Any symptoms?

MickieB

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Can anyone confirm for me if prediabetes has any symptoms? I've been told it doesn't but I've experienced:
Excessive thirst
Frequency
Tingling/cold feet
Gum problems
Fatigue
Dizzy spells
Blurred vision
Smell of sugar in urine and sweat
And more...
My fasting sugar was 6 so I was told I'm not diabetic. Any advice? I have a particularly unsympathetic doctor, worse luck.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Well, those symptoms could be taken from a list of diabetic symptoms from the NHS website.

A fasting number of 6 isn't high enough for a diagnosis. It would have to be 7 for that. However, if those symptoms are genuine then I suggest you get an HbA1c test and possibly an OGGT test. Your GP could arrange these if you push.

Have you got a blood glucose meter? If you could get hold of one it may help you find out what is happening post meal, say before, at an hour, at 2 hours and at 3 hours.
 

MickieB

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks Bluetit1802. Yes, these are all genuine symptoms. I've been going to my doctor with 'unspecified ' symptoms for three years, he said he didn't know what I wanted him to do, they couldn't find anything. I don't have any confidence in him anymore.
 

MickieB

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I asked for the BS test after noticing the odour...scary stuff, that. Other symptoms were all there at that time.
 
M

mist

Guest
If you are not happy with the outcome of any doctors appointment, you are fully entitled to ask at reception to see another doctor for a second opinion. Usually when you do this, they want to get you out of there before you start making a scene, and as if by magic a doctor becomes available for you to see.

I also recommend getting a testing meter and monitoring your levels on a regular basis for at least a while while these symptoms remain.
 
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Juicetin

Well-Known Member
Messages
350
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm prediabetic and I have the weeing, hunger and neuropathy in my feet. Yes you can have symptoms, especially if you've been prediabetic for some time.
You should have an HBA1C test done.
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Yes, push for more tests. In case you aren't a "proper" type 2, I would ask for an OGGT (Oral Glucose Tolerance test) as this can pick up post meal problems such as reactive hypoglycaemia and other sub groups of diabetes, as well as an HbA1c. Do change doctors if yours won't help you. Many GPs haven't a clue about diabetes.
 
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Alison Campbell

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,443
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Yes, those are symptoms of high sugars. I would push for an oral glucose tolerence test from a different doctor. It is uncommon but prediabetics can and do experience diabetic symptoms/complications. I got blurred vision and my optician contacting my GP but my fasting at the time was 5.6 so no action taken.

When you think about it, the levels for diagnosis are just points on a scale which are different depending on the country you are in.

You are unlikey to be prescribed medication at this stage but you can reduce the symptoms by changing what you eat. Tagging @daisy1 for some helpful information.

Many type 2's on the forum work very hard for better than prediabetic blood glucose levels, if possible, for good reason.
 

miahara

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,019
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Insulin
Your urine/sweat is probably due to unused/absorbed glucose being dumped which one indicator of diabetes.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
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Tablets (oral)
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Cruelty towards animals.
@MickieB

Hello Mickie and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask more questions when you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 147,000 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
Reduce your 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
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why :)
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

MickieB

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Thank you very much, Daisy1, this is very helpful. When I was called back for my BS results and was given the prediabetes news, I was determined to fight this. I immediately
went LCHF and have lost 6 kilos, putting me into the overweight category rather than the obese. I suppose my concerns have been that I had so many symptoms (propmpting me to seek the blood test in the first place) and have been unwell for some time with these nonspecific symptoms. I still get the thirst and blurring and didn't know if or when these should go away. Since I was told prediabetics don't have symptoms, I felt I had no where to go with these concerns. This thread has been helpful and I do feel I should be tested further. My eye exam is arranged, and next is to try for the oral glucose tolerance test. I think they believe I'm over reacting but, having worked with the blind, some of whom lost their sight due to diabetes, I'm just trying to be responsible...does that make sense?
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who answered my distress call :nailbiting::)


@MickieB

Hello Mickie and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask more questions when you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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 147,000 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
Reduce your 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
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

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.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why :)
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Thank you very much, Daisy1, this is very helpful. When I was called back for my BS results and was given the prediabetes news, I was determined to fight this. I immediately
went LCHF and have lost 6 kilos, putting me into the overweight category rather than the obese. I suppose my concerns have been that I had so many symptoms (propmpting me to seek the blood test in the first place) and have been unwell for some time with these nonspecific symptoms. I still get the thirst and blurring and didn't know if or when these should go away. Since I was told prediabetics don't have symptoms, I felt I had no where to go with these concerns. This thread has been helpful and I do feel I should be tested further. My eye exam is arranged, and next is to try for the oral glucose tolerance test. I think they believe I'm over reacting but, having worked with the blind, some of whom lost their sight due to diabetes, I'm just trying to be responsible...does that make sense?
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who answered my distress call :nailbiting::)

Well done, and keep posting, reading and asking questions.

A word of advice about the OGGT test should you have one. On a low carb diet, for about 3 days before your test, you need to eat more carbs or it won't work properly and you will almost certainly fail it. So for accuracy, eat at least 150g carbs daily leading up to the test. This is because your body won't be used to glucose from carbs and when you drink that big glass of pure glucose at the test, your body will be in shock and totally unprepared, so your blood glucose levels will shoot up abnormally high. If you eat more carbs for a few days beforehand your body will have adapted to this and be more ready for the glucose drink. This will then produce an accurate result.
 
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kalamazoo

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Other
I too have these issues, i basically have majority of the symptoms of a full blown diabetic but am only insulin resistant but apparently have been for years.
 

Glink

Well-Known Member
Messages
252
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I had nearly all the classic diabetes symptoms--it's the only reason I ever got diagnosed, because as a young thin person they otherwise just always assumed my blood sugar was just fine. Ha. I've been able to keep my sugars in the "pre" range with metformin, eating to my metre, and strict low carb diet. I do feel symptoms return when I hover for too long in the 6's or above, though, which is supposedly "too low" to have symptoms. Ha, I say again. Everyone's different--my GP just shrugs and tells me I'm "sensitive."