I've not been diagnosed yet as tried to get an appointment with my gp last week and couldn't get one for two weeks. Went to pharmacy last two mornings and my readings were 17.1 and was told this was high so I probably do have diabetes. Going to call surgery tomorrow to make an appointment. Any tips on what I should be doing until I see gp?
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Advice
- Thread starter JRF
- Start Date
Bluetit1802
Legend
Hi and welcome.
I suggest all you do is as much research as you can, and the very best place to start is this website (from the home page) which contains as much information as you need if you follow all the links. Then read round the forums. Learn as much as you can about diabetes, what all the different blood sugar levels actually mean, what tests you get and what the results mean. You can't do much more than that until you get a firm diagnosis.
Meanwhile, I will tag @daisy1 who has some excellent information for newcomers - again, follow the links she gives.
I suggest all you do is as much research as you can, and the very best place to start is this website (from the home page) which contains as much information as you need if you follow all the links. Then read round the forums. Learn as much as you can about diabetes, what all the different blood sugar levels actually mean, what tests you get and what the results mean. You can't do much more than that until you get a firm diagnosis.
Meanwhile, I will tag @daisy1 who has some excellent information for newcomers - again, follow the links she gives.
Clivethedrive
Well-Known Member
Hi @JRF,welcome to the forum, 1 st i will ask @daisy1 for the info pack for you
Most on hear go low carb high fat and this will bring bs levels down,a good walk,or swim will also burn up more glucose
The most helpful( vital) thing for diabetics is to get a meter to test bs's do this am before your feet hit the floor then again after ist meal then at 1 hr and 2 hr after your main meal, this will tell you what foods spike your bs's
Please come back and let us know how you get on ,clive
Most on hear go low carb high fat and this will bring bs levels down,a good walk,or swim will also burn up more glucose
The most helpful( vital) thing for diabetics is to get a meter to test bs's do this am before your feet hit the floor then again after ist meal then at 1 hr and 2 hr after your main meal, this will tell you what foods spike your bs's
Please come back and let us know how you get on ,clive
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Location
- Switzerland
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
@JRF
Hello JRF and welcome to the forum
Here is the basic information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 220,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Hello JRF and welcome to the forum
Here is the basic information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will be able to help.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 220,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Johnjoe13
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 398
- Location
- England - United Kingdom
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
If I were you i'd ask for an emergency appointment the same day given the numbers you have been getting at the pharmacy, most GP's should offer emergency appointments. I'd tell the receptionist that the pharmacist advised you to see a doctor and to ask for a same day appointment, if they say no then go to an NHS walk in center. It may be nothing, even a faulty meter or strips but best to get a proper medical opinion and meter tested there. With any luck you won't have it, I know I wish I hadn't 
I want Pizza and Chip Butties again
I want Pizza and Chip Butties againI would echo getting an emergency GP appointment. Do you have any Symptoms or health concerns right now? In particular as you don't yet have a diagnosis it may be worth reading about DKA and it's symptoms in case any diabetes is type 1. You can always call 111 for specific advice too. Take care
Just feel pretty rubbish, up every 2 hours during the night, thirsty, headaches, nosebleeds and tired during the day but I put this down to disturb sleep.
Bluetit1802
Legend
Johnjoe13
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 398
- Location
- England - United Kingdom
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Now I had nosebleeds and they became more frequent which was why I went to my GP in the first place. It's been mentioned that this isn't really a symptom of diabetes but maybe its something else? In my case I had high blood pressure and I was prescribed tablets for this to take immediately and as a matter of course I was sent for a load of tests as i'd not had these done for sometime which is when they found the diabetes.
Get yourself to the Doc as soon as possible, with those reading on your blood glucose I'm surprised the pharmacist didn't say something. In fact aren't the NHS pushing us to go to a pharmacy first to ease the pressure off the GP's? Some good they are if they can't offer a suggestion to someone with BG reading over 17 mmol/ls
Bluetit1802
Legend
A reading of around 17mmol/ls is high, no dispute, but not so high as to require emergency treatment, and you don't say whether you had recently eaten a meal. However, I would phone the surgery in the morning for a same day appointment, and drink loads of water.
Daibell
Master
Hi. I would certainly keep the carbs right down until you can see the GP as that should help control the blood sugar. As it looks like you may well have diabetes you could even buy a glucose meter and take occasional readings to check that you don't go really high; anything in the mid-20s or so is getting too high. Drink plenty of water and if you feel really unwell go to A&E in case of DKA. If you have excess weight and have not lost much recently then T2 is a possible diagnosis and your blood sugar shouldn't go wildly high in the short term. If you are slim and/or have lost weight recently then T1 becomes possible with a higher short-term risk of DKA.
