Should I be worried

Vejovis

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I saw the GP last week, I'd had blood tests for something else. And she said my blood glucose one had come back at 7.3 (I think she said % but not sure), the one before that was 7.1 and before that was 6.8. So she said I was classed as diabetic.

I spoke to the surgery's diabetic nurse today , but can't get in to see her until August.

So basically, I don't feel diabetic, I don't have increased thirst, definitely don't have increased urination, no weight loss (I wish). I do get dry eyes and blurred vision, but had that for a few years and the optician has never said anything.

I don't eat great, I know that. But I'm overweight because I eat savoury snacks not sugary ones, haven't had sugared drinks for at least 10 years.

Should I be worrying about it, everyone else has an 'OMG' look on their face when I tell them. But I don't feel anything really.
 

Art Of Flowers

Well-Known Member
Messages
956
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If your blood sugars are gradually going up, you may like to get a blood glucose meter to check you blood sugars are not high and if certain foods spike your sugars.

If you cut down on the carbohydrates you eat (breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) you should find that your blood sugars get lower.
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
@Vejovis welcome aboard!

No, your doctor is not scaremongering. He is quite right. You are well inside the diabetic range with an HbA1c of 7.3% I'm afraid.

You need to be 6.5% or less to be under the threshold. Your doctor is quite right. In fact you have been over the threshold since your first test of 6.8%. Your average glucose levels are fairly high, but not so high as to make you ill. Many of us had no symptoms when diagnosed. It isn't unusual.

I don't eat great, I know that. But I'm overweight because I eat savoury snacks not sugary ones, haven't had sugared drinks for at least 10 years.

It isn't just sugar that causes high blood sugar levels. It is carbohydrates. All carbs convert to glucose once inside the system so need to be severely reduced if you want to lower your levels. It isn't just "white" carbs either. Wholemeal bread, rice, pasta also convert to glucose. Your own glucose meter will help you with this and will show you exactly what your food choices are doing to you. If you test before you eat and again 2 hours later you can see any rise in levels for yourself and be able to eliminate or reduce the carbs in that meal.

Please ask any questions you like and have a good read round the forums to see how others are managing. Meanwhile I'll tag @daisy1 who will post some very useful information with some links you can follow.
 
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Shucks

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
I saw the GP last week, I'd had blood tests for something else. And she said my blood glucose one had come back at 7.3 (I think she said % but not sure), the one before that was 7.1 and before that was 6.8. So she said I was classed as diabetic.

I spoke to the surgery's diabetic nurse today , but can't get in to see her until August.

So basically, I don't feel diabetic, I don't have increased thirst, definitely don't have increased urination, no weight loss (I wish). I do get dry eyes and blurred vision, but had that for a few years and the optician has never said anything.

I don't eat great, I know that. But I'm overweight because I eat savoury snacks not sugary ones, haven't had sugared drinks for at least 10 years.

Should I be worrying about it, everyone else has an 'OMG' look on their face when I tell them. But I don't feel anything really.

Very similar for me - I think other people are a lot more worried than I am as it sort of doesn't feel real yet (diagnosed just over a week ago).

I'm letting it sink in, staying positive and not trying to overthink anything. Trying to eat better, test religiously and follow all the instructions I am given. Which is hard because there's a lot!

Feel what you feel, not what other people feel. The support I've already received here (even just reading lots of the threads) made me feel so supported. Hope you feel the same - wonderful community here.
 

Vejovis

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanks for the replies.

Bluetit, I am restarting my low carb diet. Did it last year and lost a stone and a half, but it all crept back on again. I did try again a couple of months ago but found it much harder that time and only lost a few pound before giving up.
 
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Bluetit1802

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Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
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leslie10152

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Messages
1,110
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Ignorance
Welcome to the forum @Vejovis. Now is the time to start taking precaution to prevent your condition from deteriorating. Adopt a low carb diet, keep up fluid levels and get plenty of exercise. As a precaution, take good care of your feet as they are prone to infection and other complication. Regular eye checks are a must in maintaining good eye health. Good luck.
 
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daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Vejovis

Hello Vejovis and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 
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VioletViolet

Well-Known Member
Messages
408
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I saw the GP last week, I'd had blood tests for something else. And she said my blood glucose one had come back at 7.3 (I think she said % but not sure), the one before that was 7.1 and before that was 6.8. So she said I was classed as diabetic.

I spoke to the surgery's diabetic nurse today , but can't get in to see her until August.

So basically, I don't feel diabetic, I don't have increased thirst, definitely don't have increased urination, no weight loss (I wish). I do get dry eyes and blurred vision, but had that for a few years and the optician has never said anything.

I don't eat great, I know that. But I'm overweight because I eat savoury snacks not sugary ones, haven't had sugared drinks for at least 10 years.

Should I be worrying about it, everyone else has an 'OMG' look on their face when I tell them. But I don't feel anything really.
Hello :)

Let me be your ghost of Xmas yet to come. I've looked back at my first post on here, it was early 2014 My blood sugars weren't great then but nothing conclusive. I am now prediabetic and for the last few months I've finally started to change my diet. Its hard , and I whine a lot but I wish I had done it yrs ago.

Good luck
 

Vejovis

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Well its been a week since I was diagnosed and I've been going low carb . I lost 5 lbs (yay), but I've just done a test on a glucose test meter I bought and it's gone up to 8.2 from 7.3. The change in diet has also set off my ulcerative colitis with a vengeance.

Where am I going wrong?
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Well its been a week since I was diagnosed and I've been going low carb . I lost 5 lbs (yay), but I've just done a test on a glucose test meter I bought and it's gone up to 8.2 from 7.3. The change in diet has also set off my ulcerative colitis with a vengeance.

Where am I going wrong?

What exactly has gone up from 7.3 to 8.2? When were these tests taken? Are they fasting tests or other times? Random tests on their own are meaningless. You have to compare like with like.

Are you intending to test before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite? These are the important times to test. By doing this and keeping a food diary including portion sizes, then recording your before and after levels alongside you will see if that meal was a suitable one or not. Any rise over 2mmol/l is not good and there were too many carbs on your plate. It is preferable to keep any rise under 1.5mmol/l.

I'm sorry to hear your ulcerative colitis has flared up. Have you any idea what may have triggered it - a particular food?
 

douglas99

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,572
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Well its been a week since I was diagnosed and I've been going low carb . I lost 5 lbs (yay), but I've just done a test on a glucose test meter I bought and it's gone up to 8.2 from 7.3. The change in diet has also set off my ulcerative colitis with a vengeance.

Where am I going wrong?

Look at the Newcastle Diet.
 

Vejovis

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
What exactly has gone up from 7.3 to 8.2? When were these tests taken? Are they fasting tests or other times? Random tests on their own are meaningless. You have to compare like with like.

Are you intending to test before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite? These are the important times to test. By doing this and keeping a food diary including portion sizes, then recording your before and after levels alongside you will see if that meal was a suitable one or not. Any rise over 2mmol/l is not good and there were too many carbs on your plate. It is preferable to keep any rise under 1.5mmol/l.

I'm sorry to hear your ulcerative colitis has flared up. Have you any idea what may have triggered it - a particular food?
I guess I'll just have to go for random tests in the evening. I can't test once and then two hours later because I'll be at work by then. At least it'll show a trend if I do it before eating each evening.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I guess I'll just have to go for random tests in the evening. I can't test once and then two hours later because I'll be at work by then. At least it'll show a trend if I do it before eating each evening.

There must be days when you aren't working? Test before you eat and 2 hours after first bite every meal where this is possible for you, and keep records of the levels and the food eaten. You do need to be organised with this, and consistent where possible.
 

Vejovis

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
There must be days when you aren't working? Test before you eat and 2 hours after first bite every meal where this is possible for you, and keep records of the levels and the food eaten. You do need to be organised with this, and consistent where possible.
I guess it doesn't matter if it's in the morning or not? I generally don't eat until mid afternoon on a weekend, but as long as it's 2 hours then I guess it's okay?
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I guess it doesn't matter if it's in the morning or not? I generally don't eat until mid afternoon on a weekend, but as long as it's 2 hours then I guess it's okay?

It doesn't matter what time you eat. It is the meal and food you are testing and looking for which individual foods affect your blood glucose levels so you can reduce the portion of that food or eliminate it completely. If you aren't learning anything from it then you are wasting your time testing. Random tests are meaningless.

This is how many of us test initially until we are confident in what we are eating and our levels are dropping well.

Immediately on getting out of bed (fasting)
Immediately before eating
2 hours after first bite
Bedtime.
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I hadn't tested for over a week, but last night I thought I'd better check after dinner as I'd rather overindulged on the strawberries. It was 6.2mmol/l.
I think that the low carb diet has definitely proven itself for my purposes.
Perhaps eating low calorie for a few weeks could effectively cure me - but I think that I'd rather stick with this way of eating. We had roast chicken thighs with crunchy skin for dinner - ooh - just thought - there were some left - I think I really need to go and look in the fridge....
Shame the skins evaporate so quickly.....