How were you diagnosed

[AnnieC]

It seems that many many people are found to be prediabetic or actually have diabetes when they go to their doctors for something else. Were you diagnosed this way and it came as a total shock because you had no idea you had it. Do you think diabetes should have more publicity to make people more aware of it
It is very worrying to think of the number of people who perhaps have not seen a doctor for a very long time but may have diabetes and the health profession think there are hundreds. TV run health warnings about the symptoms of cancer so should they also do the same for diabetes

 

[mo1905]

Diabetes charities are very poor relations to Cancer and Heart Disease etc. Public Awareness is very poor because if this. Most media have us down as fat, lazy people which also doesn't help. I was diagnosed suddenly and was very shocked but knowing what I know now, I should have spotted the signs many months before.


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[Samanthacxo]

I was ill for months & I had blood tests that showed nothing (they hadn't checked my bs though). I had been referred to various hospital departments and again absolutely nothing.

I was so down & upset because I knew how sick I was but couldn't find out why.

I then took ill at work & ended up in the hospital, I had very high blood sugar and high ketones & that was 6 weeks ago & I've been on insulin ever since!

Samantha


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[AnnieC]

Diabetes charities are very poor relations to Cancer and Heart Disease etc. Public Awareness is very poor because if this. Most media have us down as fat, lazy people which also doesn't help. I was diagnosed suddenly and was very shocked but knowing what I know now, I should have spotted the signs many months before.


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You are right diabetes has this poor and totally wrong image as only affecting those who eat junk food don't excercise and so become obese. People do not seem to be aware that it can affect anyone whatever their lifestyle so should never dismiss it as not ever happening to them

 

[cath99]

i was told minutes b4 an operation witch was cancelled then discharged by a nurse who departing words to me was there be no christmas pudding for you this year followed by her laughing. i thought i was going to kill her, the gp was kinder and assured me it was highly controlable if i tryed hard, this was all in dec last year so new still. .. i had no symptoms or signs and was perfectly healthy until my urine sample tipped up at 18.1 xx

 

[Lazybones]

In 1997 I suffered a central retinal occlusion which resulted in the loss of most of my sight in one eye. At the time I was hoping things would get better by themselves but sadly it didn't and my initial problem was further compounded when at the eye hospital it was also discovered that I also had progressive open angle glucoma present in both eyes.
I can remember being told that I would be completely blind by that comming christmas, which thankfully didn't occur and since this time my sight has somehow managed to hold out.
The dreaded word 'diabetes' was also mentioned at the same time, but with both of these problems it was put to one side. For several years I would frequently go for a morning fasting blood test, the results would indicate a positive diabetic reading but not on the seccond occasion (At this time two positives were needed to comfirm diabetes).
Had I known otherwise, then I would not have cycled the 2 miles to my GP's surgery for each of the morning fasting blood tests, as at that time I wasn't aware of the effect that 'exercise' had on B/G levels.
Eventually a change of Dr. meant that my previous 2 years of continual regular blood testing needed to be finally resolved one way or the other - Diabetic or Not . There was never any mention of pre-diabetes as my Dr. didn't beleive in it then or now !!.
I suppose it was fortunate for this time around I passed the diabetic entrance test, and I found myself not being given any help or support so I decided to study for myself all that I could about my new diabetic condition.
I beleive I got things right, for I went 12 years without having to resort to any diabetic medication until eventually diabetes got the better and it proved necesscary.
I'm now engaged in the process of putting down my own experience of the NHS as a newly diagnosed diabetic and also my own diabetic findings into a book that I'm currently writing.
.

 

[HazelD]

It seems that many many people are found to be prediabetic or actually have diabetes when they go to their doctors for something else. Were you diagnosed this way and it came as a total shock because you had no idea you had it. Do you think diabetes should have more publicity to make people more aware of it
It is very worrying to think of the number of people who perhaps have not seen a doctor for a very long time but may have diabetes and the health profession think there are hundreds. TV run health warnings about the symptoms of cancer so should they also do the same for diabetes

I went to the Docs about a rash on my lower arms. After urine test showed protein, blood tests came back showing diabetes with fatty liver. This was a huge shock. I don't drink and don't eat fats..so why?
The fatty liver was at 534! when diagnosed in April13, in Dec 13 was 153, so Metformin and diet are doing this.
I have lost 3 stone and feel fine, full of energy. I did not feel ill before diagnosis, knew I was overweight but sort of ignored it. I keep a daily food diary which helps. Trying to keep carbs to 130 a day and 1250 Cals.

 

[Thommothebear]

I went to the doctor with an earache and came out with high cholesterol and metabolic syndrome. i think it was a two for one offer or something, lucky me!

It took seven years to develop into type 2, i think it would have taken a lot longer if I had stuck with my original diet instead of using the diet sheet I was handed, didn't help with the cholesterol either.


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[Squire Fulwood]

Twice in my life I was an in patient for minor things. Every time they took a blood test for any reason comments of a veiled nature were made and I took no notice. In 2001 I saw a locum about a rash and he sent me to a Well Man clinic and there was more tut tutting, much walking and weight loss and told to come back in the cold weather. Very mild winters since then I thought.

When I was 65 I was offered a free flu jab and I accepted. While there I was told that after a month had passed I could have a free pneumococcal injection and accepted that also. This was when I was captured.

The nurse asked me if I would mind if she took a blood sample. I didn't understand why she wanted to do that but later learned that a speculative blood test can be used as a heads up for diabetes. Mine tested 13 mmol/l. Next a fasting blood test which got lost but I had to go and see the doctor about it anyway since the appointment was made before he knew it was lost.

Without ever seeing a result of a fasting blood test he sent me to the diabetes clinic. After I joined another test was done and the rest is history.

I was not shocked, surprised or depressed since I had been "on the run" for years and knew it. My DN said I took the news rather well.

 

[ElyDave]

flu in Feb last year, very acute symptoms within the week.

Ignored those for about 4 months, then decided that perhaps I wasn't doing enough exercise after all to be drinking 6 litres of water a day, troughing like a man three times my size and peeing like niagara falls. I'd also lost 10% of my bodyweight by then, had chronic fatigue, constant cramps in my legs and had to sleep on a towel to soak up the sweat.

I think the GP had an inkling before the blood tests.

 

[eastparadeflats]

Peter 69yr old male from North Wales. I was diagnosed type 2 some 8 years ago after an unrelated visit to hospital, My doctor was very good and put me on a diet (G I diet) and warned me of what could happen with regard to angina etc and gave me a strict excercise routine, no pills. I followed all her instructions but still got angina (sadly the only thing I found impossible was to give up smoking). thiswas followed by a quadruple heart by-pass and back to work after 1 week in hospital and 1 week on light duties, (soft job). Unforrtunately my doctor left for another appointment in another town, another doctor took over he told me diet and excercise did not work and I must go on pills, so I gave up on the diet and excercise and after increasing my pills and taking different ones I saw another doctor who played pop and told me I should not have given up the diet and excercise but used them in conjunction with the pills, fortunately living here in Wales I have no prescrition charges and am on 16 tablets a day not counting the strong pain killers for my bad back. I now find myself with an appointment with my cardiac consulatant this week for fainting fits and short of breath, so beware, do not misinterpret any doctors advice, and if you have a problem with prescriptions come to live in Wales

 

[mikegresty]

I was diagnosed 30 years ago with type one diabetes at the age of 14. my family recognised the symptoms of extreme thirst and I was admitted to hospital after losing 2.5 stones in a week with a blood sugar level exceeding 44 mmol (the highest they could test to back then) . despite there being other diabetics in my family the hospital came to the conclusion that my diabetes had been triggered by the consumption of goats milk prior to diagnosis. my control was then perfect until my mid 20's when I had a very bad hypo. this resulted in amnesia and me almost biting my tongue off and then managing to walk 4 miles to work soaked in my own blood but completely unaware of who I was, where I was going and despite the blood and my tongue hanging from my mouth I was completely unaware I was even injured. luckily I worked for my parents who immediately called an ambulance when I arrived at work. the one thing that has always puzzled me is how I could walk 4 miles soaked in blood with my tongue hanging on by a few mm outside my mouth, I passed thousands of people and vehicles on main roads and even walked directly past hundreds of nurses and doctors as I walked past hope hospital half way there but what gets me is not a single person offered to help or called either an ambulance or the police for help something that truly destroyed my faith in human nature. after 3 weeks in hospital they failed to bring my diabetes under control and sent me home to test and take insulin as necessary as such as I do now. the only time I get close to good control is when on an insulin pump in hospital on occasion but despite asking for many years now I have never been given a pump to use and as time passes by I now suffer from neuropathy as well as partial memory loss and if I'm honest I'd say I feel like the hospitals and government etc are simply waiting for me to die to save on expenses.

 

[Henry_Sugar]

well it was September 1996 when I was diagnosed with type1 diabetes. Back then the condition was much less "en vogue" and the signs less known. I had Em all, excessive sleep, peeing for England & lost about 2 stones plus a bit of iffy eyesight. Amazingly I was so bloody run down I went to the docs with piles I had a blood test & there you go...... I spent a couple of days thinking "why me?" but as soon as you say "why not me?" you are well on the right road to tackling it.......

Boy, that 1st day going to the chemist with a script for insulin & whale sperm.......

 

[Sarah69]

I had gestational diabetes in 1991 and then it came back around 1997. It was diagnosed t2 after having thrush a few times, I didn't have any other symptoms.

 

[Petermc72]

The hot month of may/June had me drinking enough water to fill the Thames and discharging equivalent amounts. I noticed when I stopped taking sugar in my coffee and cut out the coke the symptoms were far less severe. Remembering when I was only young my dad was diagnosed type 2 with the same symptoms so I had an idea.

Crazily I put it on the back burner and went on holiday to Sicily. The first day i put on my beach shorts i thought where the hell have my legs gone! The weight loss was staring me in the face for the first time.Obviously partaking in some fabulous Italian ice cream I suffered sticky mouth and the same symptoms as before. Immediately on my return I went to the gp who confirmed I had type 1 and sent me immediately to casualty 3+ ketones

Started on the insulin and the rest is history and the future unfortunately! Hey ho

 

[DonnaC-T]

It was an incredibly stressful week at work, and I felt so ill. So tired, so thirsty all the usuals. I honestly thought I had a throat infection. So off to the docs I went, fully expecting anti-b's. the doc took one look at me and sent me to the nurse for a urine test. I was still thinking how odd at this point.
Wee'd in a pit and nurse said 'you need to see the doctor'
They ushered me in front of this poor chap and the doctor said, 'they've got a bed ready for you, can you get someone to take you?'
I had to ask what was going on! Now as my brother was diagnosed 8 months before you'd have thought I'd have had an inkling!

 

[luceeloo]

I'd been a little bit run down for a while. I have a stressful job, so put it down to that. I got frequent cystitis, but didn't seek treatment because it was a problem that most of the females in my family suffered from. I self treated by drinking loads of water to flush out my system.
I started getting hungrier and hungrier, but put this down to being greedy. I'd eat lunch then be hungry 30 minutes later, and fill up on chocolate or crisps... an hour later I'd feel terrible for the rest of the afternoon.
This went on for years. Last winter during the cold snowy weather, my feet started to get cold then tingly, then downright painful. I'd have shooting pains that would hurt like hell, but I put it down to the unusually cold winter and that I was walking a lot more.
Then in July the stress of losing my Nan brought on a bad water infection. I drank water, cranberry juice, the lot. It dragged on for a week or more, and when I couldn't take anymore, I toddled off to the local walk-in clinic with a urine sample expecting to be prescribed antibiotics.
The assessing Nurse dipped my urine and asked me how long I'd been diabetic for. My answer was "I'm not". To which she said "Yes you are", and she sent me off immediately to the hospital with 18.1mmol/l blood reading.

With my glucose levels, I bypassed all the usual tests and went straight to a Type 2 diagnosis, and have been seeing my DSN every fortnight ever since.

 

[CollieBoy]

was a bit overweigt i admit ,largely due to my switch from a agricultural lifestyle to an office job! but since turning 40 I had regular BG /other tests. approximately 5 months after my last test I collapsed with a bleed type stroke and Type 2 D.
Fought my way back and out of hospital and support stopped as I could walk!
GP thought it appropriate to ask me to come in for bloods (2 buses) then back for results then back for PN chat. As they priotorise themselves higher than patients I found a New GP.
I then found all my physio info myself as well as dietary info and my only stroke legacy is a slight limp and a numb lip/finger/thumb.
D wise i dragged myself off meds to D& E and now only allow HCPs to advise me and only act on it when i Triple check the advice.

 

[badcat]

I was diagnosed 20 years ago in my 30s when I had a blister on my foot which wouldn't heal, I had some suspicions about diabetes and asked to be tested but was told they wouldn't / couldn't while I had an infection - a few weeks later I had the GP sat on the end of my bed saying "I've messed up" because he'd eventually tested my BM which was 28
H I was admitted to hospital with blood sugars in the 30s and put straight onto an insulin pump. I nearly lost my leg because it was so infected and spent the next 5 months in hospital recovering from surgery to my foot and a myriad of hospital acquired infections- unsurprisingly I'm not with the same GP practice
I had been tested numerous times from the age of about 7 but only by urine tests that came back negative. I was deventually dagnosed as T2 but they treckoned I'd been diabetic for at least 15 - 20 years pre dianosis

 

[julifriend]

Back last April i had a very bad chest infection which needed two separate courses of steroids. Shortly after I noticed my long distance vision was slightly blurred. As the contra-indications for the steroids said blurred vision might be a side effect I phoned my GP who thought it unlikely but maybe it was diabetes. Two blood tests later and I'd joined the T2 club. Once I knew what some of the symptoms were, I could recognise that I'd had some of them for a while. Now with a controlled diet and exercise, I weigh less than 10 stone for the first time in more than 30 years which for a man of my age is pretty good and my last HbA1c was more than acceptable.