Second test to confirm, am I aren't I

chillijo

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17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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lots!
Hi folks,
I have been "pre diabetic for 20+ years and recently had a full range of bloods taken, fasting.
The sugar one came back as a figure of 7, I don't know which test they did though as looking on here I see there can be a couple, yes?
I have had to go back for further samples, the hbA1c and another for my kidneys as something was up there too.

Does this mean I have now definitely turned diabetic?

Explains why the Optician told me two months ago that I have they early stages of Cataracts.
It is rife in my fathers side of the family and so have been resigned to the fact that I would succumb at some point, but I am annoyed at the same time as don't eat sugary stuff anyway, watch my carbs (to a degree) and am far from overweight and exercise regularly.
I actually went to the Doctors about something completely different and am amazed that this has snuck up on me without me sussing out the symptoms.
 

kateincornwall

Well-Known Member
Messages
645
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Diet only
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People who lie , animal cruelty , boredom and pineapple !
Hi and welcome , your HbA1c result should confirm one way or the other, its a complex test but very accurate , you usually get the result in about a week . Low carbing will help enormously , watch out for starchy carbs like the ones found in rice, pasta, potatoes , bread etc . Many people who don't eat sweet foods still eat starchy carbs , cutting them out or right back can make a world of difference, its kept my diabetes under control for several years without medication . Good luck with your results
 
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SueB743

Well-Known Member
Messages
376
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Welcome to the forum. Your next tests should let you know one way or another. Good luck with the results
 

Roytaylorjasonfunglover

Well-Known Member
Messages
272
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi folks,
I have been "pre diabetic for 20+ years and recently had a full range of bloods taken, fasting.
The sugar one came back as a figure of 7, I don't know which test they did though as looking on here I see there can be a couple, yes?
I have had to go back for further samples, the hbA1c and another for my kidneys as something was up there too.

Does this mean I have now definitely turned diabetic?

Explains why the Optician told me two months ago that I have they early stages of Cataracts.
It is rife in my fathers side of the family and so have been resigned to the fact that I would succumb at some point, but I am annoyed at the same time as don't eat sugary stuff anyway, watch my carbs (to a degree) and am far from overweight and exercise regularly.
I actually went to the Doctors about something completely different and am amazed that this has snuck up on me without me sussing out the symptoms.
Hello, there is more and more evidence that bmi alone is not that good of a indicator in you are in danger of getting diabetes. What is much more important is how your fat is stored, and where gets deposited. So you can for instance have a bmi of 19, well inside the normal range, and be diabetic, but you can also have a bmi of over 40 and have perfectly good sugars and cholesterol. I know people of both types. And you cannot se on people what kind of fat they have, you need a magnetic resonance scanner, but there is loads of examples in the medical literature.

Here are some stunning examples of how bmi,bodyfat,and waistline is not that good of an indicator of visceral fat as you would think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coronal_Image_of_a_TOFI_and_a_Normal_Control.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:V..._in_men_with_the_same_waist_circumference.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fat-Fat_(FOTI)_image.jpg

http://www.google.no/imgres?imgurl=...ZJMyosgHVpIPYDA&tbm=isch&ved=0CEEQMyg9MD04rAI

http://img.medscape.com/slide/migrated/editorial/cmecircle/2005/4005/images/sharma/slide026.gif

http://img.medscape.com/slide/migrated/editorial/cmecircle/2007/7184/images/caballero/slide7.jpg

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v10/n4/full/nm0404-325.html

http://www.cutthewaist.com/images/importance/bmi/adiposity.jpg

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v10/n4/images/nm0404-325-I2.jpg

 
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Daks

Well-Known Member
Messages
407
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hey Chillijo, You have done rather well to stay pre diabetic for 20 years, assuming you haven't been actively low carbing in that time.

Not entirely sure what your figure of 7 is, Assuming it is your fasting blood in mmol/l then it still barely ties you in the pre diabetic range, but your HbA1c will give us a more definitive picture.

Either way given your weight is ok and you exercise regularly as you say, I'm sure you will control this with some dietary adjustments.

All lthe best
Daks
 
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chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
lots!
Hey Chillijo, You have done rather well to stay pre diabetic for 20 years, assuming you haven't been actively low carbing in that time.

Not entirely sure what your figure of 7 is, Assuming it is your fasting blood in mmol/l then it still barely ties you in the pre diabetic range, but your HbA1c will give us a more definitive picture.

Either way given your weight is ok and you exercise regularly as you say, I'm sure you will control this with some dietary adjustments.

All lthe best
Daks

Thanks Dak, Doc just said the reading was 7. Hoping that, if I am, it should not take much to control it. They did double checks a couple of years back but I was found to be ok then.
 

chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
lots!
Hello, there is more and more evidence that bmi alone is not that good of a indicator in you are in danger of getting diabetes. What is much more important is how your fat is stored, and where gets deposited. So you can for instance have a bmi of 19, well inside the normal range, and be diabetic, but you can also have a bmi of over 40 and have perfectly good sugars and cholesterol. I know people of both types. And you cannot se on people what kind of fat they have, you need a magnetic resonance scanner, but there is loads of examples in the medical literature.

Here are some stunning examples of how bmi,bodyfat,and waistline is not that good of an indicator of visceral fat as you would think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coronal_Image_of_a_TOFI_and_a_Normal_Control.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:V..._in_men_with_the_same_waist_circumference.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fat-Fat_(FOTI)_image.jpg

http://www.google.no/imgres?imgurl=...ZJMyosgHVpIPYDA&tbm=isch&ved=0CEEQMyg9MD04rAI

http://img.medscape.com/slide/migrated/editorial/cmecircle/2005/4005/images/sharma/slide026.gif

http://img.medscape.com/slide/migrated/editorial/cmecircle/2007/7184/images/caballero/slide7.jpg

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v10/n4/full/nm0404-325.html

http://www.cutthewaist.com/images/importance/bmi/adiposity.jpg

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v10/n4/images/nm0404-325-I2.jpg


Thanks for these.
 
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chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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lots!
My Hb1Ac was apparently "ok", (Doc didn't tell me the figure) but my cholesterol was high he said, 5.6 and since all this started a few weeks ago it has become more apparent that I have been drinking more, weeing more, been tired and have lost a few pounds over a short period of time. The doctor has cautiously decided to class me as Diabetic and is starting me off on 40mg of Gliclazide just once a day for now to see how it goes.
Have an appointment with the clinic early July. He has told me to eat low fat, which I do to a degree now, and my carb intake hovers around 130 daily. (I have used MyfitnessPal for years to track my weight).
Think I am going to find it hard to cut back and find alternative foods ..... I am a creature of habit, like certain things and stick with them.
I am feeling slightly confused and overwhelmed to be honest with the amount of help on this site ...so many questions and so many answers to choose from! I admire you all for your daily battles with Diabetes, it must be tough for many and I feel that I have no problem compared to some.
Anyway, I have noticed that people are encouraged to test themselves which sounds a good idea to me, so on that note can anyone suggest what products are better to use? I would like to keep an eye on things and I don't think I will be getting anything from the Doctors.
Sorry to ramble on!
 

AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,321
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
My Hb1Ac was apparently "ok", (Doc didn't tell me the figure) but my cholesterol was high he said, 5.6 and since all this started a few weeks ago it has become more apparent that I have been drinking more, weeing more, been tired and have lost a few pounds over a short period of time. The doctor has cautiously decided to class me as Diabetic and is starting me off on 40mg of Gliclazide just once a day for now to see how it goes.
Have an appointment with the clinic early July. He has told me to eat low fat, which I do to a degree now, and my carb intake hovers around 130 daily. (I have used MyfitnessPal for years to track my weight).
Think I am going to find it hard to cut back and find alternative foods ..... I am a creature of habit, like certain things and stick with them.
I am feeling slightly confused and overwhelmed to be honest with the amount of help on this site ...so many questions and so many answers to choose from! I admire you all for your daily battles with Diabetes, it must be tough for many and I feel that I have no problem compared to some.
Anyway, I have noticed that people are encouraged to test themselves which sounds a good idea to me, so on that note can anyone suggest what products are better to use? I would like to keep an eye on things and I don't think I will be getting anything from the Doctors.
Sorry to ramble on!

Welcome to the club nobody wanted to join Jo! There's a lot in your intro message, so forgive me for asking a million questions, but it all helps.

Firstly, I'd really want to know exactly what "OK" means. Until you know what the underlying figure is, all you know is you need to improve, but is that a bit, a lot or a ginagerous amount? Your Doc knows that, but he isn't the one having to make the adjustments. Give the surgery a call and ask for the results. The HbA1c figure is just one number, like "50", so that could be easily captured in a phone call. Many of us find it useful to keep ongoing records of out blood scores, so that we can compare each set with the last. Over time that all helps.

Secondly, I'm quite surprised you seem to have been started on Gliclazide, without Metformin beforehand? Most, who take medication (I never have taken meds) start on Metformin. The two drugs work differently, which I could explain, but not sure if that would just be mind blowing for where you are now in the learning curve.

Nevertheless, you are in Gliclazide. It seems you would like to test, but haven't been prescribed any meter or strips by your GP? Whilst most newly diagnosed aren't given this kit, it is usually given to those on Gliclazide because of the way that drug works. Briefly, it encourages your body to produce more insulin, and can therefore drop your blood sugars a bit low. If you drive, you MUST test before you drive, to ensure your blood score is in an acceptable range. To be honest, it's likely to be in the early days at least, but the DVLA have rules for drivers taking blood glucose lowering drugs, such as Gliclazide. So, if you drive, I would urge you to talk to your surgery asap to remedy this situation.

As for what you need to eat? Most of we T2s find we needed to curb the carbs more than anything else. Fat and protein have little impact on blood sugars, but carbs tend to fuel the blood sugar rollercoaster. There are loads of threads on the forum with general discussion around this. But, the great news is you are used to using myfitnesspal, and I am assuming you are comfortable reading food labels? How much you need to reduce your carbs will be informed by understanding what your HbA1c score is, and testing. You mention you have been tracking your weight for a while. Do you have any to lose, or has the weight you lost around diagnosis trimmed you right up?

And finally, you say you're a creature of habit? Well, that's a great thing and a bad thing! Clearly change is difficult for everyone, when the change has to be long term. Anyone can change anything for a day or two. But, the great news is that once you've got a handle on your new way of eating, that habitual eating is a great thing. If, say, you need to drop bread (as many find they do), once you've eaten that way for a while, it just becomes your new habit. :) Obviously, that's very simplistic, and I'm not trying to trivialise the changes we all find we need to make, but just saying that you will become a creature of a slightly different habit than you have now.

You'll get your head around it, but for now, I'd encourage you to talk to your surgery about your blood results and talk to your GP or nurse about testing - particularly if you drive. If you drive, you must do the latter, or you could find yourself on the wrong side of the long arm of the law.

Keep posting, and asking questions. It's the way we learn.
 

4ratbags

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,334
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome yo the forum. Definately make it a priority to get your HbA1c results, that is crucial. I know it may seem daunting at first but it does take time to get your head around it all. Im sorry I cant advise you on a good meter to use as I live in NZ and we have different ones over here. I have found testing to be an essential part of my diabetes management though. It can be difficult to make changes to your diet at first but there are a lot of alternative options out there. Once you get a meter you will be able to see what foods spike your BS and those that dont. Please keep us informed on your progress.
 

chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
lots!
Thanks "And Breathe".and also 4ratbags (love the names people come up with ) You have been helpful. There is such a great amount of info here, still wading through links which people posted for me previously.

I will phone the surgery again next week, they only have "certain times" too give out info (pains in the butt). The doc has started me on Glic because he said Metformin would be of no use to me, something to do with weight? I am of small stature (now shrunk to under 5' :( and weigh at present around 7st 3 lb and still dropping. i have managed my weight for years to stay around 7st 8lb and what it is now is great, but I don't want to lose any more. I used to be about a stone lighter in my 20's and 30's but that is too thin for my age now.

Food
I don't eat bread, or cakes biscuits (sigh) etc but I do have potatoes with my main meal unless I am doing a curry or spag bol type of meal. I don't eat processed meats/meals, make from fresh, but do have tinned soup (healthier options not the creamed etc) for lunch at work along with sainsburys bgty less fat "crisps" which is I suppose my indulgence.
I have lots of salady stuff, veg, chicken about 4/5 days a week with the pots and red meat meals or fish the other 2/3. I eat citrus fruits as I believe they are less sugary than some. I do try to eat fairly healthy and am not happy with the thought that I might have to cut back on the potatoes which I do enjoy but not to excessive amounts!!!

As far as the driving goes I AM confused now. After reading about it on here I did notify, or try to, my insurance company who are Saga and the guy on the other end of the line cheerily informed me that they didn't want to know unless my doctor was concerned about my driving, so I thought I was ok. I will try again tomorrow then, thanks for that.
The doctor didn't talk of driving to me at all.
Getting scared now!!
I am on a very tiny dose at the moment and to be honest, a week in I don't feel any different. Still thirsty, still running to the loo all the time and still feeling grotty at times. Don't know when it will kick in and start making me feel better or even if it needs to be higher. When I saw the doctor the next appt for him was ringed in for August, month after the first clinic one.

The range of meters on here seems very confusing, maybe I will put a post out asking people what they use.
Thanks again :)
 

AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,321
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks "And Breathe".and also 4ratbags (love the names people come up with ) You have been helpful. There is such a great amount of info here, still wading through links which people posted for me previously.

I will phone the surgery again next week, they only have "certain times" too give out info (pains in the butt). The doc has started me on Glic because he said Metformin would be of no use to me, something to do with weight? I am of small stature (now shrunk to under 5' :( and weigh at present around 7st 3 lb and still dropping. i have managed my weight for years to stay around 7st 8lb and what it is now is great, but I don't want to lose any more. I used to be about a stone lighter in my 20's and 30's but that is too thin for my age now.

Food
I don't eat bread, or cakes biscuits (sigh) etc but I do have potatoes with my main meal unless I am doing a curry or spag bol type of meal. I don't eat processed meats/meals, make from fresh, but do have tinned soup (healthier options not the creamed etc) for lunch at work along with sainsburys bgty less fat "crisps" which is I suppose my indulgence.
I have lots of salady stuff, veg, chicken about 4/5 days a week with the pots and red meat meals or fish the other 2/3. I eat citrus fruits as I believe they are less sugary than some. I do try to eat fairly healthy and am not happy with the thought that I might have to cut back on the potatoes which I do enjoy but not to excessive amounts!!!

As far as the driving goes I AM confused now. After reading about it on here I did notify, or try to, my insurance company who are Saga and the guy on the other end of the line cheerily informed me that they didn't want to know unless my doctor was concerned about my driving, so I thought I was ok. I will try again tomorrow then, thanks for that.
The doctor didn't talk of driving to me at all.
Getting scared now!!
I am on a very tiny dose at the moment and to be honest, a week in I don't feel any different. Still thirsty, still running to the loo all the time and still feeling grotty at times. Don't know when it will kick in and start making me feel better or even if it needs to be higher. When I saw the doctor the next appt for him was ringed in for August, month after the first clinic one.

The range of meters on here seems very confusing, maybe I will put a post out asking people what they use.
Thanks again :)

Please do post a thread asking about the DVLA rules for driving for those taking Gliclazide. I may have lost the plot! Your insurers are usually only interested in those taking insulin.

I did wonder if the doc had avoided Metformin as you had lost weight. Metformin can act as an appetite suppressant, and thereby aid weight loss. Gliclazide, on the other had, has sometimes been noted as contributing to weight gain.

If you drive, and the DVLA require you to test before doing so, because of your drug regime, then you really should be prescribed your meter and strips, so please do ask for them. Do not wait until August.

I hate to break it to you, but your spuds, and crisps might have to be cut down or out. They're often culprits for us. Similarly, fruit can be difficult, with berries being most diabetes friendly. That's why you will read of so many people devouring raspberries and blueberries. And, of course, strawberries are plentiful at this time of the year. Result!

Diet and testing are your friends, and if you can move around a bit more, that's a bonus.

Good luck with it all.
 
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M

mrspuddleduck

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Hi @chillijo Ask your doc for a meter but many GPs won't give them to type 2 diabetics as they consider it unnecessary (but that's another story!). If you have to buy your own, many people use the SD Code Free because the test strips are cheaper than the others. Keep asking the questions, I may not be able to answer cos I'm a type 1 but there are loads of amazing people on here who will be able to help. Sue xxxxx
 
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Mazzer

Well-Known Member
Messages
282
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Chilijo and welcome to the Forum, great advice from And Breath. I am also surprised that your doc didn't put you on Metformin, I am very small framed and my weight dropped to 7st last year due to a stressful period, but I started to eat more fat and now weigh a healthy 7st 13lbs. At first I was terrified to eat fat as my cholestrol was on the high side, but my last three tests have shown my numbers are great and have improved since being on a LC/HF diet.

Your insurance company probably don't realise that Gliclazide (being a tablet) lowers the BS in a similar way as insulin,so low BS is a risk which is why you definitely need to test your BS before driving. Meformin on the other hand helps to prevent the liver from releasing too much glucose into your system, so hypos are very rare.

If you are on Gliclazide your doctor should give you a meter and strips on prescription, so I should get yourself back to the docs and ask for some.

Have a good look round the Forums, there is a wealth if information and lots of very knowledgeable people on hand to guide you while you get your head round what the best way forward is for you.

Good luck, keep posting.

Marilyn x
 
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4ratbags

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,334
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If you find it hard to give up the spuds a good alternative is pureed cauliflour. Some people say mashed but I like mine smooth so I puree it in my blender for 5 minutes with a bit of cream, butter and garlic powder and sometimes cheese. It is really nice. Also I find a lot of my recipes on Pinterest, just search under low carb, it is amazing what is out there. Good luck with finding a good meter once you start testing you will get a better picture of how your food is affecting your BS.
 

chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
lots!
Please do post a thread asking about the DVLA rules for driving for those taking Gliclazide. I may have lost the plot! Your insurers are usually only interested in those taking insulin.

I did wonder if the doc had avoided Metformin as you had lost weight. Metformin can act as an appetite suppressant, and thereby aid weight loss. Gliclazide, on the other had, has sometimes been noted as contributing to weight gain.

If you drive, and the DVLA require you to test before doing so, because of your drug regime, then you really should be prescribed your meter and strips, so please do ask for them. Do not wait until August.

I hate to break it to you, but your spuds, and crisps might have to be cut down or out. They're often culprits for us. Similarly, fruit can be difficult, with berries being most diabetes friendly. That's why you will read of so many people devouring raspberries and blueberries. And, of course, strawberries are plentiful at this time of the year. Result!

Diet and testing are your friends, and if you can move around a bit more, that's a bonus.

Good luck with it all.
Cheers, I know my spuds and crisps are evil hehe. Will try to find something else,.
 

chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
lots!
If you find it hard to give up the spuds a good alternative is pureed cauliflour. Some people say mashed but I like mine smooth so I puree it in my blender for 5 minutes with a bit of cream, butter and garlic powder and sometimes cheese. It is really nice. Also I find a lot of my recipes on Pinterest, just search under low carb, it is amazing what is out there. Good luck with finding a good meter once you start testing you will get a better picture of how your food is affecting your BS.
Yep, have tried cauli as an alternative to rice before now and eat a lot of it anyway, thanks for this.
 

chillijo

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
lots!
Hi Chilijo and welcome to the Forum, great advice from And Breath. I am also surprised that your doc didn't put you on Metformin, I am very small framed and my weight dropped to 7st last year due to a stressful period, but I started to eat more fat and now weigh a healthy 7st 13lbs. At first I was terrified to eat fat as my cholestrol was on the high side, but my last three tests have shown my numbers are great and have improved since being on a LC/HF diet.

Your insurance company probably don't realise that Gliclazide (being a tablet) lowers the BS in a similar way as insulin,so low BS is a risk which is why you definitely need to test your BS before driving. Meformin on the other hand helps to prevent the liver from releasing too much glucose into your system, so hypos are very rare.

If you are on Gliclazide your doctor should give you a meter and strips on prescription, so I should get yourself back to the docs and ask for some.

Have a good look round the Forums, there is a wealth if information and lots of very knowledgeable people on hand to guide you while you get your head round what the best way forward is for you.

Good luck, keep posting.

Marilyn x
Thanks for the advice, will be phoning doctors on Monday.