Doctors can't make up their mind

[Sadako]

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my son. I knew that this automatically put me at risk of developing type 2. Recently I have been really run down and thirsty. I went to my GP who did a urine sample and random glucose test. There was +1 glucose in urine and my blood test was 11.3. I hadn't eaten anything for a few hours so gp suggested that it looked as if I did have diabetes and sent me for a test. My results are as follows:

Plasma glucose fasting - 5.2
Haemoglobin A1c level - IFCC standardised 36 mmol/mol [< 42]

Because of these results I've been told no further action is required.

I've still got my test strips and monitor from my pregnancy so I decided to do some testing out of curiosity while I waited for the results. I have been testing twice after meals at 90mins and 2 hours mark. Highest reading I had was with a breakfast at 10 after oatabix. All my others were in the 5 and 6 range but meals have been low in carbs and sugar.

Can anyone shed any light on this. Am I diabetic? If I eat something with sugar my glucose spikes massively but my body always manages to get it down within 3 hours more often than not with a few exceptions.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

My opinion for what it's worth is that you are not diabetic. Diabetes is when the body can't cope with carbohydrates very well or at all and yours seems to be doing quite nicely. If you can't get below about 8.5 at the two hour mark after meals then come back to us but for now you are doing well. The oatabix incident would spike your blood glucose and you haven't told us how long after eating it you tested.

 

[Resurgam]

It could be that you are always going to be that bit more sensitive to carbs than you might have been, after gestational diabetes so perhaps a small decrease in the heavier carb foods now might be advantageous long term.
If you tend to put on weight easily then it could help reduce that too.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Those figures look perfectly normal to me.
Your fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c are normal.
However, as you are doing some testing, keep a food diary and record your before and after levels in order to keep an eye on things. My suggestion is if you see foods that are raising your levels more than acceptable at the 2 hour mark, then cut those foods out of your diet. (such as the oatbix)

Edit - the finger prick test that gave you a high level after not eating for ages is not a diagnostic test. They are too unreliable. For example, your finger may have been contaminated. Even so, it is only marginally above the random cut off level, which is 11.1 and as we all know, meters have a 15% error margin.

 

[britishpub]

It looks like your Doctors can make up their mind.

No action means just that.

HbA1c of 36 and fasting plasma of 5.2 is clearly non-diabetic

 

[Dixon1995]

You're not diabetic at this moment in time. Keep your blood checker and check once or twice every few months. 3 hours after eating carbs bare in mind. Non diabetics can spike as high at 7.8 or maybe higher im not to sure, after eating a substantial amount of carbs or in someone who is sensitive to carbs in general.. the key is, it should return to lower levels pretty quick.

To be diabetic you must have consistently higher than normal blood sugars after eating, and have a HBA1C higher than 48

Take this as an opportunity to relax for a while and not panic too much

 

[NicoleC1971]

Not diabetic in that your values are normal indicating that your body is producing enough insulin to clear glucose from your blood.
However the road to diabetes starts a while before it gets diagnosed so knowing your risk, I'd carry on with eating whole foods with enough protein and fat to keep you full in between meals i.e. Fuel up on Fats, priortise protein and careful with the carbs to keep your metabolism running well which will help with weight management too. You are lucky to have had the warning signs so get an annual check done (Hba1c, lipid panel (hdl/trig ratio, blood pressure and liver function) to track changes but I wouldn't advise prick tests as they won't tell you anything conclusive and will make you worry to no good effect. Maybe steer clear of the Oatabix!

 

[Mbaker]

I would say you have some carbohydrate intolerance, as some of numbers you have posted are on the high side.

If I knew what I know now and had those numbers I would remove the foods which spike higher that the damage level (7.8), personally I don't go over 6.0 post prandial as my choice.

 

[Providence 62]

Those look like lovely normal figures to me.

Doesn't hurt to keep an eye on things, but I think your doctor is right.

Hope you are having lots of fun with your baby.

P62

 

[Brunneria]

Hi

I suggest you have a read through the www.bloodsugar101.com website.
Lots of great info on there, but something I think you may find useful is the section on the different ways that type 2 diabetes may develop in different people. Sometimes the fasting blood glucose goes first. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it takes years, sometimes months or weeks... hope you find it useful!

 

[Squire Fulwood]

To be diabetic you must have consistently higher than normal blood sugars after eating, and have a HBA1C higher than 41? (40?)

48

 

[Sadako]

It could be that you are always going to be that bit more sensitive to carbs than you might have been, after gestational diabetes so perhaps a small decrease in the heavier carb foods now might be advantageous long term.
If you tend to put on weight easily then it could help reduce that too.

Thank you. Reducing carbs means I loose weight but I'm worried about this as I'm only 8 stone and have a BMI of 20. Any ideas how I can eat healthy but keep weight up?

 

[Sadako]

My opinion for what it's worth is that you are not diabetic. Diabetes is when the body can't cope with carbohydrates very well or at all and yours seems to be doing quite nicely. If you can't get below about 8.5 at the two hour mark after meals then come back to us but for now you are doing well. The oatabix incident would spike your blood glucose and you haven't told us how long after eating it you tested.

It was 90 mins and then back down at 2 hours to 7.8. it's the random glucose one that worries me at 11+ as that was about 3 hours after. Thanks for replying.

 

[Dixon1995]

48

Lol I was thinking prediabetes... ooppsie

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you. Reducing carbs means I loose weight but I'm worried about this as I'm only 8 stone and have a BMI of 20. Any ideas how I can eat healthy but keep weight up?

There are plenty of thinnies on this forum, and plenty more that were fatties but have lost all the weight they need to and are now maintaining on a low carb diet. (I'm one of the ex-fatties). As you reduce the carbs, you need to increase good fats and protein to replace the lost calories. Extra dairy in the form of butter, cream, cheese and yogurts, extra eggs, avocado, more oily fish, more nuts and seeds. Those sorts of things. It can be a difficult balancing act, but with trial and error you eventually get there. Your blood glucose meter and your bathroom scales alongside a food diary will guide you.

 

[Sadako]

Okay, I've been doing some testing this week to give me a better understanding of what is going on. 2 hours after a chicken sandwich I was 9.9. For dinner I had toast with scrambled egg and cheese and a very small piece of cake. That came out at 9 2hrs after.

This doesn't look good does it?

 

[Jaylee]

Okay, I've been doing some testing this week to give me a better understanding of what is going on. 2 hours after a chicken sandwich I was 9.9. For dinner I had toast with scrambled egg and cheese and a very small piece of cake. That came out at 9 2hrs after.

This doesn't look good does it?

Hi Sadako,

None of us can give a diagnoses on the forum.. That is a Doctor's job.

As @Bluetit1802 mentioned, there is a 15% margin of error with home test meters.. Of which I can concur.
after some oatabix & milk (lactose is sugar.) or a bit of cake, knocking that "15%" off the figures thrown up by the meter?
Looks like yer quids in...

See your Doc for peace of mind or get a second opinion from an HCP by all means.

Best wishes.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Okay, I've been doing some testing this week to give me a better understanding of what is going on. 2 hours after a chicken sandwich I was 9.9. For dinner I had toast with scrambled egg and cheese and a very small piece of cake. That came out at 9 2hrs after.

This doesn't look good does it?

Can't diagnose on here, but it is something to talk to your doctor about and not just let slide/ignore. The numbers could be a lot worse, but you really want to get checked to be sure, as you're just over the threshold. And people with GD are at risk of developing T2 later in life, not prior. (Otherwise it'd just be T1 or T2, not GD). I have 2 friends who had it though, and both were perfectly fine, bloodsugar wise, after their delivery. made some dietary changes and are hoping to stave off developing T2 later. One of them even didn't get GD when she was pregnant with her second! (Much to just about everyone's suprise). Not saying you have this condition, but, you know... Get checked. Better safe than sorry. As for low carb, if you up the fats and protein, you shouldn't drop any weight you want to keep on.