Fasting blood glucose 6.5

[IncyWincy]

Back in December 2013 I had a fasting glucose test as there were 2 or 3 small bleeds in my left eye and a consultant wanted to make sure they weren't diabetic related. Early January I got a letter, copied to my GP, stating that the result was 6.5. Called up the GP and the receptionist said the doc doesn't need to see you but will repeat the test in 6 months. I did a simple internet search and discovered 6.5 is prediabetic. Follow up test is next week. My BMI is 20 and no-one in the family has diabetes. Should I be concerned?

 

[Bluetit1802]

At your follow up test next week please ask for the HbA1c blood test if this hasn't already been arranged. This is the diabetes diagnostic test used here and will give an average blood sugar level over the previous 2 to 3 months. You will then have a better idea of what you are facing. If you want to start to help yourself now then I suggest you think about your diet, cut out the obvious culprits like sweet things, sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits, chocolate etc. and reduce your carbohydrates, replacing the lost calories with extra protein and fat (good fats like dairy and eggs) If you do get a pre-diabetic or diabetic diagnosis then you will have to seriously look at your diet and this forum is a brilliant place to learn. Good luck.

 

[IncyWincy]

Hello Bluetit, thanks for the advice

I've got the blood forms in front of me. The only test requested is fasting glucose.

I am very health conscious. I don't drink fizzy pop or coffee and avoid caffeine as it gives me palpitations plus I'm not into alcohol. I'm a brown rice, wholemeal bread and pasta kind of a girl. I eat a lot of pulses, fish, nuts, salad and vegetables. I cook with butter, olive oil and lard and I'm usually at the gym every other day but not for the last 2 months as I've hurt my back.

Chocolate is my achilles heel - I can eat it until I feel sick and still go back for more an hour later - but that's not something I do every week, or even every month.

Family and friends have laughed at the test and suggested the tubes got dropped on the floor and I've been given another person's result. My husband said "if you become diabetic there's no hope for the human race." My Dad did suggest getting a meter and testing my blood glucose but as I have a blood phobia (proper Tony Hancock - hit the deck if I see a tiny blob of my own red stuff) I've not bothered. Depending on the outcome of next week's test may be forced to!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi again Incy,

Remember the fasting glucose test is just a measure of your level at the time the blood was taken and depends on a lot of factors, including what it was when you went to bed, when and what you last ate (even after fasting all night), stress levels, how you arrived at the surgery (walk/run/amble/car) and what you did between getting up and having the test taken. It all affects sugar levels one way or another. You sound very healthy to me. Good luck!

 

[IncyWincy]

Well I was stressed as I was going to have a blood test and hadn't slept well Would that put blood glucose up? If so the HbA1c average blood glucose would be the better one for me to have.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes, stress definitely puts up your sugar levels. You can ask, but your GP may refuse if he considers you don't need one. They cost him money!

 

[Brunneria]

Well I was stressed as I was going to have a blood test and hadn't slept well Would that put blood glucose up? If so the HbA1c average blood glucose would be the better one for me to have.

Hi and welcome Incy!

With me, stress tends to raise my blood glucose (BG). This is because stress leads to adrenalin release which leads to the liver releasing glucose into the blood.

However, I don't manage to maintain those levels of adrenalin/glucose for long (I've heard it described as 'adrenal exhaustion') and when the adrenalin wears out, the glucose drops pretty rapidly. That is the point where my BG starts plummeting towards a hypo. The process of rise and drop takes 2-4 hours, depending on the degree of stress.

I'm not suggesting that your responses are anything like mine! But I would suggest that for someone who is significantly stressed maybe a fasting BG test is a pointless waste of time! It certainly isn't going to reflect your usual fasting BG.

My suggestion is (if you are willing to invest about £12 in your health) is that you buy the cheapest BG monitor you can find. They are available at Boots the chemist, or Amazon (I got a Codefree Meter from Amazon last month for £12). Most monitors come with about 10 strips.

Once equipped, you can test your fasting BG as often as you like, before breakfast, in a nicely stress free environment. Then you can work out your fasting BG average over 10 tests.

Much more accurate than a doctor's one off, highly stressed test.

 

[IncyWincy]

Yes, stress definitely puts up your sugar levels.

But I would suggest that for someone who is significantly stressed maybe a fasting BG test is a pointless waste of time!

Hello Brunneria

Hmm, thing is I had a glucose fasting test 3 years ago for the same eye problem and was told the result was fine but in December it wasn't!

I am always stressed when I have a blood test but try to minimise this by booking the first appointment of the day at the clinic. Such a stupid phobia to have.

I will look to get a meter dependent on the result of the test next Friday. It would certainly force me to confront/overcome the phobia and, as has been suggested, give a more accurate fasting blood glucose once I get used to doing it. I expect it gets mundane very quickly.

 

[collectingrocks]

Hi Incy

Arrive at the surgery in good time so you have time to relax. You may need to fast for at least 12 hours beforehand (but you may drink water). A normal FGT should be between 3 - 6mmol/L but as others have said, is only a snapshot at one point in time. Try and get a HbA1c done which shows your average levels over the previous 3 months (but weighted towards the last month). It should be under 6%. If you are burning off the chocs at the gym etc, you should be fine. If you return a reading over 6%, then you are definitely pre-diabetic but this is your chance to reverse it.

I have done it !

Make sure you get a printed report showing your numbers.

Do let us know how you got on x

 

[IncyWincy]

Thank you collectingrocks

I will report back!

 

[rexel]

what did you change in your diet to reverse your BGL

 

[IncyWincy]

I'm not really sure there is a problem to be concerned about yet but once I got the 6.5 test result in early January I did examine my diet and tweeked things. For breakfast I used to measure out porridge oats in a mug and add double the amount of skimmed milk by volume. I didn't add any sugar/honey/syrup to the made porridge but I did top it with a banana and have a glass of fruit juice on the side. I weighed the oats 1 morning - 60g. I realised that this breakfast represented a tsunami of sugar sooooo...halved the amount of oats, added chopped mixed nuts, had blueberries and strawberries instead of a banana and dropped the juice. In fact I haven't eaten a banana or drunk fruit juice in over 5 months now. Really missed 'em for about 3 days. Not bothered if I never have either again now. Also I vary things by having scrambled eggs with grilled tomato and mushrooms and half a grapefruit a couple of days a week. Lunchtime I used to have a sandwich or something on toast (wholemeal seeded bread). Now I have an open sandwich ie. 1 slice, with loads of salad and olive oil/ mayonnaise or no added sugar peanut butter on toast. Have become rather partial to insalata tricolore and Greek salad. Some days I have hummus with crudite and I make my own chicken liver pate (drool) or have a bean salad with tuna etc. I have become an avocado addict. There was a day last week when I realised I hadn't eaten any bread for 5 days! Dinnertime hasn't really changed. Never been a fan of potato/chips or huge plates of pasta/rice - have always been moderate in my consumption of those. Love veggies so have always filled my plate with 'em.

The weird thing about these dietary changes is that I don't feel hungry anymore. Used to get starving mid morning and eat an Activia low fat yoghurt with an apple. Don't need elevenses anymore and don't feel nibbly mid afternoon either. Weight is stable at 7 stone 12 pounds.

 

[Brunneria]

I'm not really sure there is a problem to be concerned about yet but once I got the 6.5 test result in early January I did examine my diet and tweeked things. For breakfast I used to measure out porridge oats in a mug and add double the amount of skimmed milk by volume. I didn't add any sugar/honey/syrup to the made porridge but I did top it with a banana and have a glass of fruit juice on the side. I weighed the oats 1 morning - 60g. I realised that this breakfast represented a tsunami of sugar sooooo...halved the amount of oats, added chopped mixed nuts, had blueberries and strawberries instead of a banana and dropped the juice. In fact I haven't eaten a banana or drunk fruit juice in over 5 months now. Really missed 'em for about 3 days. Not bothered if I never have either again now. Also I vary things by having scrambled eggs with grilled tomato and mushrooms and half a grapefruit a couple of days a week. Lunchtime I used to have a sandwich or something on toast (wholemeal seeded bread). Now I have an open sandwich ie. 1 slice, with loads of salad and olive oil/ mayonnaise or no added sugar peanut butter on toast. Have become rather partial to insalata tricolore and Greek salad. Some days I have hummus with crudite and I make my own chicken liver pate (drool) or have a bean salad with tuna etc. I have become an avocado addict. There was a day last week when I realised I hadn't eaten any bread for 5 days! Dinnertime hasn't really changed. Never been a fan of potato/chips or huge plates of pasta/rice - have always been moderate in my consumption of those. Love veggies so have always filled my plate with 'em.

The weird thing about these dietary changes is that I don't feel hungry anymore. Used to get starving mid morning and eat an Activia low fat yoghurt with an apple. Don't need elevenses anymore and don't feel nibbly mid afternoon either. Weight is stable at 7 stone 12 pounds.

Brilliant. That is low carb at its best - filling, satisfying, no cravings and weight maintenance.

I salute you, Incy!

 

[IncyWincy]

Brilliant. That is low carb at its best - filling, satisfying, no cravings and weight maintenance.

I salute you, Incy!

Aw, shucks.

Will be interesting to see if the changes have any effect on fasting blood glucose.

 

[Eijack]

I had a blood test a fortnight ago

 

[IncyWincy]

Just got my result. Sorry for delay, was on holiday.

Fasting glucose was 5.7. No further blood test required but I was told that it is the "higher end of normal" and that it was 5.9 when tested 2 years ago (can't believe they didn't tell me at the time).

Think I will continue to be carb conscious, although right now thanks to jet lag I'm not hungry and have yet to eat today!

 

[IncyWincy]

Update.

Still being carb conscious and eating healthy high fat low carb. Not been able to do any exercise as I have a dodgy back .

Just had my annual blood test.

Fasting glucose came back as 5.6.

Had my first ever cholesterol test and the results were as follows:

Total 6.02

Made up of:
HDL 2.1
LDL 3.72
Tri 0.45

Does that even add up to the total and is it supposed to? LOL

Ratio 2.9

Was asked if I'd like to come and see the nurse as the total is high but declined. Guess I would have been lectured to eat low fat or bunged on statins? Not doing either. Apparently the doc wouldn't want to see me as the ratio is good.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi,

The total isn't a straight total of the bits and bobs, it is a particular calculation that I now can't remember.

Your HDL and trigs are excellent, as is your ratio. It's just the LDL that is high and making your Total look bad. Because your trigs are so low (good) it is possible much of your LDL will be the big fluffy kind that is good, rather than the little hard kind that is bad. You could lower that LDL a bit if you eat more oily fish or other foods higher in Omega 3.

The acceptable ranges are:
HDL 1.2 to 3.5
LDL 0 to 2
Trigs 0 to 1.7
TC/HDL ratio under 4

Fasting glucose excellent - did you not have an HbA1c?

Well done.

 

[IncyWincy]

I'm a fish-a-holic so eat at least 2 portions of salmon/tuna/trout/sardines/anchovies each week, apart from white fish. Also walnuts go on my Greek yoghurt in the morning.

I think I need to move more - have read that exercise lowers LDL. Just scared 'cos of my bad back!

Guess trigs are low as I low carb.

I did ask for HbA1c and was told it wasn't done. They told me the same last year yet I recently saw it on screen at the doc's listed as 36.5 or 5.5 for May 2014. Ho-hum.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Moving more is a great plan. Can you swim? Gentle swimming up and down the pool is the best exercise there is for bad backs, take it from one that had a long time of suffering many years ago - culminating in major surgery to remove the offending ruptured disc. Swimming was brilliant, and even when I was still in hospital after the operation I was taken down to the hydrotherapy pool twice a day for exercise by the physiotherapists. It will also help with the LDL and of course, your BS.