Diagnosis Question - long winded beware!

[Lucozade]

Hi to the forum

I am hoping someone can help.

For a few months, I have been experiencing increased urination, especially at night, I seem to be running to the toilet non stop lol and have lost around 21lbs, without any dieting or exercise. In fact I'm constantly hungry and thirsty and seem to be craving sweet things a lot, especially chocolate and Lucozade, which I had been drinking litres of but have stopped that dead now! I have also been feeling a bit light-headed sometimes and have been (for me) exceptionally tired and quite often feeling far too hot and sweaty, even whilst just sitting down.

A few friends suggested it might be diabetes so I duly went off to Lloyds for the free diabetes test. However, due to circumstances on the day, I had fasted over 14 hours rather than 8 and the result was 5.4. The lady that did the test said for the fasting time that was possibly borderline but as long as it wasn't above 6 I was at fairly low risk of getting diabetes but to go to my GP and get a proper test done anyway.

My GP is a particularly unhelpful GP (an opinion shared by several people that tell me he fobs them off too, or delays them until things get really bad and they have to push him hard for any help) therefore I am reluctant to approach him at this stage.

I have now got a meter and tested myself around 2 hours after a meal for the first time yesterday, the result was 7. I am wondering is it possible to have noticeable symptoms of diabetes, i.e. the increased thirst, urination and weight loss, but to not actually reach the diagnostic "threshold?" If this is indeed possible, what, if anything, should I be doing in the meantime?

Also, what ARE the diagnostic criteria for a person with symptoms, i.e. what criteria do they have to meet for a diagnosis of diabetes by a GP?

Any opinions gratefully received, of course I recognise that no one here can diagnose me, however any information would be most useful, particularly from others that may have been/are in a similar position.

 

[ams162]

Hello hun i would def go to ur doctor when my son was 4 i left it and left it thinking no it cant be but had looked up symptoms of diabetes and he seemed to have a few of them, anyway he ended up really poorly and had i been able to go back and be pushy i would do it, better to be pushy and be healthy than sit back and wait for something to happen, u may not be diabetic but its always best to get checked out, hope ur feeling better soon

 

[Cliff2]

Hi Lucozade. As I understand it, the diagnostic threshold is two fasting tests of 7 or above or one fasting test of 7 or above plus symptoms such as going to the loo all the time, dry mouth, recurrent yeast infections, that sort of thing. Your symptoms are similar to those that led me to go to the Dr.

A fasting test result of 6 to 6.9 is diagnosed as impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance or pre-diabetic but in reality there little difference between a 6.9 and a 7.1 reading.

It's difficult to say anything about your 2 hour post-meal reading of 7 as you don't say what you had to eat - it may have been quite high in carbs which would take even a non-diabetic quite high for a while.

The best advice has got to be to bite the bullet and take yourself off to the Dr. You may not be diabetic and that would be great - on the other hand you might be and you really ought to know one way or the other. In any event, you seem to have symptoms of something that ought to be checked out.

 

[brianb]

To me those readings sound NON diabetic. However I would make an appoinment with your doctor to have a look at the symptoms you are experiancing just to rule out any other possible causes.

Brian

 

[louiseb]

hi well I have many of the symptos you describe frequent urination, thirst and weight loss etc.
I had a glucose tolerance test recently at my gp surgery about 2 weeks ago this involved a fasting blood test and a test 2 hours after drinking a specific amont of lucozade think it was 75g of glucose to be exact.
my test results came back showing me to have impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glycaemia which means my levels are not normal bt not high enough yet to classified as diabetes.
the classifications for a diabetic diagnosis are
7.1 or higher fasting
11.1 or higher at 2 hour mark after glucose.
my gp told me the glucose tolerance test is the reccomended way od diagnosing diabetes.
Also the night before my test I was supposed to fast from 10pm and have the the test the following morning at 9am meaning an 11 hour fast well I fasted for nearly 17 hours as I was in alot of pain with my kidney pain which kind of makes youy loose appetite, well I mentioned this to my GP and he said the extra hours would make very little difference.
anyhow your reading seem to be that of a non diabetic although the only person who can tell you for sure is a medical professional given your symptoms I would be inclined to make an appointment with your GP and get tested, the tests at the chemist are not a method of diagnosing daibetes they are really only to give advice as to whether or not need to see your gp for a diabetic test.
good luck at the doctor hope all goes well.

 

[louiseb]

btw meant to add also
you asked is it possible to experience diabetic symptoms without actually being classisified diabetic well yes is the answer increased blood glucose levels can cause symptoms and can even lead to diabetic complications if not controlled in cases like pre-diabetes were your blood glucose are higher than they should be but not high enough yet to be classified daibetic.
Im pre-diabetic and im trying as hard as possible to change my lifestyle like excercise more eat more healthy and loose some weight.
as pre-diabetes is reversable with effort it is possible to go back to normal levels. although in some cases were it is genetic it might not be possible to avoid the diabetic diagnosis at some point

 

[hanadr]

You MUST get a proper diagnosis. If your doctor won't help you, contact your PCT( they are sure to have a website) and ask for help.
Should it be diabetes and you are losing weight, you could end up in serious trouble.
If it isn't that, that's excellent and a load off your mind.
Hana

 

[louiseb]

You MUST get a proper diagnosis. If your doctor won't help you, contact your PCT( they are sure to have a website) and ask for help.
Should it be diabetes and you are losing weight, you could end up in serious trouble.
If it isn't that, that's excellent and a load off your mind.
Hana

Hana just curious what do you mean PCT?

 

[slummymummyof3]

PCT - Primary Care Trust