Am I pre-diabetic???

[mazjunkie]

Hello. I am new to this. I am a 20 year old female. I weigh around 53 kg and measure around 1.62 meters.

Let me just start by saying that I am a hypochondriac. And a bad one. I have been under extreme stress since September of 2018, in and out of hospitals to get all kinds of tests done.

In August of 2018, I had a general blood test done, I am pretty sure I had fasted but again, I had been pretty stressed since then. That blood test showed my glucose levels to be of 100 mg/dL. My doctor at the time did not warn me about anything and told me that these levels were normal, as the normal limit is usually within 110 mg/dL (in Spain, country where I got the test done). I still thought the number was too high.

I then moved to the UK. I went to the A&E in the earlier this month (March 2019) because of a panic attack I thought was a heart attack. I was told by the doctor in charge of me that my glucose levels were 5,6 mmol/L (this was at 10PM, after a hefty Indian food lunch). Again, the doctor told me these were normal numbers.

Today I had a Glycosylated HB done at a private practice because these numbers seem too high for me and again, I am a hypochondriac. According to this doctor, my levels are on the upper range of normal glucose levels, meaning I am not pre-diabetic. My haemoglobin A1C scored 5.8% and my HbA1c showed 40 mmol/mol. According to the UK from what I can see, these are normal standards. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association (I lived in Canada before), this is also normal but I am at risk of pre-diabetes. Now, according to the American Diabetes Association, I am officially pre-diabetic.

I am freaking out. I know pre-diabetes does not mean diabetes but I am lost and don't know what to do. I do not smoke, I do not drink, I am relatively active, my BMI is normal, I am not overweight, I eat mostly vegetarian and occasional fish. I do not know why my glucose is so high, I do not know if I have pre-diabetes, which standard should I follow, and i don't know what I can do to stop it!


My Plasma C-reactive protein level < 0.2 mg/L (limit should be between 0.0 and 5.0 i believe)

My Serum ferritin levels 22 ug/L [10.0 - 120.0]

My Serum TSH level 0.89 mU/L [0.3 - 4.2]

 

[HSSS]

By UK standards an hb1ac of 40 is normal. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html So no you are not prediabetic. But you know this already.

If you would rather your levels be lower the main option I see is to choose your meals a little more carefully and especially be a little more wary of carb heavy options often presented to vegetarians. Perhaps focus more on the fish and vegetables and a bit less on pasta rice potatoes bread etc. But please do try to keep this in perspective and not panic or go extreme. Your levels are normal currently and may well stay that way even if you do nothing. Alternatively monitor on a sensible regime to reassure and be able to take more definitive measures as and when justified.

 

[mazjunkie]

Thank you for your quick and kind response. It has definitely given me some relief. I do wanna lower my glucose levels even if I am on the normal side. I tend to eat a mostly vegetarian (sometimes fish) diet, so I can see some co-relation to my higher glucose levels (especially because sometimes I go on sprees where I will eat more simple than complex carbs). I think now is a good time to perhaps switch to a keto diet, but I am very skeptical of red meat, chicken (and I HATE eggs). Would just eating more vegetables, less fruit, more fish and less carbs help, you think? How could I make sure that my glucose levels are going down and not up? Also, as a diabetic (i assume, excuse me if wrong), how do you lead your life? I'm sorry to ask I am just a terrible hypochondriac and see the worst scenario in everything, I see myself eventually getting diabetes and getting all the terrible complications that go with it... do you worry a lot, too?

 

[HSSS]

Keto is fairly extreme and not easy to do as a vegetarian. I’d do a lot more research if you are determined to go this route. I think your suggestion of focusing on fewer carbs and fruit and more vegetables and fish sounds entirely reasonable though. Personally I see no issues with red meat or chicken.

How I lead my life is far too broad a question but I do eat low carb/keto reasonable amounts of fats and do eat meat. In doing so I’ve brought my results back to almost normal and hopefully minimised or eliminated the risk of complications. Should you ever in the future face a diagnosis it’s by no means a predetermined certainty that you’ll have complications either. Of course I worry at times we all do. I’ve had a tough few years health wise and have to make conscious choices to keep my worries realistic. Perhaps addressing why you act in a hypochondriac way is appropriate? Genuine causes previously, anxiety, loss of others etc. Maybe talking to someone to help.

An annual test would keep an eye on things. If you were to test yourself in your current state of mind there may be a risk you’d worry yourself sick about nothing imo. And that’s not good for you either.

 

[mazjunkie]

Thank you for your help, once again. This is resulting very reassuring to me (a pessimist). I was indeed just clinically diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, healthy anxiety and panic disorder, for which I am getting treatment now. I just started so it is really hard. There was never a cause of worry by any doctor I had spoken for me to take a glucose test, I referred myself privately to take the HBA1C. Of course, the results I got today sent me to the edge (considering that the american standard for pre-diabetes is 5.6% or 5.7% i believe, not sure why they lowered their rating). I guess that trying not to worry, reducing my carb intake and increasing my protein intake should start to see some benefits soon. I might even start to think that my glucose might have come at 5.8% because of the extreme stress i have put myself into in the last months but of course that is just a stipulation. I will try and do my best. Thank you so much for all the help.

 

[Resurgam]

You are not diabetic - not even prediabetic I would guess - but I always felt so much better when eating a low carb diet - Atkins suited me very well, that I'd recommend avoiding high carb foods and going for salads, stir fries of low carb veges, avoid seed oils and foods high in Omega 6.
You don't need to reduce your blood sugars in general, but the nutrition from high carb foods is poor.

 

[Gran25]

There is some interesting research on the effects of diet and anxiety and depression with the general consensus that a healthy low glycemic diet can be helpful for people with anxiety & depression. This does NOT mean that diet is a cure or a cause for A&D but that it may be part of an overall treatment plan. I would suggest that you get medical help for your anxiety and together with your team look at a wholistic treatment plan and support group rather than focussing on the minutia of your blood tests. Best of luck !

 

[DCUKMod]

@mazjunkie - The tests you have had done do not suggest you are diabetic, or pre-diabetic.

Whilst you may not like the numbers, they are what they are, and being stressed, or getting worked up about them won't be helping matters.

I would suggest that you let this go. By all means eat well and live a healthy life. That makes sense for anyone, but don't go chasing diagnosis, it will only add to the stress and anxiety you already feel.

 

[Muddikins]

You are far from alone.
I have a friend who I describe as 'worried well' rather than hypochondriac. Because I developed T2 they assumed that they must be getting it too. Because I explained the symptoms they felt they too were experiencing symptoms.
They have been tested and are not diabetic but edging close to prediabetic levels.
Because I eat a very low carb diet they thought that they should too except I like the diet and they don't. They ended up trying to do something they didn't want to do for no reason and then got miserable because they couldn't easily do something they never needed to do in the first place. I actually feel responsible for all this.
I think eating fewer carbs is probably sensible for everybody but I am sure you could do that without having to do anything dramatic diet wise. Start with the highly processed ones and if that suits you and your lifestyle take it from there.
As I say to my friend, 'You are not diabetic, you do not need to do what I do. Worry about something useful like how you will pay me back for all the time I spend explaining stuff you don't need to know to you.'

 

[mazjunkie]

Thank you for that! It gives me some reassurance

 

[Vino lad]

Maz ,you are fine .
You are 20 and will have plenty energy to burn of any carbs you may eat.
You are taking your health seriously which is good from a preventive point of view.
However, you have a life to lead and stressing about your figures at your age needs to be in perspective,you are leading a healthy life so enjoy it.
Try not to worry,if you can and just do what you are doing .

Best wishes.

 

[mazjunkie]

Thank you. I know I am young but I am concerned I might have insulin resistance, impaired glucose resistance or some condition despite being young...

 

[hazelzac]

You can ask your doctor for ogtt just in case you are still not sure