Undiagnosed

[Pinkorchid]

I have finally tipped over the edge into T2 after a few years of being prediabetic so it was not a shock and I am not new to the forum. I do consider myself one of the lucky ones as like many people I found out about my glucose intolerance and then prediabetes through the annual blood test I have because I take BP medication otherwise I probably would not have known as I am in pretty good health for my age 76 with no other medical conditions and I have never had any symptoms of diabetes at all like drinking loads,.fatigue or feeling ill and I have never been overweight nothing to suggest I was at risk of diabetes yet here I am with T2 They do say there are hundreds of people who are prediabetic or already have it who are undiagnosed and don't know it until it is very advanced and has done damage to them. If like me they have no symptoms and they don't feel ill they will not see a doctor so that is a worry really as they don't get diagnosed
Perhaps there should be more spoken about diabetes in the media about how people can have diabetes without having any symptoms or being overweight It would be good if everyone could be offered a blood test to see what their risk is

 

[Lamont D]

I totally agree.
The complete fundamental lack of knowledge with blood glucose disorders is widespread especially throughout the medical industry.
The change is happening slowly but this is made by some doctors who have realised the logic between carbs and diabetes.
In my condition, there is a complete non educated group of doctors that don't know what Hypoglycaemia is never mind how to treat.
I was misdiagnosed more than a few times by different GPs. Including a specialist diabetic GP, Who blamed it on my diet and told me to eat better carbs and cut down on fat!

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

@Pinkorchid Sorry about your T2.

I believe that people are offered a 40+ , 5 yearly, health check which includes a blood glucose test, but I didn't get offered one. Of course, these programmes are only good if people take them up. In Scotland we are offered bowel screening at 50 (they send the screening kits out on your birthday!) but less that 60% of people complete them and post them back. The NHS can only do so much.

 

[AndBreathe]

Annie - I'm sorry you've tipped over the line, but on the upside, at least you know the sorts of things we need to do.

Sitting in front of me is a letter entitled "First Invite Letter", which begins with:

"Dear X

NHS health checks are now being offered to people aged between 40 and 74 once every 5 years......"

So, it appears in my part of England, at least, these routine checks are being offered. As @Avocado Sevenfold says, people can only enjoy the benefit of these checks if they take up the invitation.

Good luck with your T2 journey.

 

[Daibell]

Annie - I'm sorry you've tipped over the line, but on the upside, at least you know the sorts of things we need to do.

Sitting in front of me is a letter entitled "First Invite Letter", which begins with:

"Dear X

NHS health checks are now being offered to people aged between 40 and 74 once every 5 years......"

So, it appears in my part of England, at least, these routine checks are being offered. As @Avocado Sevenfold says, people can only enjoy the benefit of these checks if they take up the invitation.

Good luck with your T2 journey.

It would be nice to have been offered a check-up by my surgery; they don't do things like that!

 

[AndBreathe]

It would be nice to have been offered a check-up by my surgery; they don't do things like that!

To be fair, this is the first time I've had such an invitation, and I'm almost 59. Maybe when they saw me they couldn't believe I'm over 40.

 

[Pinkorchid]

Yes I suppose that even if a blood test was offered to everyone probably not many would take it up. I think we do tend to have our heads in the sand about things like that and want to think it won't happen to us

 

[Bluetit1802]

My practice also offers full health checks including an HbA1c to everyone 40 plus. It began sometime this year. I believe it is a new national initiative. My daughter went for hers and is now on 5 yearly reviews as all was well. Her husband is dithering about going, and most likely won't, unless daughter pulls him there by the throat. (which she very well might). The 60 and over health checks have been going a long time. It was on one of these that I was diagnosed.