Need some Advice on Blood Tests and Sugar levels

[trueblue]

Hi Guys just joined today.

I need some advice as I recently got told by the GP that I was pre-diabetic. He didn't give me any scores or anything and just warned me as my dad developed Type2 in his 50's that if I didn't make changes I could end up going the same way. I just turned 40.

I was surprised and shocked to say the least. I always thought my dad had kind of brought it on himself. He has always been overweight (wont even walk the length of the street) smoked and drank heavily (Vodka Coke man),, ate whatever and never done a days exercise in his life.

I on the other hand apart from a few beers at the weekend or footie considered myself fairly fit and well. I had inherited his high cholesterol and had been getting regular blood tests for that for 20yrs ,, and never a mention of sugar levels.

If I am being honest this was my first blood test since being made redundant from the RAF after 12yrs service. I was quite stressed about all that and had probably drank more often and exercised less than normal at the time. Im about 5ft 11 and was touching 13.5 stone when I was tested. What I forgot to mention to the GP was that prior to the test I had been getting over colds/virus for around 3/4 weeks and for that time had been drinking about 3 liters of lucozade a day! I m pretty sure now that might have affected the test,,although I had a go of my dads meter a week later when I was up for the footie and got a score of 9.1!! Again i am unsure of the accuracy as this was the morning after a day and night on the beer with the lads,,and I had just eaten before testing as well.

Anyway I made the changes after that,, gym 4 days a week ,swimming before work and jogging 2/3 nights a week. Up to about 12 miles now and doing a half marathon in 2 months. My weights is now about 165lbs (11.5 stone). I am on a high protein diet (including shakes), take supplements of omega 3 and cinnamon capsules to help lower BS. I also kept the beer to only once a week at most and sometimes did without

I have no idea what my scores would be. I went back to the GP and he just said the Diabetic clinic would be in touch if and when they think you need another check. I have had no follow up from them and I never had any Glucose tests either off them after the first test.

The thing is I have just received medical paperwork so I can go back to the forces doing security with the Army. I answered NO to the question are you Diabetic? but I am unsure what there stance will be on pre-diabetes and if I even still am? I have to take this paperwork back to the GP next week and if he says he has to put that on the form I intend to ask for a second opinion and re-test first. The thing is the timing couldn't be worse,,,after all the efforts I had put in since January,,for the last 3 weeks I have been having more beer again with the World Cup being on every night. I had thought what the hell it only comes around every 4yrs and I have no hols planned this summer so why not.

I only got the Army email today and hadn't been expecting it for months. So question is how long should I leave it now before I can get an accurate re-test. The GP told me before that these blood tests measure you over a course of a month or so. Is that right? I only have 21 days to get the paperwork back to them. I also heard that exercise has an immediate affect on BS levels,,so was thinking of getting the test in the morning right after swimming.

Any advice you guys can give will be much appreciated,,,as you can probably tell I am fairly new to the whole thing.

 

[jim1951]

Hi trueblue and what a lot of questions!!

First things first, if your GP says you are prediabetic then you are not diabetic and it does not need to go on the medical forms.

There are two blood tests. The first is called HBA1C and goes back over the last 3 months. The second is a fasting blood test which means you cannot eat, or drink anything but water, for at least the previous 12 hours.

When you see your GP you need to ask him what the reading was that made him say you were pre diabetic. As regards your next blood tests, the HBA1C will not give you what you want because you have been living it up too much!! However, the 12 hour fasting test will give a fairly accurate indication.

You have already recognised that you can do better and the sooner you get back on track the better.

Once you have any results of blood tests please come back and let us know and we can help with the best way forward.

jim

 

[Bluetit1802]

My advice is you should ring the receptionist at your surgery and ask for a print out of your test results. You are entitled to these. Then you can see exactly what your levels were. It sounds like you had an HbA1c test, which averages blood glucose over the previous 2 to 3 months (weighted towards the latter end of that period). If your test was 48 (6.5%) or less, you are not yet diabetic. The ranges are
under 42 non-diabetic,
42 to 48 pre-diabetic,
over 48 diabetic.

 

[trueblue]

cheers for the fast replies,,, jim hope yer right but I am unsure if pre-diabetes is considered in itself a condition, i might be taking a chance by not asking the doc (esp if my levels are now in normal range) but then again by asking it puts it in his mind that it may be relevant ???

I am going around to the surgery after lunch to pick up a prescription for my daughter so will ask for print out and see what they did in January,,,come to think of it,,although I fasted (as that's what i was used to doing with cholesterol ) they never asked me to.

Aye I will be kind of glad when the world cup is over lol,, still kept up the exercise tho,, for eg night before last i knew i was having 5/6 cans of fosters,, so went out for a quick 4 mile run prior,, felt less guilty but made me fall asleep right after the game lol

 

[Harpar]

I would be very much inclined to clean up my act. If your results were pre-diabetic, as the OP says, you do not need to say anything at all. But from now on, before you have to go for any 'forces' tests, eat clean, cut carbs a bit, avoid sugar, sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits all that kind of stuff, but do reduce your general carb intake too, just to make sure. Remember that all carbs turn to sugar after digestion, and its them that will put your blood glucose reading up. Hopefully this will be enough not to ruin your chances of getting the work.

Once you have your test results, we can give you better advice. But generally a pre-diabetic test is the warning shot to say wake up now and make changes.

 

[trueblue]

I have changed my diet since, and apart from the beers during the world cup I have virtually no carbs at all. I changed from white rice (not easy as my wife is Filipino and cooks it with just about every meal) to brown, regular pasta also to brown,, i never eat any kind of bread (wasn't hard as gives me indigestion anyway),no potato unless sweet potato,, eat more nuts , fish, chicken muesli or porridge for breakfast,, plus about 80g to 120g of protein from shakes daily. I also drink about 2-3 L of water a day. I managed to lose 2 stone in the first 2 months,, I have now sort of leveled out as I don't want to be too skinny hence the shakes etc as I am trying to buildup muscle now at the gym.

I got the print out you guys suggested.

In December my score was 43mmol so basically just in the pre diabetes range. The test was a HbA1c as you guys also thought.

Kind of leaves me now wondering,,, could those 3/4 weeks prior to the test of drinking all that lucozade have pushed me into the range?
And now 8 months on and almost 2-3 stone lighter am I more likely to be back in normal? Can 3 or 4 weeks of a few beers at night make that much difference so long as I maintained the diet and exercise as I have done the rest of the time ?

Think it might be best to just say nothing ,, if i do the GP is more than likely going to suggest the same test that will be pointless as my last couple of weeks might spoil it,and if they do look at the test result I am only just in the Pre D range anyway and its just one test from hundreds I have had even whilst in the RAF. But then if I say nothing and it blocks my entry it will be even more hard to take if my next test is perfectly normal later on.

 

[jim1951]

I have changed my diet since, and apart from the beers during the world cup I have virtually no carbs at all. I changed from white rice (not easy as my wife is Filipino and cooks it with just about every meal) to brown, regular pasta also to brown,, i never eat any kind of bread (wasn't hard as gives me indigestion anyway),no potato unless sweet potato,, eat more nuts , fish, chicken muesli or porridge for breakfast,, plus about 80g to 120g of protein from shakes daily. I also drink about 2-3 L of water a day. I managed to lose 2 stone in the first 2 months,, I have now sort of leveled out as I don't want to be too skinny hence the shakes etc as I am trying to buildup muscle now at the gym.

I got the print out you guys suggested.

In December my score was 43mmol so basically just in the pre diabetes range. The test was a HbA1c as you guys also thought.

Kind of leaves me now wondering,,, could those 3/4 weeks prior to the test of drinking all that lucozade have pushed me into the range?
And now 8 months on and almost 2-3 stone lighter am I more likely to be back in normal? Can 3 or 4 weeks of a few beers at night make that much difference so long as I maintained the diet and exercise as I have done the rest of the time ?

Think it might be best to just say nothing ,, if i do the GP is more than likely going to suggest the same test that will be pointless as my last couple of weeks might spoil it,and if they do look at the test result I am only just in the Pre D range anyway and its just one test from hundreds I have had even whilst in the RAF. But then if I say nothing and it blocks my entry it will be even more hard to take if my next test is perfectly normal later on.

trueblue

42 and below is non diabetic. 48 and above is type 2. 43 to 47 is borderline or prediabetic.

You are at the very bottom end of prediabetic. I would imagine the litres of lucozade didn't help your reading last time. I would imagine your next HBA1C will drop below 43 from what you tell us.

But, and it is a big but, you are predisposed to type 2 because when you binge your sugar levels don't self regulate, so you will always have to be careful.

As regards disclosure, I would have no worries in not disclosing, but you must do what you feel happy with.

jim

 

[Harpar]

Agree wholeheartedly with above. All that lucozade wouldn't have helped. But you did have a bit of a problem dealing with it. So take it as the warning shot to wake you up, which it seems to have done.

 

[trueblue]

yeh cheers Jim ,, i have no problem with not telling the Army as I dont see the point of telling them something I might get later on. Its wither my own GP tells them I'm concerned with ,, if he thinks its relevant enough to put in his report. Hopefully not ,, and you would like to think that they might give the benefit of the doubt and at least retest me when my score was so borderline before saying No,,, time will tell i guess.

I totally agree about having to keep an eye on my diet etc from now on,, since all this tho I have actually quite got into the whole gym and healthy eating etc.

The only time I stray is when i go home for the footie,, as a season ticket holder the pub before/after the match just isn't something I can avoid (nor want to tbh),, and ye cant really walk into a Glasgow football bar as a dude and ask for tomato juice or light beer lol

 

[jim1951]

yeh cheers Jim ,, i have no problem with not telling the Army as I dont see the point of telling them something I might get later on. Its wither my own GP tells them I'm concerned with ,, if he thinks its relevant enough to put in his report. Hopefully not ,, and you would like to think that they might give the benefit of the doubt and at least retest me when my score was so borderline before saying No,,, time will tell i guess.

I totally agree about having to keep an eye on my diet etc from now on,, since all this tho I have actually quite got into the whole gym and healthy eating etc.

The only time I stray is when i go home for the footie,, as a season ticket holder the pub before/after the match just isn't something I can avoid (nor want to tbh),, and ye cant really walk into a Glasgow football bar as dude and ask for tomato juice or light beer lol

Rangers or Celtic?

jim

 

[trueblue]

The clue is in my username jim lol,,, Rangers mate

 

[Brightside]

True blue, my story is very similar to yours....January I developed the big thirst.....after a long flight to Johannesburg, including 5x G&T's.....at the time I was drinking copious amounts of red bull and other rubbish!
Of course the thirst meant that I had to drink even more sugary drinks.....
Secretly I knew I had diabetes, but I continued living in denial until in march I developed mouth thrush!then I knew! It's time to go to the doc!
BG of 19 and hb1ac of 133 meant there was no doubt! Typ 2!

So on to the clixlaside and medformin, 2100kcals a day, run 3x a week, and cycling 50-70km on a Sunday. Have lost 20kg's!

Last weeks blood tests and the doc nearly fell off his chair! "We've only had one patient in this practice that has managed to cure themselves of diabetes"!

Bg5.7, hb1ac 43, cholesterol 4.4 and off the meds!

So I don't think I'm cured, but definitely predisposed to type 2 so need to stay off the booze and carbs.....and no more sugary drinks!




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[Scandichic]

The reason they've had so little success is because they believe in ramming the healthy plate down everyone's throats! I wonder how much more success they would have if they at least told patients about low carbing!

 

[Harpar]

Fantastic result Brightside.

 

[trueblue]

Well done Brightside that's some achievement and gives us all hope of what can be done. I hope there is a way you can still have a drink now and then , but yeh you couldn't have been drinking anything worse ,, redbull would be up there along with WKD and draught mixers as the most sugar full drinks you could probably get.

Have to admit it isn't something I know too much on as I'm sure if you asked a GP whats the best booze for me to drink they would probably say none. I have read so many conflicting things online I don't know whats the best options.

I heard that alcohol actually lowers blood sugar and diabetics need to combine drink with a carb snack? But thats just whilst actually drinking so its maybe the excess weight long term from it that raises it up? I also read that piilsner lager or pale lagers have almost no immediate affect ,, again no idea if that true either.

My problem is I can't avoid it when I go to the football as I meet my mates in the bar before and after the match. I dont think the rangers pub even sells light beer but I would be afraid to ask tbh lol . Reading online there is loads of low carb beers etc,,but they just dont seem to be available here in UK pubs. I try to avoid spirits as my dad and grandfather both had problems there ( dad a bottle a vodka a day and granfather x2 bottles of whisky by time he passed away) ,, which is why I stuck to lager,, spirits would also be to quick leading to drinking even more units on a day/evening out. So dont want to replace one problem with another lol.

Be interested if anyone has any recommendations on what drinks have the least affect on BS. I only get to the football about once or twice a month and I dont really want to give up going,,besides you have to have something to look forward to.

 

[Bluetit1802]

The best alcoholic drink as regards blood sugars is red wine. Would you lose your street cred with that?

 

[cold ethyl]

I'd be more concerned about losing my sight or a limb than my street cred tbh. If you have the chance not to become a diabetic grab it now with both hands. Far easier than having to do something further down the line.

 

[trueblue]

The best alcoholic drink as regards blood sugars is red wine. Would you lose your street cred with that?

Unless it was Buckfast wine then probably lol,, joking aside I cant drink red wine it repeats on me and gives me terrible heartburn/indigestion. Never drink red or white wine ever. Not so much bothered about street cred just genuinely don't no what else to try,, I have drank the same thing all my adult life. I am willing to try something else tho.

 

[CollieBoy]

The best alcoholic drink as regards blood sugars is red wine. Would you lose your street cred with that?

Probably only if it was "Chateau Neuf Du Pape" but then you'd support another team
Just joking!!

 

[Brightside]

I do still have the pills for those odd occasions when I hAve a beer or two or three. Then I force the sugar down with metformin....

I think the exercise does a lot and the weight loss!

By the way.... Just for info..... There is more alcohol in 500ml of lager than in a 25ml tot of whisky. From a mathematic point of view.

500ml x 5% = 25ml alcohol

25ml x 40%= 10ml alcohol.

But I think it's what goes with the alcohol that sends our bs UP the creek.




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