So cunfused about levels! Please help

[Clare92]

So I had my 5 year old son to the docs last week as he was displaying typical signs of type 1, tired all the time, thirst, weeing a lot etc. The doctor said the wouldn’t do a finger prick test and bloods have to be done at the hospital. Now he goes today for full bloods and also a glucose (non fasting) at the hospital.

I took it upon myself to buy a home testing monitor to record his sugar level throughout the day. I’m going to write the results below, if anyone has any advice or feedback about the levels would be highly appreciated.

So....
3:15pm, 3 hours after dinner 5.8
5pm before tea - 5.5
5:50pm, straight after tea(very slow eater) 8.5
8pm - before bed 6.9
2am - during the night - 5.7
On waking - 5.4

Can anyone advise if these levels are okay for a 5 year old little boy? If they are then god knows what’s wrong with the poor little mite, he’s so under the weather!

Thanks everyone

Clare

 

[Fruitella]

Hi, the blood test at the hospital will be able to check the bloods from the last 3 months - from one small sample. It will give you a much more accurate result if anything is up. The results will generally be available within a day for the glucose test. Hope he feels more like himself soon.

 

[Clare92]

Thanks for your reply fruitella!

I worry far too much, but in circumstances like these I guess you can never be too careful!

They are testing him for his thyroid also, he’s lost 6lbs in 2 weeks! I noticed he was looking abit pale, gaunt, and had dark circles under his eyes but nearly dropped when I put him on the scales and he’s gone from 3st 6lb to 2st 13lbs!

I just can’t wait to get the results and hopefully rule diabetes out, but then it’s a question of what’s happening and more answers need to uncovered!

Thanks again for your reply, this is all new to me so really do appreciate it.

 

[Diakat]

Those finger prick tests look to be in the normal range . But clearly the symptoms are a worry.
The bloodwork at the hospital will be more accurate.

 

[ringi]

It could be a bad UTI. There Is clearly something wrong but your BG testing does not look like diabetes.

Not impressed with your GP, most GPs would have taken the blood themselfs and had the resuilts back in one day. Personally I would be considering changing GPs.

 

[rmz80]

It sounds like the doctor is considering a range of causes; not just type 1. This will be why a hospital visit will be needed.

 

[catapillar]

A random blood glucose (ie not a fasting one) needs to be over 11.1 to raise concerns about diabetes. All of your sons readings are miles under that and completely normal. He doesn't have diabetes. Hopefully the tests at hospital will lead to a diagnosis and resolution for you.

 

[Freema]

Please let the doctors do their job , you need their help and examination , thyroid problems are treatable but it is an unusual huge weightloss , and many times this is part of a very high blood glucose in untreated type 1 diabetes , the numbers you have measured doesn’t indicate that , but it is also a very huge weight loss for a person with a hyperactive thyroid gland , maybe it is something other than that , but doctors know so much more of what to look for. It takes sometimes a lot of different tests to find the cause of such a big weight loss . You as a mother can contribute by telling of what you have noticed ; like if he eats the same as usual or if he avoids foods has he got fever or other kinds of anomalities. Send you a hug for both you and your son , hope you get a solution fast , had he been eating anything that could be bad for him ? Or been drinking any kind of bad stuff ?

Question of this kind Can sometimes rule out a lot, are you sure he gets enough vitamins from what he eat like vitamin D from sunshine or fish or iron from red meat like beef and so on , both very low iron and vitamin D Can result in loss of appetite ..... and create an evil circle , but don’t start giving any supplements until any deficiency has been detected. Too much is also bad

 

[Clare92]

Thank you all so much for all your helpful replies and support. He’s been for his bloods and was so brave! While at the hospital he went ridiculously pale, had awful purple bags under his eyes and was complaining of feeling tired after the short walk to the hospital round the corner! Even the nurse said he looks terrible, and so pasty! So it’s not just me imagining things. Just hope they find the cause, I want my bouncy, full of life little boy back.

Apparently the bloods had to be done at a hospital as he’s only 5 and they couldn’t do it there. He hasn’t eaten or drunk anything out the ordinary, he drinks loads of water I limit juice to meal times only, and very rare he has a treat, like chocolate or sweets... I’m really strict with healthy eating, and lifestyle. So instead after meals he may have a yogurt or a piece of fruit and that’s how it’s always been and he’s gained weight with that perfectly fine. His little brother is 10 months younger than him and he weight 3 st 7lbs on the same diet! It’s crazy.

Well I’ll keep you all updated on the results from the hospital and thanks again for all the help, let’s hope I’m panicking over nothing serious! X

 

[Daibell]

I wonder why the GP wouldn't do a finger prick test? Sounds like a bit of following the rule book. You could then have known he probably didn't have T1 quickly although further tests were also needed at the hospital

 

[Clare92]

Yes Diabell I totally agree! It’s a simple little test, if we can do them so easy at home a doctor should be able to do it no problem!

I tested his levels 1 hour after eating his tea and he was 3.4. Is this a hypo? He did look rather pale and seemed pretty tired!

I gave him a packet of Haribo jellies and tested him 20 mins after and he was up to 6.4. Then again at 8 before bed and he was 6.6. Will test during the night around 2am and see what his levels are then x

 

[Jlewis12351996]

A random blood glucose (ie not a fasting one) needs to be over 11.1 to raise concerns about diabetes. All of your sons readings are miles under that and completely normal. He doesn't have diabetes. Hopefully the tests at hospital will lead to a diagnosis and resolution for you.

Interesting you say that. For myself when I went there last week they took a finger test and it was 7.1 and this was before lunchtime so about noon and 3 hours after eating. I said to them isn't that an okay level and they said well for non diabetics it should 4-6.9 so yours is at the very end before eating...

Edit: I'm not calling you a liar or wrong or anything I'm more hesitant to trust my diabetic centre as I've had very inconsistent results from them

 

[catapillar]

Interesting you say that. For myself when I went there last week they took a finger test and it was 7.1 and this was before lunchtime so about noon and 3 hours after eating. I said to them isn't that an okay level and they said well for non diabetics it should 4-6.9 so yours is at the very end before eating...

Edit: I'm not calling you a liar or wrong or anything I'm more hesitant to trust my diabetic centre as I've had very inconsistent results from them

Here are the WHO diagnostic criteria for diabetes - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/profess...nitoring/new_diagnostic_criteria_for_diabetes

 

[Clare92]

All my sons blood work done at the hospital came back as normal but took his levels 5 hours after eating he was 7.4 and again this morning he was 7.2. I don’t even know what’s normal cos anywhere you look the ranges all seem to be different!

 

[catapillar]

Why are you continuing to finger prick your son after blood tests have confirmed he doesn't have diabetes? I promise I don't enjoy firing a spring loaded drawing pin into my finger, I doubt a 5 year old enjoys it very much, especially when there is no medical reason for doing it.

 

[Clare92]

I took the reading after eating last night and one this morning when he woke up and Doctors just called this morning at 8:30 to tell me results actually. They want him back in this afternoon to see what else they can do

 

[Diakat]

So at least they have eliminated t1. Hope you get answers soon.

 

[Clare92]

Yeah thankgod, I was even thinking maybe he could have worms, as gross as it sounds, maybe that’s the reason he’s lost weight and feels abit ****, I dunno. I’ll see what docs say later today. Thanks for all your help

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

7.2 fasting is diagnostic of diabetes. Was the 7.2 a fasting reading?

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

What tests did they run? An hba1c can still be normal in the early stages. I wouldn't be happy with a fasting of above 7.