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Bit unsure

O

Ovid

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4
Hi
Just to give a bit of background. My mother is type 1, she was diagnosed late in life in her 60s. I’m now in my 40s and started to get numb patches on my feet. I am fit and active run or cycle daily and decided to take the numbness seriously after lockdown when I saw the link to diabetes online. I had a blood test and was told I was pre diabetic and to have another blood test in 3months. They didn’t offer any help with the numb patches on my feet or the other symptoms I realise are related. I get headaches and stomach aches regularly. I have been on omeprozol for acid reflux for years. I go through periods of what feels like panic attacks and extreme tiredness. I have a lot of floaters in my vision and yesterday I felt like I was drunk all day unable to concentrate or be motivated. I ordered a blood glucose test kit which arrived today and the first test was 10.1. Is this all normal?
 
Hello @Ovid Good on you for getting yourself a meter. Best first step you could've taken. Do you, by any chance, know what your HbA1c was? From here on in, always request a print out of all your test results, because you want to know where you're coming from and what progress you're making.

As for your question, "Is this all normal?".... For an uncontrolled diabetic, it would be, yes. Or for someone who's been prediabetic for a while. Sadly, most GPs won't do anything until your numbers are thoroughly into the diabetic range, by which time there's already a lot of damage done, and your quality of life has been affected for possibly years. Mind you, T2 and T1 are two completely different conditions, and the following link is aimed at T2's and prediabetics and will not apply to your mum as well, okay? https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html

You're going to be okay.
Jo
 
Thank you. I have asked the GP to send me the results of my blood test. I suppose I am just worried that I will become type 1 because my mother said that after she was diagnosed she realised that she was probably diabetic for most of her life and it was only noticed when she was hospitalised.
 
Ovid said:
Thank you. I have asked the GP to send me the results of my blood test. I suppose I am just worried that I will become type 1 because my mother said that after she was diagnosed she realised that she was probably diabetic for most of her life and it was only noticed when she was hospitalised.
Click to expand...
At this point, go with the assumption that you're a T2. Go low carb, check your blood before a meal and 2 hours after the first bite, aiming for a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol. If you feel at any point (today, next week, a year from now) that this may not be prediabetes but a T1's honeymoon period, request C-peptide and GAD tests, to check for antibodies and whether you still make insulin. If you make LOADS of insulin, you're a T2 who's insensitive to the stuff... If the numbers are dwindling however, late onset T1 is the most likely option, and you're off to an endo.

Your mom may have has issues for a long time, but her whole life would, I think anyway, be unlikely. She would've been with hit with diabetic ketoacidocis at some point, sooner than in her 60's. Not an expert on T1 though, so I may be off. But there's no way to tell now how long it'd been brewing... Water under the bridge. But for you, that's not the case. Again, if you're doubtful about the diagnosis.... Ask for those tests. And if nothing conclusive comes out because it's early, do them again in half a year or a year. Don't let anything go if you believe something's up.
Good luck,
Jo
 
Ovid said:
Hi
Just to give a bit of background. My mother is type 1, she was diagnosed late in life in her 60s. I’m now in my 40s and started to get numb patches on my feet. I am fit and active run or cycle daily and decided to take the numbness seriously after lockdown when I saw the link to diabetes online. I had a blood test and was told I was pre diabetic and to have another blood test in 3months. They didn’t offer any help with the numb patches on my feet or the other symptoms I realise are related. I get headaches and stomach aches regularly. I have been on omeprozol for acid reflux for years. I go through periods of what feels like panic attacks and extreme tiredness. I have a lot of floaters in my vision and yesterday I felt like I was drunk all day unable to concentrate or be motivated. I ordered a blood glucose test kit which arrived today and the first test was 10.1. Is this all normal?
Click to expand...

Hi Ovid, my Mum was diagnosed as 'type 2 on insulin' when she was 45 (40 years ago). I suspect she was LADA, ie a slow onset type 1. I was diagnosed as 'pre diabetic' 3 years ago, aged 55. Roll on 3 years and suddenly I'm rushed off to hospital on the verge of DKA, several tests later and it was confirmed I was type 1. My point being (like Jokalsbeek) is that you MUST keep an eye on it and ask questions and literally demand tests, I would say don't immediately go low carb because that could mask any true diagnosis, ie low carb will keep your numbers down for a while but the experts will look at them in 3 months and assume you're normal and you may end up struggling (and worse) months down the line. Keep testing after meals as this information will be invaluable to the Dr/Diabetes nurse. I was not pre diabetic, it was a slow onset type 1. If in 3 months your numbers are still high then I would insist on the proper diagnostic tests especially given your Mum's history. In the meantime, if you continue to feel unwell/your numbers are always high etc then go back, do not wait as you could (like me) spend 3 years getting worse. x
 
Thank you for the advice. I know there is something not right. Just want to know that it’s not all in my head I suppose and that I’m not wasting peoples time.
 
Re the acid reflux, it was something I suffered from a few years back. However since going low carb I found it quickly disappeared. No longer reaching for the Rennes, after meals. Low carb works wonders in many ways!
 
Ovid said:
Just did another test. 5.4 before eating a low carb meal with no pudding. Two hours later 7.7
Click to expand...
Seems pretty good, from where I'm sitting. But again, if at any point you feel iffy... If your blood sugars get into double digits in spite of a low carb meal? You're not wasting anyone's time, ever.
 
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