Diagnosing Diabetes?

I wouldn't do it personally, if he suspects he has diabetes then he needs to go to his Dr's and get checked out, you may worry him unnecessarily if you were to give him the wrong information/advice.

Eurobuff said:

He's said that he's not going to go to the doctors, because he would feel stupid if there was nothing wrong.

Click to expand...

More fool him, you should make it clear to him that your not a Dr and he needs to see his gp if he suspects he has diabetes, depending on his symptoms there could be a number of conditions that he may be suffering from unrelated to diabetes, the only person who can say for sure is his gp.

If you have strips to spare I'd test before and one and two hours after.

Just remember to use a new lancet.

I would probbaly test 2 hours after a typical meal and the general advice is to be below around 8.5 mmol. You must, of course, use a fresh lancet. I understand Noblehead's point and you must judge your colleague. I've tested family members and others and I think overall it makes sense if they actively want to be tested and can understand the implications. It's no different from going to the local pharmacy but easier.

I think that asking you to test him is putting you in an awkward place, especially as it's only one snapshot of time that needs more information to be definitive. Whatever the result of a test that you do, he will probably need to see his doctor at some point of he is feeling symptoms that make him suspect diabetes.

If he is not willing to go to the doc just yet, perhaps a free check at a pharmacy would be an acceptable half way point, and if the pharmacist thinks there is cause for concern their words may add weight to the push to see his GP. It's Easier to bury your head in the sand when the test is done by a lay person and friend rather than a HCP , that's just human nature

Signy

Great advice @Heathenlass

Exactly what I would do

It's most probably a complete waste of time going to any Pharmacy for a so called 'Diabetic Test'. They usually only pick out the individuals who have seriously 'High' B/G levels, who are often up in the double figures (usually above 13.0 mmol/L) .
As an exercise, to see just how good their so called 'Diabetic Testing' was, a non-diabetic friend and myself went to 'Asda' some years ago for a free 'Diabetic Test' and both of us was subsequently told that neither of us had diabetes (In fact I'm a registered Type 2) and the nurse who conducted the finger prick testing (if that's what you call her) was quite taken back and seriously offended when after being tested, I then informed her that I was in fact a Type 2 diabetic and that Asda's random Diabetic testing was in the main a complete waste of time - Since then my local Asda has decided to no longer conduct these random Diabetic Tests on the general public - Enough said I think.
There is no substitute for your friend other than persuading him/her to visit the GP/Hospital and get a proper HbA1c test done.

True, a finger prick test at a pharmacy is not a diagnosis, but neither is it intended to be . This is what ASDA have to say regarding their tests : http://your.asda.com/news-and-blogs/get-a-free-diabetes-test-at-your-asda-pharmacy

The purpose is really to advise people to see their GP if their BG is outside certain parameters , and obviously it isn't going to catch everyone at the right time

I suggested going to a pharmacy as it seemed a compromise for someone who suspects they may have diabetes, is unwilling to see their GP at this stage but is willing to put the responsibility for the initial finger stick test on a colleague, who is unclear about what levels they should be looking for . I believe that situation is undesirable for a number of reasons, and at the end of the day would provide no more information than the test done at a pharmacy, except the the advice to see a GP would be more likely to be acted on coming from a pharmacist.

I agree with you that it is no substitute for having the full tests and a definite diagnosis, but sometimes people need to have a wee push from the right direction to overcome their fears. What the result of a finger stick test is would of course depend on how recenty they had eaten, along with other information given at the time of testing. That yours came out as a non diabetic shows your BG was within " normal " for that time, which is great news for you . Chances are that a random test on me would also show me as being non diabetic, as a Type 1 !

Signy

Eurobuff said:

He's said that he's not going to go to the doctors, because he would feel stupid if there was nothing wrong.

Click to expand...

One would assume that there is 'something wrong' or he wouldn't be asking you in the first place. He needs to get checked out whether the symptoms turn out to be diabetes or not.

It's very easy to stick your head in the sand and just wish the symptoms would go away. I did that for 3 months, but eventually plucked up the courage to see my gp. It was a shock and I was in tears, but 6 months down the line, I've become accustomed to my different life style and the most important thing is that I'm still alive .Being on medication and refusing sweet things is a pain, but staying alive and well is far more important than sweets and doughnuts etc. Perhaps you need to shock him and tell him that if in fact it is diabetes and goes untreated , he could be very seriously ill quite soon. On a brighter note, he needs to see his gp who may well rule out diabetes and then there might be smiles all round. One way or another, he must see his gp and stop being a wimp. What are men like? My apologies to the guys who have taken their health seriously.

Eurobuff said:

Hi, thanks everyone. When I went to work today, he said he'd changed his mind. He said he'd rather not know if he was diabetic as he wouldn't want to take medication or cut out eating sweet things. There is another colleague in the same office who's also diabetic (he hasn't got a meter- his DN & doctor said he doesn't need one, we won't go down that street!), he explained that it wouldn't mean he didn't have diabetes just because he hasn't been tested for it. A few other colleagues chipped in saying that they thought he was being silly. He didn't change his mind though.

Click to expand...

I understand. He rather wants to have a stroke or a heart attack to go with the inevitable Alzheimer, in order to take his mind off the pain in his feet. Fair enough.