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`Correct Diabetes testing

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Marshy

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I am told I have diabetes type 2 because I have had such a long term high dosage of Prednisolone steroids.
Theres never been any diabetes in my family and I quite regularly dont eat for 10 - 12 hours but I never have any trouble no headaches dizzyness hypos etc.
I really would like to have this checked out as I just cannot see how I am diabetic and they want me to take Metformin tablets, which I really disagree with pumping more drugs into my poor old body so needlessly.
Is there anyway I can get a proper check on this situation please, my GP says oh yes you have diabetes, and I reply its the funniest case of diabetes that Ive known.
Please help. I also have an underactive thyroid for years.
Marshy

JBlackwood
 
Hi Marshy

I was diagnosed with diabetes 1 year ago this month, I am young (36), fit, and thin have no history in my family so was like you rather confused re the diagnoses (they said I had type 2) it turns out I more than likely have LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adulthood) commonly known as type 1.5.

Basically what I am saying is there are many types of diabetes as far as I can see and not all come with the 'standard' symptons, I would try and find out as much info as you can you can, there are loads of websites (some on this forum) which can help you and jion diabetes.org and use your knowledge to question your doctor as much as possible before you dismiss him.
Good luck!
 
Hi Marshy and a warm welcome to you. Unfortunately diabetes is one of the side effects of long term use of prednisolone. More details in the link below to the arthritis research campaign website.
http://www.arc.org.uk/arthinfo/patpubs/6251/6251.asp

I know its not what you wanted to hear, but it looks like your GP could be right. Presumably he has run tests on your blood sugar levels to have reached his conclusion. Once you move onto medication you will have to be more careful with your eating regime. Going 12 hours without food is something you might be able to get away with now, but would be dangerous once on diabetes medication.

If you really feel that you don't trust your GP's diagnosis then ask him to refer you to a diabetes consultant for a second opinion.
 
Now, this pretty much confirms what I thought about my own cause of diabetes. I was put on a steroid inhaler incorrectly for 10 months. I always suspected, as a healthy, normal-weight person from a non-diabetic family that this was the cause of me getting diabetes. At the time of diagnosis, 5 years ago, I was in a real state of shock and cried for several days. My eldest son told me at the time to sue our doctor's practice but I wasn't interested in doing that. It wouldn't take away the diabetes. However, I do feel extremely angry at that mis-diagnosis of asthma and I wish doctor's would take more care before dishing out inhalers to those who don't need them and helping to induce diabetes and all that entails.[!]
Sorry, rant over.
 
Thintype2, what you have said is so interesting. I've never heard of LADA before, so just Googled and read a bit about it.I wonder if that's what I have? This site is throwing up all sorts of new things for me and I thank all posters for sharing such information.
My mother told me yet again yesterday that I should spend less time researching on the net and put my diabetes "to the back of my mind". She just doesn't understand that I NEED to know everything I possibly can about this condition. What harm can it do? Surely it's better to be informed about things?
 
Hi Choco,

I've no doubt that your mother is well intentioned, but my advice would be to ignore her suggestion. We can fight diabetes, but we can't do that without knowledge of how it works. The more knowledgable you are about it the better for you.

Your mother probably belongs to the generation that was brought up to believe "doctor knows best". Well, I'm afraid that when it comes to diabetes, then doctor too frequently for comfort knows less about it than we would wish of our GPs. You only have to read some of the posts that regularly appear on this forum describing mis-diagnoses or mis-treatment to appreciate how little is known about diabetes by the general medical profession.
 
To the original poster:

Please note that you would never have had a hypo (or the related symptoms) because that only happens to diabetics once they have been started on medication (whether that be tablets for type 2 or insulin for type 1). Therefore, it is entirely correct that you have never had a hypo and certainly does not "prove" you are not diabetic.

Please please please read up on the subject and don't assume you are or you aren't due to irrelevant factors such as the fact that you don't eat regularly.

Alternatively, buy yourself a blood glucose monitor and test yourself. Non-diabetics have readings between 4-7 mmol all the time. If your readings are higher than this, then you probably are diabetic just as the doctor says.

LJ
 
Hi LJ

I've been reading various articles since I was diagnosed type2 three years ago. I am not on medication and was very interested to read your posting regarding you only get hypo when you start on medication. I didn't know this and have never read it anywhere - we live and learn everyday.

Regards Val
 
Hi Val

The effect of diabetes (as I'm sure you know) is to increase your blood glucose levels, not lower them. Untreated, they will simply get higher and higher... This is known as HYPERglycaemia.

When you start on insulin or blood glucose lowering medication, your BGs will get lower. However, because this is 'artificial' lowering (ie not because of the body's natural production/usage of insulin) we can't always get it 100% right. Therefore, you might occasionally suffer from lower blood glucose, known as HYPOglycaemia. The symptoms that are shakiness etc etc as described above.

Hence (as far as I am aware), someone with untreated diabetes would never have a hypo.



LJ
 
LJ,

The logic behind your conclusion is flawless, but unfortunately hypos are not restricted to diabetes. An abnormally low blood glucose level can arise as a result of other factors. Severe disease of nearly all major organ systems can cause hypoglycemia as a secondary problem, although this is much rarer than a hypo resulting from a diabetic over-correction.

If a diabetic who is not on medication suffers a hypo they should get themselves checked out by their GP urgently.
 
Hi I was diagnosed with type 2 18 months ago and I have to say - please don't think I am mad but it was the best thing that happened to me. I had been lethargic, tired, irritable, and constantly ill over the course of 5 years. Due to the nature of how my Diabetes worked - I spike - my blood tests had never been cause for concearn. It wasn't until I had mump like symptoms with no mumps that I was diagnosed with diabetes. Paratonitis - swelling of the glands in front of the ear - can be a sign of diabetes! Since then with the metformin I feel normal again have got back my zest for life, completed fun runs and lost over 3 stone in weight. Whilst I was devestated at the begining, I read up on everying and now advise on how to avoid it. With the correct medication and support it does not have to be debilitating and with the break throughs they are making now maybe Type 1 people will be free from injecting in the near future. You have made the right first step by contacting this site and dealing with people that have it.
 
Hi LJ

Thanks for your posting. When I was first diagnosed I had pins & needles in feet and hands, hot sweats, aching muscles, weepiness, irritabilty and constant fatigue. My doctor said to have a glucose sweet if I was experiencing dizziness/hot sweats and hadn't had a meal. I am now puzzled after reading your posting as I shouldn't need to have extra glucose as I am not on medication.

Cheers Val
 
Not sure about undiagnosed not treated not having hypos.

I used to work long hours and frequently did not eat for 12 -14 hour stretches. For a number of years before I visited the doc and was diagnosed I had all the symptoms of a hypo when doing the hour long drive home in the evening. Often I would have my evening meal with shaking hands and that dizzy sensation. I also tended to be very thirsty and a pint or two of coke or lemonade was in short order, I resolved this problem by keeping a bag or two of fruit pastilles in the car as I found that a handful did the trick and stopped the shakes. I now take 2 Metformin a day and eat at regular times. No more shaky sessions, no sweets and no fizzy drinks other than sparkling water for 8 months now.
 
I agree with Buachaille,long before I developed diabetes I used to take cadets on summer camp.Quite often you missed a meal if you were not back in time and I experienced all the symptoms of hypo.For years before developing diabetes I have always tried to eat regularly especially when in a state of high activity.There is a condition called hypoglycemia in non diabetics where the blood sugar drops dramatically.


Knowledge is the key to control
 
I also suffered from hypo type symptoms when I was a child long before I was diagnosed with diabetes, infact I ended up in hospital twice after collapsing, I would also get the shakes and highly irritable if I had missed a meal......at one point it became a bit of a family joke to avoid me if I was hungry as I could be extremely ratty.............I think this was the early signs that things were not quite right but I suppose thats easy to say in hindsight...........
 
Apols if I have made a mistake there. It was incorrect of me to suggest the hypoglycaemia is restricted to diabetics only. However, I do think this only happens in rare instances (such as prolonged and unusal exercise) where the blood glucose levels drop too low, too fast.

Warnings relating to the need to watch out for low blood glucose/hypos are usually only restricted to those on BG lowering meds or insulin.

However, the origingal poster's assertion that the fact that she had never had a hypo meant that she wasn't diabetic still didn't follow. I simply didn't want them to make a self-diagnosis on incorrect facts. The vast majority of hypos are caused by the meds etc, not anything else. Therefore, the fact of never having had one should not be 'proof' of not having diabetes!

I hope I've been clear, but again, apols for the inaccurate or 'broad terms' nature of my first post!

LJ
 
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