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Don't beat yourself up about this - for lots of reasons. Whatever the media may tell you it's not your fault! Sure, weight, diet, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle are all big risk factors in type 2 diabetes, but risk is not the same as causality. Thin, active non-smokers get T2 diabetes too...

Alternatively, for the very lazy, if you are near a computer (or these days, if you have a web-enabled mobile) then there is a neat online mmol/l <-> mg/dl converter.

The risks associated with fat are, to put it mildly, heavily overstated. It is true that most doctors will tell you that a diet high in saturated fat makes you gain weight, and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. They tell you this partly because it is intuitive (i.e. it would seem...

If you have had "propper" tests (i.e. a blood sample taken by a doctor or nurse and sent away to a lab) rather than fingerprick tests then you can be fairly sure that it isn't diabetes. However, although these symptoms do sound like diabetes, one of my medical sources lists over 100 different...

I do think that it is important for the newly diagnosed to have information available about control strategies (particularly carbohydrate restriction) as early as possible. Even if they have difficulty achieving good BG, it is important that they understand what to strive for. As for how best...

I have no doubt that they are available privately in the UK, but they aren't cheap - has anyone heard of them being available on the NHS?

I presume that your Nurse's advice is "eat complex carbohydrates with each meal". I am afraid that most diet-controlled T2 diabetics find that this doesn't work very well. However, anything that works for you is advice worth following. The important thing is to know whether or not it is...

It is very hard to interpret figures out of context like this. They are quite high for a non-diabetic, but not unusual after eating things like potatoes. Take a reading first thing tomorrow - before you eat. That will give you a much better idea of the situation.

I know it can be confusing at first, there are a lot of things to learn and this is made worse by the fact that there is a lot of outdated and just downright wrong information out there. Many GPs (and so-called "diabetes nurses") have a limited and somewhat out of date knowledge of diabetes -...

If you do that then make sure you know how to interpret the numbers. During the day everyone's BG (diabetic or not) goes up and down a lot, depending upon what you have eaten. The main difference between diabetics and non-diabetics is that with the latter it comes down again quickly, whereas...

It is entirely up to the doctor. Some will give you a fingerprick test to get an indication, and then order a venous sample if it looks borderline or high. Some will do a venous test immediately, and then a second test if that comes back high. Some will do a GTT straight away. Most will do a...

I had a very quick search on Google Scholar, and it doesn't look as though there is any link. There have been some large studies of Herpes zoster (the shingles virus) which included diabetes in the analysis, and those didn't find any correlation. Sadly, this doesn't mean that diabetics can't...

A GTT isn't the only way to diagnose diabetes, although it is the most sensitive method. It has, however, gone somewhat out of fashion now and quite often two fasting measurements of blood glucose greater than 7 (done in a lab, with blood drawn from a vein on separate days) is also considered...

There are various continuous glocose monitors manufactured, although I don't think they are commonly available on the NHS. If your sister were to stand any chance of getting one then it would have to be through a diabetes specialist (if anyone has managed to get one on the NHS then please...

It is the postcode lottery, I am afraid :( . Some people get wonderful healthcare without having to ask, some have to ask, some have to fight and some never get any worth speaking of. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: This makes me very cross - if you read much on this forum you will see that...

Your doctor certainly thinks that you are a T2 - metformin won't do anything for T1. You have probably had a c-peptide test as a part of a general blood screen - if not, then your doctor is guessing, and I would ask for the test to be sure.

It is unlikely that a non-diabetics blood glucose would ever go as high as 15.9 - certainly it would take a major feast to make it do so, not coffee and toast! This isn't absolutely diagnostic - which is why your doctor will run more tests. Diabetes is usually diagnosed by measuring a fasting...

I do think that many medics tend to turn to medication as a first resort, which is unfortunate when it is often possible to control diabetes without it. I guess that it is generally easier to write a prescription for tablets than it is to work with you on your lifestyle :evil: That said, you do...

Cinnamon is unlikely to do any harm, but it's effects will probably be pretty marginal (if there are any at all). I put it in my coffee, but it is as much for the taste as anything. You should have a look at this thread on cinnamon.

This is a classic symptom of diabetes, BUT, it could be many other things too. Get yourself to a doctor to be checked out as soon as possible. If you don't have diabetes, then that will put your mind at rest. If you do, then the sooner you start managing it the less damage will be done. Do...