Am I worrying for nothing?

[Lee-Ann]

Hello, I'd be grateful for any advice regarding quite a few problems I'm having. Over the past year I've been feeling pretty awful, these are a few symptoms, extreme fatigue but unable to sleep, persistent nausea especially after eating, fuzzy head like its full of cotton wool, strange taste in my mouth. blurred vision and last of all peeing all the time, so much so I have to plan journeys around toilets and I'm up at least once a night to go to the loo, oh sorry sometime my wee smell so bad my husband has noticed . Anyway my sisters partner is type 1 diabetic and came over to my house for a bbq at the time I was feeling sick so she tested my blood sugar and the reading was 11.5, she seemed concerned about this then began explaining glucose levels. Needless to say I purchased my own monitor and the next day I ate nothing, tested and the reading was 6. Then I ate some toast. waited two hours and tested, this time my blood sugar went up to 10.5. So I went to see a gp who told me to stop worrying because a routine blood test I had in February was normal apart from my cholesterol being high and arranged for me to have a fasting test. I'm not over weight, in fact I've lost weight even though my diet hasn't really altered and I'm always busy so get plenty of exercise. So sorry to ask a question that's been asked probably a thousand times before, should I take the gp's advice and not worry?

 

[janeecee]

I'm in the same boat. I had a normal fasting test and normal Hba1c test. I showed the practice nurse my after meal figures and she said they were "normal" as did my GP, even though they were in the 8s, 9s and 10s. They won't order a glucose tolerance test unless you get a fasting result of 6.1–6.9, and they are increasingly relying on the Hba1c test these days. As far as going to the GP is concerned, I'm leaving it for a while. I'm going to concentrate on getting my diet right and bringing those numbers down. Even if I had been picked up as prediabetic, it's not as if they treat you. They just give you lifestyle advice, so you end up in the same place.

Pursue it with your GP as far as you can. They place a lot of emphasis on their own lab tests, and to be fair it's the NICE guidelines that dictate the follow-up, depending on the results. The glucose tolerance 2 hour test is the only test that will pick up on Impaired Glucose Tolerance, whereas the fasting test doesn't. If your blood glucose levels are 7.8–11.0 2 hours after the glucose test then that is indicative of Impaired Glucose Tolerance and is considered "prediabetes", but you need a fasting test of 6.1-6.9 to get one. Some people do their own test with Lucozade.

If you are symptomatic, though, they should (in theory) take you more seriously, and if your fasting test comes back over 5.6 AND you are symptomatic (as you are) then they should order the glucose test. If that is the case, then pursue it.


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[Lee-Ann]

I should get the fasting back in a few days, so at the moment I'm scratching my head. I have had a lot of medical problems in the past, was rushed to hospital with pulmonary embolism in the left lung, been admitted with hyperkalaemia (high potassium) and my blood pressure yoyos like crazy. It's pretty bad that I rather go to the dentist than the doctors lol. Anyhow just have to see, going to keep doing my own levels and hope it regulates somehow :?

 

[janeecee]

Good luck with the result. Either you should be reassured, or treated if appropriate. Better safe than sorry.


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[Lee-Ann]

Ok more advice needed. Felt nauseous and had hot flushes all night so got up quite early. Did my levels and the reading was 6.5, anyhow I had a bit of breakfast and 2 two hours later repeated the test and what surprised me is my blood sugar was 3.6 ( this is after, bad I know, coco pops). Does anyone know why its swinging so erratically. Any advice appreciated thank you

 

[kezz01489]

The levels are pretty drastic and its far from normal. 11'5 is high and not good 3.6is low and not good, keep an eye on when your exercising too a long walk or strenuous stuff but tell the doctor you want more bloods done and give him the information. If not see another doctor and even ask reception to speak to diabetic nurse in surgery.

 

[janeecee]

I'd take 6.5 as your fasting level, which is in the prediabetes range, but such a drop after breakfast is a bit out of range. I'm theorising here but it may be a reactive hypoglycaemia after shooting up after the coco pops (all that sugar @-@). I'd phone the surgery ASAP and see if you're results are back. In my area the results are on the computer within 48 hours, though it may be different elsewhere. Although they often quote 5 to 7 working days for the results to come in, in my experience it's much sooner than that.


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[Lee-Ann]

I rang the doctors yesterday and my fasting glucose is satisfactory, Don't know the level, I have a doctors appointment next week so will find out then. I've been thinking of what could have caused this irregularity in blood glucose. I didn't mention in my first post that up until 2 months ago I was receiving the Zoladex implant for 8 months, I didn't think this was relevant at the time, just another health issue. But looking into it further, one of the side effects is high blood sugar which rarely can cause diabetes. Now I'm not saying I'm diabetic, but maybe this implant has interfered in some way. Has anybody else had this sort of problem with medication, and would this eventually wear off or could it be a permanent issue?

 

[izzzi]

Hi,Lee-Ann

Hope it all goes well at the doctors next week. The Doctor must know that you are worried, and it is not easy just to stop worrying.
Does seem to be a lot of side effects going on for you at present.
Ask your Doctor if you can have a second opinion. You will find that your Doctor will be more than helpful, He/She may happy to recommend for you to see a specialist consultant regarding your symptoms .

best of luck.

Roy.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Hi Lee Ann there are lots of things that can cause erratic bg levels and one of them is stress. And from your posts I do get the impression that you may be stressed or anxious but it could also be lots of other things too, dark bad smelling urine for instance is often caused by dehydration so you may just need to drink more fluids.

If your bg levels have been tested by your GP and found to be normal then they probably are although there is a possibility that they may be on the high side of normal so that is something you can ask when you see your GP.

The main thing though whether you are diabetic or not is to try to remain calm and rational about this, try to find something to focus on other than your body until you have your appointment, I realise that is going to be hard for you but worrying and stressing about things will only make you feel worse.

Good luck at your appointment :thumbup:

 

[janeecee]

That's good news! Hope it goes well at the doc's next week. My fasting and Hba1c tests came back as normal and doc said "you are not diabetic" but my readings after my evening meals were higher than what is supposed to be normal. I'm not getting any help at the GP's. My only option is to monitor my own blood sugar and adjust my diet to bring those numbers into normal.

The way I look at it is this. Even if my tests came back in the pre-diabetic range, the only thing that would happen would be lifestyle advice and told to come back for another fasting test in a years time. So I am implementing my own changes and keeping a watch on my blood sugar levels. The risks are too great NOT to change my diet and make some attempt to increase my activity levels. It would be a mistake to say "I'm normal, I'm fine" and then go ahead and eat what I like. Simple carbs and sugar are OUT. Some people say that you cannot reverse even prediabetes, you can just manage it and keep it in check, and with luck and a huge dose of self-discipline it may be possible to prevent or delay a diagnosis of (pre)diabetes. As far as I'm concerned, if you are testing high after meals there is no "do nothing" option.

I hope it all goes well for you next week, come back and keep us posted.


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