when I've finally been classtified as T2. I did make some efforts, but got no real feedback or input beyond the mantra of 'lose weight and exercise more', with pretty much no explanation of why it mattered very much. I say all this to encourage you, gardengnome42, to hang on in there and teach yourself as much as you can about all this. I assumed I could leave it all in the hands of the GP! A bit of a delusion! My start was reading David Cavan's book (which you can get via this website).

 

[gardengnome42]

Thank you JenniferW and Bluetit, I really must get on track with this or I will end up as a T2. My original dr seemed convinced I would but I later wondered whether he was just one of these drs who liked to put you on medication there are some drs who think it is expected of them to dispense meds for everything or the patient won't think they are being treated seriously enough. Call me an old cynic !

Bluetit, I didn't do the testing as I was all over the place over the weekend - foodwise I mean.

 

[JenniferW]

After years of testing and coming out above 'normal' and below 'diabetic', I really came to the conclusion the GPs I saw didn't know what to do with me and I didn't know what to make of it all. I tried to change my diet and increase my exercise, but there was no great change in the blood test results, and I really lost any motivation to change. Friends and family couldn't be particularly supportive as all I could tell them was that I was 'at risk' - and you're 'at risk' for much of your life in all sorts of ways! Diabetes UK (both this website and the local group) have been more help than the NHS! Hanging on in here seems to me to be likely to be more help than expecting straight answers and good support from GPs!

 

[mshumph]

I agree JenniferW. I'm also at risk after exercise most of my life and eating right to avoid it.
I also completely lost my motivation for everything. Didn't know what else I could do. My doctor was no help. She was already planning my diabetes regimen.
Don't know how I found this forum, but so glad I did.
This forum has given me hope.

 

[JenniferW]

... I also completely lost my motivation for everything. Didn't know what else I could do. My doctor was no help. ... This forum has given me hope.

I think it's been a steep learning curve for me as regards what the health service can and can't do (or does do). But as a family we've had the same sort of experience with a family member who has Alzheimer's. You just feel the whole system's not set up for chronic, lifelong and incurable conditions. And diabetes is one of many of those.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I think it's been a steep learning curve for me as regards what the health service can and can't do (or does do). But as a family we've had the same sort of experience with a family member who has Alzheimer's. You just feel the whole system's not set up for chronic, lifelong and incurable conditions. And diabetes is one of many of those.

You're right, the system has not been designed with chronic conditions in mind. But they are trying to change that in the UK and in NZ, where I live and the system is very similar. Unfortunately health planners are trying to change this at the same time as they are facing increased demand for hospital services for the complications of diabetes, obesity, and aging, and more older people around. Funding increases aren't keeping up, and in many areas there are even funding decreases, crazy stuff! They need more money to meet hospital demand but they also need more money to improve primary care for chronic conditions. In this context, the best thing we can do is advocate for ourselves and our families, and share info through websites like this one.

 

[JenniferW]

You're right, the system has not been designed with chronic conditions in mind. But they are trying to change that ... the best thing we can do is advocate for ourselves and our families, and share info through websites like this one.

Looking back, I wonder how differently I'd have behaved, had I not simply been told I should change my diet, lose weight and do more exercise, if the GPs had put me in touch with something like this website, and stressed the need to learn about diabetes. Their diet-and-exercise message was almost too vague. I really didn't appreciate what it might all lead to. Even if they couldn't provide the education, they could have shown me where to go for it, and picked up on how much I really understood each time they were doing the blood tests, which for several years were every 6 months. With hindsight, I can see lost opportunities.