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Glucose Tolerance testing at GP practise

B

Bocelli

Newbie
Messages
1
Location
Durham
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was told by the nurse at my GP practise that they no longer do glucose tolerance testing and just use a raised fasting glucose to diagnose diabetes. As I have never had a raised or low fasting glucose test my diabetes would have been missed. It was discovered when a hospital consultant was suspicious of another blood result and I was admitted into hospital for further tests. I believe that I have had diabetes for a lot longer than I have been diagnosed as a random glucose test many years ago was 15.6 but the next one was normal so diabetes was ruled out at that point. Is this glucose tolerance test being stopped at all GP practises?
 
My GP practice didn't even do them 6 years ago, so mine was done at our hospital's blood test centre, but by appointment, instead of walk in.
 
Teddysmum said:
My GP practice didn't even do them 6 years ago, so mine was done at our hospital's blood test centre, but by appointment, instead of walk in.
Click to expand...

As I understand it, in my area, OGTT is only routinely used to aid diagnosis of gestational diabetes. For others, the gold standard is considered to be the HbA1c, as that gives an average score over several weeks, rather than other measures which represent snapshot scores. Many T1s, due to its often rapid onset, appear to be diagnosed in A&E when they become acutely unwell.

As a T2, I'm not so clued up on T1, or T1.5, as you are.
 
I was given a battery of tests by my neurologist (who eventually found my symptoms are due to thoracic disc herniations) and based on those I was summoned to our practice's diabetes nurse, who sent me for the GTT to confirm suspicions. I wasn't pregnant as I was 60 at the time.
 
I had to argue to get an OGTT done as my HbA1c was inconclusive at 48 and FBG only 6 but I had symptoms and diabetes heritage, both parents diabetics and lots of relatives. OGTT was conclusive at 14 after two hours though. I felt very rotten for a couple of days afterwards so if you can get diagnosed in any other way do it.
 
Glucose Tolerance testing at GP practise for me was done every year for about 4 years until the reading came back positive for T2 .. only just outside the normal range .. Went sky high when I followed the eating plan the DSN gave me.
 
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