Confused , stressed and shocked ! Please help ?!

Hi @Doughnut123 and welcome to the forum. Just so we can put the reading of 6.7 into context, what did you actually have for breakfast and how much time elapsed between starting breakfast and having the blood test done?
Make sure you fast for tomorrow's test and let us know how you get on.
Sally

yes you need an HbA1c. What was the 6.7? Was it a finger prick test or did they draw blood and send it off? If it was 6.7% then yes you have passed the 6.5% so diabetic. You need to ask the surgery what units the 6.7 was to understand. A single finger prick test of 6.7 really tells you very little especially shortly after eating.

The HbA1c is a measure of the average level over a period of about 3 months and your last meal does not affect it. What they measure is the length of glucose molecule chains attached to the end of your haemoglobin. The longer they are the higher your levels have been for the life of the blood cell (about 3 months). This is what the doctors use nowadays and not fasting tests.

Here is a page on it http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

@daisy1 will be along shortly to give you some other advice

Andrew Colvin said:

The HbA1c is a measure of the average level over a period of about 3 months and your last meal does not affect it. What they measure is the length of glucose molecule chains attached to the end of your haemoglobin. The longer they are the higher your levels have been for the life of the blood cell (about 3 months). This is what the doctors use nowadays and not fasting tests.

Here is a page on it http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

@daisy1 will be along shortly to give you some other advice

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My Dr used random and then fasting a week or so later (after I was in to see initial results) and lastly the A1c, he wanted to check more than just A1c. he did a full range of tests; minerals, lipids, etc

Hi and welcome,

You need to know exactly what that blood test was - and HbA1c or just a random test. I suspect it was an HbA1c as he diagnosed you and gave you Metformin. However, you need to be sure, so I suggest you ask for a print out of the test results, which will tell you exactly what it was.

@Doughnut123

Hello and welcome to the forum

Here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask all the questions you like and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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 over 130,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

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

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 bloodglucose 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.

Hi & welcome. Your now in good hands here with lots of help & understanding.
This may be of help aswell as daisy1's post.
A good starting place on what to look for when shopping.
Found a handy shopping list to point newly diagnosed in the right direction on what to buy until you get the hang of things.
A Sample Low Carb Grocery List for Dieters

low carb grocery list
If you’ve just started a low carb diet, then your refrigerator probably needs an overhaul. So many common foods are packed with more carbs then you need.

Time to hit the grocery store!
If you’re looking for a ready-made low carb grocery list, here is one that you can print out and have on hand while shopping for groceries. Experience has taught me that low carb dieting involves a big portion of impulse control along with a decent-sized pinch of planning ahead. I have started shopping on a full stomach, armed with a low carb grocery list. This has made grocery shopping quick and effective. No longer do I feel threatened by the bakery at the super market!

I prefer to shop aisle by aisle, and that is how this list is put together. Please note, this list does not follow one particular diet. I would suggest you read every label for net carbohydrate count before you purchase anything. On average, foods that contain up to 5 grams of healthy carbohydrate per serving, are considered moderate to low carb. How you incorporate these healthy carb choices into your diet will make all the difference. The low carb dieter also has to shop for protein, fiber, grains, beverages, snacks, dessert and supplements.

Essential Foods on a Low Carb Grocery List

Fresh Vegetables You Should Buy

low carb grocery list broccoli
Broccoli is inexpensive and very healthy!
Alfalfa sprouts – .45 net grams per cup
Avocados – 3.65 net grams per medium avocado
Spinach – .39 net grams per cup
Artichokes – 7.09 net grams per medium globe
Bell Peppers – 4.78 net grams per medium pepper
Broccoli – 3.64 net grams per cup (chopped)
Basil – .01 net grams per tablespoon
Parsley – .14 net grams per tablespoon
Cauliflower (makes for excellent imitation mashed potatoes) – 2.8 net grams per cup
Cucumbers – 1.59 net grams per 1/2 cup slices
Celery – .59 net grams per medium stalk
Ginger – .36 net grams per teaspoon
Garlic – 0 net grams per clove
Eggplant – 1.87 net grams per cup (cubed)
Lettuce – .93 net grams per cup (shredded or chopped)
Mushrooms – 1.6 net grams per cup (sliced or chopped)
Radish – 2.04 net grams per cup (sliced)
Hot peppers – 1 net gram per tablespoon
Celeriac

low carb fruits fructose
Berries and melons are sweet and especially low on carbs.
Apples – 15.76 net grams per medium apple
Oranges – 12.29 net grams per medium orange
Grapefruit (if you are on thyroid medication, check with your physician before eating grapefruit) – 8.94 net grams per half medium grapefruit
Raspberries – 6.69 net grams per cup
Strawberries – 8.67 net grams per cup (halved)
Blueberries – 17.51 net grams per cup
Peaches – 7.85 net grams per medium peach
Limes – 5.16 net grams per medium lime
Lemons – 3.81 net grams per medium lemon


Salad Dressings and Toppings to Use

Sesame oil – 0 net grams per serving
Other seasoned oils
Balsamic vinegar – 2.55 net grams per tablespoon

Nuts and seeds: All nuts are permitted in most low carb diets. The key is to stick to the assigned portion sizes.
Great Proteins for Low Carb Dieters

low carb grocery list protein
Lean proteins are essential in any diet
Meat
Fish
Eggs (especially egg whites) – .38 net grams per large egg
Poultry
Other seafood
If there are no other health issues, the low carb dieter will benefit from eating some red meat in the week. This will help with iron stores. Also, if you are going to buy processed meat like sausage, read the label carefully. Often, these may have significant quantities of starches in them. Breaded foods do not belong on a low carb grocery list!

Dairy Products You’re Allowed to Have

Cottage cheese – about 6 net grams per cup, depending on the brand
Sour cream – about .5 net grams per tablespoon, depending on the brand
Cheese
Heavy cream – about .5 net grams per tablespoon, depending on the brand
Low-carb yogurt (yes, there is such a thing, and it’s delicious too!) – depends on the variety and brand

Oils and Fats with Few Carbs

Olive Oil – 0 net carbs per serving
Canola – 0 net carbs per serving
Butter – ~0 net carbs per serving
Ghee (clarified butter) – 0 net carbs per serving
Cooking sprays – most have 0 net carbs per serving
Coconut oil – 0 net carbs per serving

Mustard – .19 net grams per teaspoon
Mayonnaise (full fat/regular) – 3.51 net grams per tablespoon
Tomato ketchup – 5 net grams per tablespoon
Tomato paste – 2.33 net grams per tablespoon
Black olives (black olives are lower carb than their green cousins) – 1 net gram per 4 olives
Sun dried tomatoes – 3 net grams per tablespoon
Pesto – depends on variety and brand
Read the labels of all your condiments to make sure they are sugar free.

Grains with a Low Carb Count

Lentils are one of the best low carb grains!
Lentils (for vegetarian low carb dieters) – 22.21 net grams per cup (cooked)
Chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans) – 13 net grams per 1/2 cup

Bakery Items You Can Purchase

Smart & Delicious Low Carb Tortillas – The nutritional value of these tortillas is great. It has 3 gms of net carb per tortilla. Not bad! use these for quick, healthy wraps.
livlife - 4g a slice
Burgen linseed & soya - 11g a slice, slightly less when toasted. (shop around price varies from £1.59 coop to £1 in asda).
Black rye bread (if your diet permits it) – depends on brand
Ryvita, great with alot of things & some use as a bread substitute or for snacks.


Other Low Carb Options

Dark Chocolate 70% or more Cocoa has 14 net carbs in every 4 square serving.

Avoid low fat products they will have a higher sugar content.

To get more bang for your buck remember that you can buy all your vegetables and meats from the frozen

section. They are less expensive and as nutritious as the fresh items.
http://www.easylowcarbdesserts.com/low-carb-grocery-list/


I found that carrying Winnie Chan's book Gi &Gl counter around when shopping helps by looking at the Gl of a food you will know whether it will have a low medium or high loading on your blood lvl.

Doughnut123 said:

Ok

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Not sure where you are though. I am in Canada. Type 2, slowly working my way to low carb/full fat eating plan.

Hello, just ask or get a copy of your hba1c levels ...this will of been done to confirm your diabetic ...

Doughnut123 said:

Ok. But I'm still gonna get another test . Should I continue with metformin ?

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Well if you were precribed it for being a diabetic , I am not sure why you would want to,stop taking it ...
It is very stressful ...perhaps another GP visit is needed....for more advise and to discuss the medication more ...no one can answer that for you ...

Meanwhile , take things slowly , one step at a time , you need time to come to terms with what has happened ...
Focus on the information given to,you from @daisy1 then start reading and planning ....doing things to help your health ....best wishes Kat

It is very early days yet ...really it will all fall into place , it takes time ,

You should continue with the Metformin until your Doctor takes you off them

Prior to your test you will need to stop them - again the Doctor should notify you of when this should be