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Am I Prediabetic

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Poolep

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I’ve recently started getting tingling in my hands & feet and my genitals are itching a lot.

Fearing that I may have diabetes I tried to get tested at my local pharmacy - but they’re not doing tests due to Covid.

So, I purchased a blood glucose monitor.

Every fasting test I’ve completed is between 5.1 and 5.7.
Testing after 2 hours of eating I get a reading of 7.1

Some websites say that this is considered normal and I shouldn’t worry. Others say that this is on the high side and I should consider myself as prediabetic.

Can anyone shed any light / more insight into this.

I’m 49 years old, a healthy weight and generally cycle 4 miles & walk 3 miles a day.
 
Poolep said:
I’ve recently started getting tingling in my hands & feet and my genitals are itching a lot.

Fearing that I may have diabetes I tried to get tested at my local pharmacy - but they’re not doing tests due to Covid.

So, I purchased a blood glucose monitor.

Every fasting test I’ve completed is between 5.1 and 5.7.
Testing after 2 hours of eating I get a reading of 7.1

Some websites say that this is considered normal and I shouldn’t worry. Others say that this is on the high side and I should consider myself as prediabetic.

Can anyone shed any light / more insight into this.

I’m 49 years old, a healthy weight and generally cycle 4 miles & walk 3 miles a day.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forums and please take a look at this page.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

These are the idealised NICE recommended guidelines in the UK and you are in the 'normal' range. It is important to realise that we are all different so what's normal for one person may may not be normal for somebody else.
 
Hi

Many thanks for the reply but I find that website confusing.

It mentions that non-diabetic blood sugar should be 4.0 to 5.9 when fasting in one section but then immediately below shows normal as 4.0 to 5.4 . It then goes on to show fasting as below 5.5.

Most of my readings are 5.6 -5.8 when fasting so I understood that to be pre-diabetic.
 
If you are concerned, about the itching and tingling, you should make an appointment to speak to a doctor.
It may have nothing to do with diabetes.
 
Poolep said:
Hi

Many thanks for the reply but I find that website confusing.

It mentions that non-diabetic blood sugar should be 4.0 to 5.9 when fasting in one section but then immediately below shows normal as 4.0 to 5.4 . It then goes on to show fasting as below 5.5.

Most of my readings are 5.6 -5.8 when fasting so I understood that to be pre-diabetic.
Click to expand...

The tabulated figures are NICE guidelines so in theory it's what a doctor in the UK would judge your blood glucose levels by. As you have already discovered for yourself, there are different numbers published and it depends on your source.

Bear in mind that home glucose meters may vary by +/-15% from your true glucose level and still meet the requirements of the ISO standard that they are designed to. So you would need to consider this too. Your reading may not be 100% accurate and the NICE data allows for this - well kinda.
 
In Response said:
If you are concerned, about the itching and tingling, you should make an appointment to speak to a doctor.
It may have nothing to do with diabetes.
Click to expand...

I would agree with this. Diabetic complications tend to happen after years of significantly high blood sugars. Not saying @Poolep 's symptoms aren't caused by T2, but they may well not be. It's easy to assume that all sorts of symptoms are caused by diabetes, when in fact there is another culprit altogether. eg vitamin deficiency.
 
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