• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Blood Test for Glucose?

S

SweetHeart

Well-Known Member
Messages
511
I have to go for a fasting blood test. This is primarily because of my hypothyroidism, but the new GP wants a full spectrum so they will be testing for glucose too. I'm guessing this will be an HbA1c test. How will they know if I'm a diabetic, I've been on <30g carbs since the beginning of March.

I don't think I am diabetic, but still. How will they know?

Ju
 
SweetHeart said:
I have to go for a fasting blood test. This is primarily because of my hypothyroidism, but the new GP wants a full spectrum so they will be testing for glucose too. I'm guessing this will be an HbA1c test. How will they know if I'm a diabetic, I've been on <30g carbs since the beginning of March.

I don't think I am diabetic, but still. How will they know?

Ju
Click to expand...

They won't know. My new HbA1c of 4.9% with a Fasting Blood Glucose of 4.2 mmol/l would have me labelled as a non-diabetic,
 
I didn't think they would, and I'm not sure glucose in urine is a good indicator either. That's only really for glycosuria/renal glycosuria.

Ju
 
I believe that the way to get a blood glucose test that isn't affected by low-carbing is to eat 150g carb per day for 3 days previous to the test.

I understand what you mean by thinking you're not diabetic. I was in denial (not saying you are!) for about 6 months before I gave in and let them register me. I was in the middle of my 26th house move on diagnosis and was stressed out - that must have had some effect on my BG levels.

Eventually I realised that if I wasn't fully diabetic then, I pretty soon would be - so I decided to behave as if I was diabetic. I went back on my Atkins diet in order to give my poor, overworked pancreas a rest, and I've been on non-diabetic BG levels for at least 6 months now, possibly more.

What convinced me was the Dawn Phenomenon; if my fasting blood test, first thing, was over non-diabetic levels (ie, over 5.5), then obviously my pancreas couldn't cope with Dawn Phenomenon. Therefore, I was diabetic.

Now, my fasting test is very often below 5.5, so my pancreas is coping better. But if I give up my diet control, my fasting BGs will soon be up in the Type 2 range again. Once diabetic, always diabetic, at least at the moment. If I went back to my pre-diagnosis eating habits, my pancreas would probably roll over and die :shock: .

I wouldn't dream of going up to 150g carb for 3 days, even in the interests of finding out how my pancreas is coping. I'm diabetic, whatever my BG tests say (3.4 at the moment - need some food!). I like being a well-controlled diabetic and astonishing the doctors :twisted: ; and in the process I'm improving my general health.

I still say that being diagnosed with diabetes is the best thing that ever happened to me - strange, isn't it? :lol:

Viv 8)
 
I did a fasting test and a random test with our spare kit (just to test it, you understand....) and one was 5.2 the other 5.5. That was before low carbing started.

I really don't want to eat 150g carbs for a couple of days. I'm sure I'd have to start over with my carb cravings demon after that. The only thing that would change for me would be instead of saying 'I can have that (whatever) if I want it' I would know that I can't. That and watching out for the other things like retinopathy.

I'm not in denial, I'd be up front if I thought I had it because we're already coping with my husband's T2. It would be ironic though.... :lol:

Ju
 
Sorry Ju, I forgot you're here on behalf of your husband!

I still stand by the Dawn Phenomenon. If you take a morning fasting reading every now-and-again, and you start getting readings around the 7 mark even when you're low-carbing, I would say that after about the 5th or 6th, you need to see the GP and ask for an HbA1c.

If your pancreas isn't working properly, low-carbing or not, the Dawn Phenomenon should show it - in my opinion.

Comments from anyone else?

Viv 8)
 
Well I can certainly test every morning, that's not a problem. I never eat after dinner - although some days that can be up to 8pm. Testing on consecutive days do you think?

I think it'll be quite interesting. Watch this space!

Ju
 
PS I was having my retinas photographed by my optician before diagnosis - I think it had been done 3 times. If your optician offers it, you can have it done. but it's to pay for. Worth doing!

Mine used less drops - I think because it was at the end of a full eye-test in a properly blacked out consulting room, whereas they're done as a one-off in a room at the GPs now, so my pupils were naturally fully dilated. So I could drive afterwards, no problem.

Viv 8)

PPS I don't usually eat after about 8pm either. Maybe test for 3 consecutive days every month? The whole point is that non-diabetics also get DP, but their pancreases cope with it immediately, so it doesn't show. V 8)
 
Back
Top