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Afraid I have diabetes or possible hypochondriac

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pinstripe

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Type of diabetes
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I do not have diabetes
I've recently been experiencing a very dry mouth that usually comes and goes, along with some other symptoms of diabetes such as genital itching and worsened vision. I also go to the toilet a lot, but that's expected as I drink a lot of water. Since I have a family member with diabetes, a few months ago I got a fingerprick glucose test at a pharmacy (after a 12-hour fast) and the reading was normal, just over 4. This relaxed me a little, but I'm still afraid that I have diabetes.

The signs pointing to not having diabetes are: I'm 21 and not overweight (in fact I'm underweight), my diet isn't particularly poor and I've now cut out a lot of sugar from my diet. I can get pretty anxious which could well explain the dry mouth. I also had a eye test recently and the optometrist didn't see any health problems with my eyes.

Given all of this, should I be worried or am I just a hypochondriac? What are the chances that all my "symptoms" are completely unrelated? Please help allay my fears, and apologies if I've wasted your time reading this
 
You could possibly be a Type 1 or 2 diabetic. You should retry the blood glucose test 2 hrs after eating rather than after 12 hrs of fasting.
 
One fasting blood test result is not enough to rule out diabetes. The best thing allay your fears is to get it checked out. You should see a doctor and get more tests. If it's not diabetes it might be something else.
 
With a level of just over 4 I would say you are not diabetic Perhaps your symptons are due to anxiety and worry because you have a family member with diabetes. If you symptoms do not go away it might be as well to see your doctor
 
If you had the fingerprick test a few months ago, was that before or after the dry mouth and other symptoms appeared?

I should definitely get things checked out, if only for peace of mind.

It's only hypochondria once you've proved there's nothing wrong with you.
 
After 12 hrs fasting a blood glucose of 4 doesn't prove you're not diabetic. The other symptoms you have are indicative of diabetes, so see a doctor.
 
There are many things that can cause a dry mouth, I would go and talk to your doctor about it, it could be candida infection, it could be Sjorgren syndrome, it could me mineral deficiency, it could be hundreds of other things, so take yourself off to the doctors and see if you can get some tests.
 
Hypochondriac is doubtful, If your symptoms are a worrying you enough to seek advice, then something should be done from your GP.
Like you say it may be something else.
Have a word with your local Pharmacist, ( no need to purchase any medication ) it is just with them seeing you,might give a better indication of the problem that's shown on your dry mouth etc; You can then pass their info; onto the GP.
We know that doctors seem to just say if it gets worse come back in a few weeks and that does not help.

Hope you get some kind of satisfaction sooner rather than later.
 
If you are diabetic it is likely to be late onset T1, but you need to do some further random tests 2 hours after a meal and see if you are below 8-9 mmol. Hopefully you are low and can stop worrying.
 
Is there a medical term for being unreasonably obsessed with the idea that you are a hypochondriac when you're not one?
 
pinstripe said:
Given all of this, should I be worried or am I just a hypochondriac? What are the chances that all my "symptoms" are completely unrelated? Please help allay my fears, and apologies if I've wasted your time reading this
Click to expand...

I don't think there are many medics on this forum, which is a shame. If you really think that you might have diabetes, please ask your doctor!
 
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