Little update

[jingyd36]

Hello.

Thank you all for your kindness when I posted last month about my GP wanting to repeat my HBA1C.

My random glucose in November was 8.9, The same day he also tested the HBA1C which was 35. He told me at the time of the results he wasn't concerned. He just did a full MOT to rule things out as I am suffering from chronic fatigue and an underactive thyroid that they're trying to treat with thyroxine. Then a month ago my GP called me, I told him I was still tired, I'd had recent thyroid results which showed my thyroid was struggling so I needed a higher dose of thyroxine. He increased it to 75mg and said he would see me in a couple of months but he then said going back to the November result he wanted to repeat my glucose and HBA1C. I asked why and he said because the random was 8,9. I said that the HBA1C according to the NHS under my glucose result, was the definitive test to diagnose diabetes and my HBA1C was fine. He said it was good at 35 but he wanted to just repeat it every 3 months. He knows how much I hate blood tests and how anxious they make me so I got a little upset as I fear I am becoming diabetic.

I am 37, I weigh 8 stone 8lbs, I am 5ft tall. I suffer anxiety and agoraphobia due to PTSD. I was attacked 4 years ago by my brother and my family cut me off out of resentment that I wouldn't accept him back in my life, this was the cause of the PTSD, and the anxiety and agoraphobia. I had therapy and overcame it 80% then a year ago I experienced another trauma, my son was badly bullied at 12 years of age and he became suicidal. He hadn't told us the severity of it but it had been going on a few years. It was hell for me and during this time my health deteriorated, I had a major sudden crash that landed me in bed for week. By crash I mean my legs wouldn't walk, they shook if I tried to walk, I was chronically dizzy and chronic fatigue. After that my GP ran a lot of tests and found an underactive thyroid and my GP suspects I had chronic fatigue syndome due to the PTSD, constant trauma effecting my body.

Over the last year my anxiety and agoraphobia returned due to my health being so bad. I have been fatigued and weak for a year, I rarely get out other than to take the kids to school, short walks with my dog.... noone came to visit me during my illness so I hid away at home. I managed some days out with hubby and the kids last year and a short holiday in a caravan an hour away which was great. I hope to do that again this summer. My health improves and then I get the random crashes again which land me in bed. I am chronically fatigued and have to pace myself or I crash. It's tough with 3 children and the guilt it causes. I have severe anxiety because of this ill health as I fear dying and not seeing my children grow up and having agoraphobia it adds a further complication, my GP comes to my house to see me and now even that I find hard as it causes me intense panic because of all the tests he keeps running. He did so many tests last year, he just keeps repeating the same ones and it's causing me so much anxiety that even my therapist says he is a huge cause of the anxiety.

I spoke to my GP today and he wants to repeat the thyroid in 4 weeks to see how I am on the increased dose and to repeat just the HBA1C due to the high glucose. I have agreed to this. He says that the HBA1C is definitive and the random sugar may just be that, a one off random but HBA1C is the one he diagnoses from. Someone on the thyroid board i use suggested I was pre diabetic with a random glucose of 8.9 and it has concerned me. Should I be concerned?

I am sorry to post again I am just struggling at the moment with all of these health worries and now the fact I could face diabetes according to this woman I am concerned. I know you're experts on the subject so I wanted to ask here. I hope it's ok I have posted again.

Julie

 

[Jamesuk9]

Hi Julie, sorry to hear all you are going through.

Regarding the fasting test. Anything over 7.0 fasting is indicative of diabetes. A diagnosis can be made if two tests return a result higher than 7.

Your hba1c is in the normal range but that does not exclude a diagnosis.

An oral glucose tolerance test would normally be administered if the hba1c did not confirm diagnosis and to rule out diabetes.

 

[jingyd36]

Thanks James for replying.

The glucose wasn't fasted, it was a random glucose taken at 2.30pm. I'd eaten 2 meals and 2 snacks just before it.

My gp funnily enough doesn't want to re test the random glucose but just monitor the hba1c every 3 months.

Thanks
Julie

Hi Julie, sorry to hear all you are going through.

Regarding the fasting test. Anything over 7.0 fasting is indicative of diabetes. A diagnosis can be made if two tests return a result higher than 7.

Your hba1c is in the normal range but that does not exclude a diagnosis.

An oral glucose tolerance test would normally be administered if the hba1c did not confirm diagnosis and to rule out diabetes.

 

[Bluetit1802]

You can ignore your random test. It means nothing in the circumstances you describe. My non-diabetic husband had a random test as high as that a few years ago following a high carb lunch, which the GP followed up with a fasting and HbA1c along with the other routine tests the over 60's had at that time. My husband was fine. Non-diabetic confirmed.

Your HbA1c was normal.

Try to relax and have the next HbA1c test and fingers crossed it will confirm the previous one. I think your doctor is doing his best to look after you.

 

[Jamesuk9]

Thanks James for replying.

The glucose wasn't fasted, it was a random glucose taken at 2.30pm. I'd eaten 2 meals and 2 snacks just before it.

My gp funnily enough doesn't want to re test the random glucose but just monitor the hba1c every 3 months.

Thanks
Julie

That's a good thing, accept the 3 monthly hba1c as positive.

Your last result is well below diagnosis margin... 42-48 is Prediabetes, above 48 is diabetes.

You're well under but if you want to improve it further just cut down on sugar and carbs in the meantime.

 

[carol43]

@jingyd36 Do you have the break-down for your thyroid result i.e. TSH, T4 and T3 because your thyroid might not be treated properly which will contribute to your chronic fatigue.
Best wishes
Carol

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

Physical health and mental health are so often entwined. I predict that when you get your physical health problems stabilised, your anxiety will dial down a bit. All the best x

 

[ME_Valentijn]

After that my GP ran a lot of tests and found an underactive thyroid and my GP suspects I had chronic fatigue syndome due to the PTSD, constant trauma effecting my body.

It sounds you're going through a lot of awfulness, and I hope things get sorted out soon. Based on some of your symptoms, ME/CFS certainly does sound possible, but PTSD, stress, etc have been ruled out as a cause of it in larger prospective studies. Unfortunately it's the small retrospective study with poor methodology which had the more sensational results, so that's what people remember

 

[jingyd36]

@jingyd36 Do you have the break-down for your thyroid result i.e. TSH, T4 and T3 because your thyroid might not be treated properly which will contribute to your chronic fatigue.
Best wishes
Carol

Hi Carol,

Recent results last months after 11 weeks on 50mg of levo were
TSH 5.77 (0.2-4.2)
Ft4 17.4 (12-22)
Ft3 5.0 (3.1-6.8)

Last May the TSH was 9.28 and I went on 25mg levo, by September it had risen to 8 again so I went on 50mg and by November the TSH was 2.6, FT4 was 18.9 and Ft3 5.3. By January I got the results above and I have been on 75mg for 3 weeks now.

Thanks

Julie

 

[jingyd36]

You can ignore your random test. It means nothing in the circumstances you describe. My non-diabetic husband had a random test as high as that a few years ago following a high carb lunch, which the GP followed up with a fasting and HbA1c along with the other routine tests the over 60's had at that time. My husband was fine. Non-diabetic confirmed.

Your HbA1c was normal.

Try to relax and have the next HbA1c test and fingers crossed it will confirm the previous one. I think your doctor is doing his best to look after you.

Very reassuring, thank you.

I had my HBA1C done last year twice and it was 35 both times.

Thank you
Julie

 

[jingyd36]

That's a good thing, accept the 3 monthly hba1c as positive.

Your last result is well below diagnosis margin... 42-48 is Prediabetes, above 48 is diabetes.

You're well under but if you want to improve it further just cut down on sugar and carbs in the meantime.

I am considering doing lower carb, around 150g a day and upping my protein and healthy fats. I have had high cholesterol so i worry about doing high fat, low carb but I have heard it's fine even with higher cholesterol. It may be worth a try and I'd like to lose a few pounds lol!

 

[jingyd36]

Physical health and mental health are so often entwined. I predict that when you get your physical health problems stabilised, your anxiety will dial down a bit. All the best x

I agree, if my physical health and these energy crashes would stop I know I'd feel so much better mentally and I could get out and work on the agoraphobia again as that's only been caused by the severe fatigue and weakness and the fear it causes me.

Thank you
Julie

 

[jingyd36]

It sounds you're going through a lot of awfulness, and I hope things get sorted out soon. Based on some of your symptoms, ME/CFS certainly does sound possible, but PTSD, stress, etc have been ruled out as a cause of it in larger prospective studies. Unfortunately it's the small retrospective study with poor methodology which had the more sensational results, so that's what people remember

Thank you,

I do think stress can cause CFS, as I have had stress by the bucketload the last 4 years so I do often wonder if it's caused my chronic fatigue.

I have huge energy crashes if I see my mum for example, we have a very strained relationship as she won't show me any love or support since my ill health or the previous years since the attack because I was resented by all my family for not forgiving my brother for attacking me so I was alienated and pushed out. So now when I see her I get severe anxiety inside and after her visits I crash badly in bed with fatigue and weakness. I seem to crash after any stress or contact from family mostly but I can crash after over doing things physically too.

Thank you
Julie

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

I am considering doing lower carb, around 150g a day and upping my protein and healthy fats. I have had high cholesterol so i worry about doing high fat, low carb but I have heard it's fine even with higher cholesterol. It may be worth a try and I'd like to lose a few pounds lol!

Choosing better carbs and healthy fats wouldn't do you (or anybody) any harm. I find it definitely keeps my blood levels low and slow. I am a lot calmer without spikes

 

[Freema]

Hello.

Thank you all for your kindness when I posted last month about my GP wanting to repeat my HBA1C.

My random glucose in November was 8.9, The same day he also tested the HBA1C which was 35. He told me at the time of the results he wasn't concerned. He just did a full MOT to rule things out as I am suffering from chronic fatigue and an underactive thyroid that they're trying to treat with thyroxine. Then a month ago my GP called me, I told him I was still tired, I'd had recent thyroid results which showed my thyroid was struggling so I needed a higher dose of thyroxine. He increased it to 75mg and said he would see me in a couple of months but he then said going back to the November result he wanted to repeat my glucose and HBA1C. I asked why and he said because the random was 8,9. I said that the HBA1C according to the NHS under my glucose result, was the definitive test to diagnose diabetes and my HBA1C was fine. He said it was good at 35 but he wanted to just repeat it every 3 months. He knows how much I hate blood tests and how anxious they make me so I got a little upset as I fear I am becoming diabetic.

I am 37, I weigh 8 stone 8lbs, I am 5ft tall. I suffer anxiety and agoraphobia due to PTSD. I was attacked 4 years ago by my brother and my family cut me off out of resentment that I wouldn't accept him back in my life, this was the cause of the PTSD, and the anxiety and agoraphobia. I had therapy and overcame it 80% then a year ago I experienced another trauma, my son was badly bullied at 12 years of age and he became suicidal. He hadn't told us the severity of it but it had been going on a few years. It was hell for me and during this time my health deteriorated, I had a major sudden crash that landed me in bed for week. By crash I mean my legs wouldn't walk, they shook if I tried to walk, I was chronically dizzy and chronic fatigue. After that my GP ran a lot of tests and found an underactive thyroid and my GP suspects I had chronic fatigue syndome due to the PTSD, constant trauma effecting my body.

Over the last year my anxiety and agoraphobia returned due to my health being so bad. I have been fatigued and weak for a year, I rarely get out other than to take the kids to school, short walks with my dog.... noone came to visit me during my illness so I hid away at home. I managed some days out with hubby and the kids last year and a short holiday in a caravan an hour away which was great. I hope to do that again this summer. My health improves and then I get the random crashes again which land me in bed. I am chronically fatigued and have to pace myself or I crash. It's tough with 3 children and the guilt it causes. I have severe anxiety because of this ill health as I fear dying and not seeing my children grow up and having agoraphobia it adds a further complication, my GP comes to my house to see me and now even that I find hard as it causes me intense panic because of all the tests he keeps running. He did so many tests last year, he just keeps repeating the same ones and it's causing me so much anxiety that even my therapist says he is a huge cause of the anxiety.

I spoke to my GP today and he wants to repeat the thyroid in 4 weeks to see how I am on the increased dose and to repeat just the HBA1C due to the high glucose. I have agreed to this. He says that the HBA1C is definitive and the random sugar may just be that, a one off random but HBA1C is the one he diagnoses from. Someone on the thyroid board i use suggested I was pre diabetic with a random glucose of 8.9 and it has concerned me. Should I be concerned?

I am sorry to post again I am just struggling at the moment with all of these health worries and now the fact I could face diabetes according to this woman I am concerned. I know you're experts on the subject so I wanted to ask here. I hope it's ok I have posted again.

Julie

I don´t think you should worry of being diabetic right now, but when it comes to hypothyroidism we need to have our bloods tested many times untill the level is about right and from that on at least twice a year I think is the most sensible so nothing comes to much out of whack from not having regular tests, it is very common that the level of thyroxine must be ajusted over the years..
having an underactive thyroid somtimes also can lead to diabetes because of alot of weight gain and also because every process in the body is too slow right down to cell level which also can lead to depression and mental problems, the last usually seems to better when properly regulated.. so in that perspektive it is normal to chek if one has become diabetic... many of us diabetics both types do have conditions too with our thyroid gland..

I still think you should be happy that you have such a caring and professional GP

 

[Freema]

I am considering doing lower carb, around 150g a day and upping my protein and healthy fats. I have had high cholesterol so i worry about doing high fat, low carb but I have heard it's fine even with higher cholesterol. It may be worth a try and I'd like to lose a few pounds lol!

the high cholesterol can come just from having a low thyroid level, and disapear when you are fully regulated..

 

[jingyd36]

Choosing better carbs and healthy fats wouldn't do you (or anybody) any harm. I find it definitely keeps my blood levels low and slow. I am a lot calmer without spikes

Thank you. I was just concerned doing higher fat if my cholesterol was a tad high.

 

[jingyd36]

I don´t think you should worry of being diabetic right now, but when it comes to hypothyroidism we need to have our bloods tested many times untill the level is about right and from that on at least twice a year I think is the most sensible so nothing comes to much out of whack from not having regular tests, it is very common that the level of thyroxine must be ajusted over the years..
having an underactive thyroid somtimes also can lead to diabetes because of alot of weight gain and also because every process in the body is too slow right down to cell level which also can lead to depression and mental problems, the last usually seems to better when properly regulated.. so in that perspektive it is normal to chek if one has become diabetic... many of us diabetics both types do have conditions too with our thyroid gland..

I still think you should be happy that you have such a caring and professional GP

Yes I have read that with an underactive thyroid the metabolic rate slows down which can lead to diabetes, depression etc...

I shall definitely be monitoring my HBA1C every 3 months and I have my thyroid checked every 2 month or so until we get the dose correct.

He is a great GP he just makes me very anxious at times running more and more tests. Just my little head finds it hard to take it all in, I even worry is the anti depressant I am on since the PTSD and attack causing all my health issues, my GP says not but I worry.

Thank you for your kind replies.

 

[Freema]

Yes I have read that with an underactive thyroid the metabolic rate slows down which can lead to diabetes, depression etc...

I shall definitely be monitoring my HBA1C every 3 months and I have my thyroid checked every 2 month or so until we get the dose correct.

He is a great GP he just makes me very anxious at times running more and more tests. Just my little head finds it hard to take it all in, I even worry is the anti depressant I am on since the PTSD and attack causing all my health issues, my GP says not but I worry.

Thank you for your kind replies.

if anything it will help your PTSD to get your level of thyroid hormons right.(maybe not much , but certainly not make it worse).. and also make you less tired... if not write here as many times as you need to ask...

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

Thank you. I was just concerned doing higher fat if my cholesterol was a tad high.

I don't think it makes any difference what you eat. Your body make cholesterol. You don't need to eat fat for the sake of it on LCHF, just don't avoid it. Nuts, seeds, olives, avocados = tasty, low carb, healthy fat.