How were you diagnosed

[Doctorpdb]

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

 

[musiclover58]

I was diagnosed 10 yrs ago and it came as a bit of a shock I wasnt overweight but have gained weight over the last 4-5 yrs about 3 yrs after being diagnosed my Dr commented when giving me a prescription for steroids to settle asthma problems after I said that the steroids raise my sugar levels quite considerably that it was the steroids that damaged my pancreas causing the diabetes this was an interesting piece of news and it also explained why there was no family history of diabetes


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[hawnet]

because my sugers come back at 18.1 before the op and i was risk to knock out with it so i was told. gutted now have to join que again x

I am going in for a knee operation in 1 and 1/2 hrs and have newly been diagnosed Monday just gone, I bet they cancel mine too.

 

[cath99]

i think only if ur suger high. but when my op came i was undiagnosed so that was why alltho the pre op it wasnt detected to she told me if ur sugers are stable they do op. so thats what im working on coz i need this op wishing you lots of luck with ur knee op hope it ll goes well be sure to let us know how u go on xx

 

[Shupe Kalea]

I was diagnosed in April 2012. I was losing weight and had alot of appetite. My advice to people who lose weight and have appetite should immediately go for dibetes check

 

[mandydowns]

I was at an optician appointment on a Saturday and I commented that my vision was very blurry. One look in my eyes and the optician sent me to Lloyds chemist for a BS finger prick test, which was free. My reading was 19.6 and a letter was sent to my GP where I had already booked an appointment on the following Monday and a diagnosis was confirmed after a fasting blood test. Apparently I was very 'lucky' because the majority of adults with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms - I also had a raging thirst and was extremely tired. I cannot fault the optician nor Lloyds, who provide an excellent free service to the public and I am just so glad that I had someone who was so observant. Makes me wonder how many are walking around unaware of their status - at my DESMOND course of 16 people I was the only one who had presented any symptoms of diabetes - the others had been diagnosed after seeing their GP for another condition.

 

[MercedesMaria]

I had a horrible experience being diagnosed it was 12 years ago at the age of 11.
My mum repeatedly took me to the doctors for a year or so due to mood swings but nothing was detected other than a naughty child with behaviour problems.
Eventually, within two weeks I lost 3 stone (dropping to 5 stone) and eventually I couldn't get out of bed. After being rushed to hospital they told my mum if she had left me another hour I wouldn't be here today! I fell into a comber and when I finally come around was bombarded with news of injections and blood testing which was awful being only 11!

 

[deedeeworf]

I was diagnosed at two years old, 53 almost 54 years ago. GP said it was just my age but mam didn't agree with him and called another GP, That GP put me straight in his car and took me to hospital if I had arrived at the hospital 30 minute later I would have died. Thank you Mam and Dr. Morrell.

 

[MrsB]

I was just turned 13 and away at boarding school. I'd been drinking and peeing constantly for about 3 Weeks. My mum came down to watch me in a hockey match (hadn't seen me for 4 Weeks) and took one look at me ( I only weighed 4 1/2 stone at this point) and told me to go see Matron on Monday. One finger prick later and my dad was on the 3 hour drive to come get me and take me straight to our local hospital

Came home 11 days later with an achey arm from the constant Canula, but feeling a hell of a lot better. Funnily enough, my arm still aches 25 years on. Not sure why on earth they put the drip in where they did (half way up my forearm on the boney edge)

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Ah yes, this brings back memories. I went for a jab which was something to do with the lungs. The nurse asked if she could take a blood sample and I had no objection. Next I got a letter with an appointment for a fasting blood sample. I was clueless throughout all of this. Another letter to see the doctor about the result. He didn't know what was going on. I pointed out that he wrote to me asking me to attend and I asked if it was anything to do with the blood sample.

He said he had no blood sample results to talk to me about so he phoned the lab who said they had binned the blood since the name on the envelope didn't match the name on the tube. He said he was going on holiday on Monday so he suggested he label some tubes himself and I should see DN on Monday for her to take more blood, put it into the tubes he had labeled and treat them with some urgency.

I saw the receptionist on the way out who asked me for the tubes and I said no and I need an appointment to see DN on Monday. I got the haughty "And whose orders are these?". I said they came from Dr **** and her mouth snapped shut.

I got to see DN on Monday and the results by Wednesday.

Technically I was in the diabetic clinic before I was diagnosed but things never seem to go smoothly between me and the NHS.

 

[Lampman]

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

Having read all of these tales of woe, I have to report a boring story. It was very similar to the others on the DESMOND course I went on. I have had blood pressure medication for years. Every year I have a blood test associated with that. I did not notice the doctor had added another test to the form. A couple of days later, a phone call and I was sent for a fasting test and booked to see the doctor. Type 2. Looking up the symptoms, I really did not have the classic ones, apart from tiredness after working hard. Minor wounds did heal more slowly too. Being 61 I assumed that was just age! Now I am eating properly that tiredness has gone away. I agree that the symptoms should be more widely known, and if offered a check up by your doctor, take it.