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Am I or aren't I diabetic?

R

Rugby Nut

Member
Messages
15
Hello Everyone

I'm new to all this and would really appreciate some advice.

In March I suffered several TIA's. Since then I've had various tests in the hospital and to cut a long story short, I recently saw the consultant for the results and he informed me, along with a few other things, that I'm diabetic. He wrote to my GP to confirm this and advised close monitoring of me to lower the risk of further TIA's.

I went to see my GP and he informed me that he doesn't think I am diabetic or if I am then I'm very borderline so in this instance he wouldn't monitor me closely as was being requested.

I am constantly tired, have itchy skin, yeast infections, constantly thirsty, wee all night long plus I'm either 'buzzing' (this is when I think my glucose levels are high) or trembling with a headache (I eat something I feel better). Two of my grand-parents were diabetic (Type 1 & a Type 2)

Glucose tests 5.6 and 9.1 at doctors.

My home glucose monitor has varied from 4.2, 5.8 and 8.7 on fasting (first thing in morning not even a drink)
2 hours after meals it's always been 7.9 or higher.

Help - who do I believe?

P :)
 
the symptoms you are displaying certainly tick many boxes of a diabetic, I take it you mentioned them to your GP?

Some of your reads are on the higher side, however, many are not. It could be you are showing signs of pre-diabetes which is why your GP is saying the orig diagnosis is a bit soon. But to be honest the way you would deal with diabetic type 2 and pre-diabetic is much the same.

whether you are or aren't eventually diagnosed it wouldn't do anyone any harm to give their lifestyle the once over. Reducing carbs, eating more chicken/fish and vegetables are sensible optiosn for anyone. As well as increasing exercise ( I can't really talk on this one lol), if you have any weight to lose you will find by lowering carbs you also lose weight, which all in all can help with many conditions and complaints.

good luck with it and keep us posted.

Mary x
 
I agree with Mary.
If the 9.1 at the doctors was a fasting blood test, it's certainly indicative of diabetes. You need two consecutive fasting tests over, I believe, 6.9 to confirm. So as one test was under the doctor called "non-diabetic". However, the one that was over, at 9.1, was so much over that it at least warrants further tests like an HbA1c. As do your readings after eating, although the errors that our meters have could just account for the 7.9s
I'd go back and insist on an HbA1c.
 
Hi Mary

Thanks for your reply.

Yes the consultant said he wants me to try and keep my HB1AC under 6.5 and have this monitored regularly. I just don't think the GP that interested.

I forgot to mention i have high blood pressure and high cholestrol but now on 'statins' and beta blockers.

As there is diabetes in my family I will now be more careful with what I eat and I will start to swim again. I wasn't allowed to swim for several weeks because I'd had 12 mini strokes. I've been given the all clear now so hopefully exercise will help.

I had just hoped the GP and nurse would be more helpful and help me a bit with exact levels I should be looking for.

Thanks

Paula :)
 
The consultant did by HB1AC. He told me it was over 9 but my GP says that could have been high because I'd been ill.

Maybe you're right and I need to request it again.

You mention 'monitor errors'. Do a lot of home monitors give false readings?

Thanks

Paula
 
Paula,

That HB1AC is pretty high. The WHO guidelines on this is that it is an acceptable diagnostic test for diabetes and anything over 6.5% is seen as positive (i.e. you are diabetic). You need to find out what this reading was as the GP might have translated the % into BG mmol reading (as mine did and confused the hell out of me). If it is over 9% then I would push the GP to explain what would have caused a sustained rise like that over 3 months.

Not sure about monitor error but I would not rely on home finger prick readings for diagnosis or not. Keep asking and challenging till you get answers.

TTP
 
Hi TTP

thanks for your reply.

I've just realized I posted all this on the 'introduce yourself section'. Hopefully i'm not the first to have done that ha ha.

Yes I'll keep pestering and asking questions.

By the way the glucose readings I mentioned the doctor did (5.6 & 9.1) were both after fasting for over 10 hours.

P:)
 
Do you have a follow-up appointment with your consultant where you can tell him/her about your GP and ask for a letter to be sent insisting your GP act on the consultants advice?
 
Hi Lucylocket :)

No the consultant signed me into the GP's hands. However I do have the consultant secretary's telephone number so maybe I will give her a call because consultant did say if I have any questions to just ask.

I just find it difficult to believe the GP won't listen to the consultant. I suppose it's all about the surgery budget.

:)
 
Definately try the Consultant. Consultants in general do not like their advice/diagnosis to be ignored so I'm sure they will get on it. On the budget front I would have thought a Diabetes diagnosis comes with a pretty penny from the government for the surgery?

Hopefully the Doc is right and it is not a problem but if it is you will have all our support and an illness that you can influence yourself with control and discipline and hopefully that would help with some of the other symptoms.

TTP
 
Meter error - home meters can be up to 15% out. Also, the way we test can affect readings. Not washing hands properly before, not drying them enough, squeezing too near the puncture site to get blood.
If the 9.1% was your HbA1c, then I would say you're diabetic, no ifs and buts. Illness can raise our BGs a bit, but not consistently for long enough to impact the HbA1c like that. UNLESS you have some other overall illness that we wouldn't know about that raises bloo0d sugar levels??
 
Grazer,

What impact does squeezing near the site have. I get that not washing you may still have sugar on your hands and not drying means maybe a diluted sample but what does that do?

TTP
 
Our skin interprets the pin-prick as damage and sends white blood cells, amongst other things, to heal us and stop us bleeding. Squeezing the site forces these blood cells and others into the drop of blood we are squeezing out. It is better to make a pin-prick sufficiently deep to get a decent sized drop of blood without squeezing.

Sometimes dropping your hand to below heart level increases the flow of blood if you are finding it hard to get enough out without squeezing..
 
I find it hard to get any out even with squeezing. I have to run under hot water and set the lancet on max depth to get decent blood. Even then with squeezing it doesn't always get enough not to cause an error on my test strip. I'll try dropping it down low as well. It sucks as I have great veins for giving blood but my hands supply is rubbish.
 
Hi guys

Thanks for all your replies.

I don't think I have an underlying illness apart from the things i've mentioned.

My potassium levels are very low by all accounts and my liver readings very high so they are sending me for a scan of my liver and pancreas to investigate further.

Other than that it was just the mini strokes in March that I suffered.

Anyway I feel more supported by you guys than I have by my GP so thank you very much. I'm not alone :)

P :)
 
Different meters require different amounts of blood.Some are really picky and need LOADS. My Freestyle Lite needs the least. A drop the size of a pin head [metal pin NOT pearl headed one.]
An Hba1c of over 7% is diagnostic of diabetes. Funny they set the target for good control at 6.5%.Some people with HbA1cs of 7% are told they are ok, yet f they were not being treated, they could be diagnosed
Hana
Ps do GPs have a right to contradict hpspital consultants?
 
PS
If you get no joy from your GP, contact diabetes UK and ask for their advocacy service. they should be able to help.
Hana
 
Thanks Hana

Yes I don't think a GP can disagree with the consultant and I did ask him and the nurse that very question. In fact I got quite cross because I couldn't understand their reasoning behind it, after all the tests I've recently had done and my family history etc

It was like he didn't like being told by someone else and doesn't like being proved wrong maybe.

Before my mini strokes the GP had tested me for diabetes and my level was just under 6 - it was just a random glucose test though so not sure that would confirm either way anyway.

I think maybe I need to change GP's because I need someone a bit more understanding and someone who actually is looking ahead and thinking of my future health like the consultant is.

:)
 
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