Do I have diabetes?

[Luca2016]

Hi I would like some opinions about whether or not you think I have diabetes. Here is some information. My last hba1c was 36 or 5.4. My fasting levels are in the range of 4.9 - 5.8. I eat an average of about 120g carbs a day. I take 2 metformin a day and recently started taking Apple cider vinegar which really helps my levels. I test several times a day sometimes both one and two hours after eating. I recently got a reading of 12.9 on my meter which suggests that I am a fully fledged diabetic.

 

[urbanracer]

Hi @Luca2016 ,

Welcome to the forums.

The title suggests that maybe you think you are not diabetic? Why are you on Metformin? Have you been diagnosed as Pre-Diabetic?

What did you eat to get up to 12.9? And what have your levels been like since?

 

[Luca2016]

Hi @Luca2016 ,

Welcome to the forums.

The title suggests that maybe you think you are not diabetic? Why are you on Metformin? Have you been diagnosed as Pre-Diabetic?

What did you eat to get up to 12.9? And what have your levels been like since?

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I haven't been diagnosed with prediabetes. I have had gestational diabetes twice. I am on metformin to try to ward off diabetes after my pregnancies. I can control my blood sugar fairly easily if I eat low carb, my post meal readings would be under 7.7 around 90% of the time but I can get the occasional 8 or 9 if I eat a reasonable amount of carbs. I don't eat bread or rice or potatoes because I know my levels will be high afterwards.

 

[TorqPenderloin]

A reading of 12.9 would be difficult (but certainly not impossible) to achieve for someone who doesn't have diabetes. However, it could be explained by a meal very high in carbs, combined with a glucometer's margin of error which could be as high as 20%.

With that said, if achieved that reading after a low-carb meal, it's definitely pause for concern.

Personally, I would wait to see if the problem repeats itself and then speak with a doctor.

 

[Lamont D]

Your Hba1c, suggests, you have normal levels, your intake suggests that you have a tendency to spike high. But that does not mean you are diabetic.

What I would do is keep to the low carb, and keep a food diary.
Record before and two hour after eating.
If you know what foods are spiking you, then don't have them.

I think that keeping the low carb will help you in the long run.

 

[Luca2016]

Thanks for your replies. I can't remember what I ate to achieve the 12.9, I do remember that I ate and then I ate some more about an hour later. There would have been a reasonable amount of carbs involved but not more than 70 or 80g.

 

[urbanracer]

Thanks for your replies. I can't remember what I ate to achieve the 12.9, I do remember that I ate and then I ate some more about an hour later. There would have been a reasonable amount of carbs involved but not more than 70 or 80g.

Crikey Luca, that's more carbs than many on this forum eat in a day.

Although it's a reasonable amount for a non-diabetic, you may find it beneficial to reduce your portion sizes. It may help to avoid large spikes.

 

[andcol]

Did you have this carb excess during a period of low carbing. If so it will make you spike higher. Also as torq says meter error probably means you were lower. 70g carb isn't that excessive but it depends of the formation of the carbs and what else you ate