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First timer query.

S

SMack

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Hi
I do not think that I have diabetes, however I am morbidly obese with a 50+ bmi. My doctors keep wanting me to have blood tests to test for various things of which diabetes is one. I have a phobia about having my blood taken and would like to know how reliable a finger prick test at the chemist is?
Many thanks
Sam.
 
It won't give you a diagnosis or tell you anything other than what your blood sugar level is at that particular moment in time. It's less accurate than the test a doctor would perform. The doctor's test (I'm assuming it's an HBA1C) would give you an idea as to what your sugar levels have been doing for the past 3 months.

I'd grit my teeth & get tested by the doctor if I were you.
 
SMack said:
Hi
I do not think that I have diabetes, however I am morbidly obese with a 50+ bmi. My doctors keep wanting me to have blood tests to test for various things of which diabetes is one. I have a phobia about having my blood taken and would like to know how reliable a finger prick test at the chemist is?
Many thanks
Sam.
Click to expand...

Sam, Hi - I agree with Safi. The meters are accurate but only tell you your level at a given moment, which on its own tells you very little your can rely on regarding overall balance of blood sugar. Get to your doctor's and have the tests/s done. With anything - the sooner you know the better..the more you can take action and your doctor can prescribe any meds if necessary. And...it sounds like you need other tests so go get them done, mate. a] you may not have diabetes (yet) b] if you do, it is by no means the end of the world but maybe the end of wondering about it and fearing it. Plus - having had blood tests done on a regular basis for years and years due to a kidney condition, and every few weeks now since transplant...it's nothing! It's a wee pin prick (you can look away) and they have it done in a minute or two tops. There is nothing to fear but fear itself, and maybe werewolves. Good luck.
 
Many thanks for both of your replies, but it is not simply a grit my teeth thing, I have a serious phobia. I am sure that as you have regular blood test it is just another test for you, but it is not the same for me, I also have problems when they want to take my blood pressure, it is not about the pain. Thank you for the information about the difference between the two tests.
Sam
 
SMack said:
Many thanks for both of your replies, but it is not simply a grit my teeth thing, I have a serious phobia.
Sam
Click to expand...

Hi Sam. If getting a blood test is that much of a drama for you, then perhaps the next best thing would be to buy a blood glucose meter and the test strips and monitor your levels over a period of a week or so. Still not as good as getting the HbA1c test which is probably what the doctor would want you to get, but it will still give you a much better picture of what is going on than a one-off test at the chemist.

If you test your fasting levels each morning, and then test at say 1hr and again at 2hr after meals, after a few days you'll get a fairly good picture of what is going on.
 
SMack said:
Many thanks for both of your replies, but it is not simply a grit my teeth thing, I have a serious phobia. I am sure that as you have regular blood test it is just another test for you, but it is not the same for me, I also have problems when they want to take my blood pressure, it is not about the pain. Thank you for the information about the difference between the two tests.
Sam
Click to expand...

I'm sorry the the tests are that tough for you & sorry if you thought I was dismissive of your fears @SMack - I have a dental phobia so I know what you're going through.
Thing is, your doctor wants to run these other tests that will also require blood draws so if you can get them all done in one go you'll surely be better off?

Good luck with it all & whatever you decide please feel free to ask us any questions :)
 
I am sorry to read you have this phobia .. it must make things very difficult for you and your doctor. Has your Dr suggested anything to help you overcome the phobia ? Do you think you could do a self test, or a finger prick test at the chemist ... you don't see any needles and it will help you see what your sugar levels are doing, while your doctor sorts out some phobia treatment for you.

Also could you try to reduce your weight and improve your health by trying the Low Carb High Fat way of eating, or low calorie diet.. Its not going to help you overcome your phobia .. but if it helps reduce your weight then it will reduce your chances of being diagnosed with diabetes.

Edit to add .... or low calorie diet
 
uart said:
Hi Sam. If getting a blood test is that much of a drama for you, then perhaps the next best thing would be to buy a blood glucose meter and the test strips and monitor your levels over a period of a week or so. Still not as good as getting the HbA1c test which is probably what the doctor would want you to get, but it will still give you a much better picture of what is going on than a one-off test at the chemist.

If you test your fasting levels each morning, and then test at say 1hr and again at 2hr after meals, after a few days you'll get a fairly good picture of what is going on.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your advice, I was considering doing that, but as I said I do not really know anything about diabetes and did not know whether it was something I should be doing. If that makes sense?
Also I have not got a very good appetite so do not eat regularly, would this make any difference good or bad to my blood sugar levels?
Thank you.
 
Safi said:
I'm sorry the the tests are that tough for you & sorry if you thought I was dismissive of your fears @SMack - I have a dental phobia so I know what you're going through.
Thing is, your doctor wants to run these other tests that will also require blood draws so if you can get them all done in one go you'll surely be better off?

Good luck with it all & whatever you decide please feel free to ask us any questions :)
Click to expand...

No, I do not think you are/were dismissive, but rather it can be difficult for people to understand as most people assume it is a needle phobia, which (although I do not like injections etc) it isn't in my case. I honestly can not see me having my blood taken for any reason. Which is one of the reasons I am trying to find out if I am likely to get diabetes as it would be my idea of hell to be expected to get regular blood tests.
Many thanks.
 
Dark Horse said:
Talk to your GP about your needle phobia. The amount of blood required for an HbA1c is very small, it may be possible to collect this via fingerprick - if your GP speaks to the Path Lab they may be able to advise about this. Meanwhile, this looks helpful:-
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...Pd5ByUdE2kad8V8iw&sig2=7gZAo32HrEtRTHpRMg_4ig
Click to expand...
Hi
It's not a needle phobia, it is about the blood being taken, the rubber cuff, etc etc. I really do not like having my blood pressure taken either and it makes me feel and be ill.
Thank you for your advice though.
 
Enclave said:
I am sorry to read you have this phobia .. it must make things very difficult for you and your doctor. Has your Dr suggested anything to help you overcome the phobia ? Do you think you could do a self test, or a finger prick test at the chemist ... you don't see any needles and it will help you see what your sugar levels are doing, while your doctor sorts out some phobia treatment for you.

Also could you try to reduce your weight and improve your health by trying the Low Carb High Fat way of eating, or low calorie diet.. Its not going to help you overcome your phobia .. but if it helps reduce your weight then it will reduce your chances of being diagnosed with diabetes.

Edit to add .... or low calorie diet
Click to expand...
Hi
My last doctor simply asked what he could do so that I would let him take my blood. but didn't say or do anything when I replied knock me out. I simply will not allow anyone to touch or do anything to me that I do not want them to and added to that my phobia it rules out any future blood tests.
I should state that I have been at least 7 stones over weight for the last 22 years and at least 10 stones over weight for that last 13+ years.
I haven't had an appetite for well over 2 years, but unfortunately have not been able to lose any weight due to a mobility issue.
I have looked into the low carb high fat diet but I am not sure I understand it. I have looked at a few youtube channels and webpages and seen that some people mention that if you are fat with a big belly (which I am) then you are likely to be insulin resistant, but I am not sure what that means. One person mentioned that rarely you can be mobidly obese but be insulin sensitive, but I do not know what that means either.
Basically I would welcome any advice or help with whether I should be worried or not. Also with what I should be doing. My paternal Grandmother had type 2 diabetes for the last 10 or so years of her life (she died age 88) and my paternal aunt has type 2 diabetes. I don't think my father has it, he is in his 60s.
Many thanks
 
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