How did you find out you had diabetes?

My diagnosis was nowhere near as traumatic - I went to my GP as I had thrush and couldn't get rid of it. She asked a load of questions about things like weight, thirst etc. It was then I realised I'd lost about a stone over the last year, had been peeing a lot, had more infections than usual - but this had been such a gradual process I did not think they were related. I had no ketones so was initially diagnosed as a Type 2, but as tablets had no effect I was put onto insulin and told "you're probably Type 1 then". I personally suspect I am a LADA which is why it was all so gradual, but I've never had the tests to confirm this. Fortunately I was never DKA either!

I went to my Dr's for the first time in about 5 years (I'm never ill) because I had a really bad allergic reaction to something (unidentified plant it later turned out). As I was the age that they start doing blood tests for CVD checks the Dr gave me a blood card for a routine test. Had the test the next morning and on the Friday afternoon got a phone call at work from my Dr telling me my BS was 26 and that I was diabetic and to go in to see him ASAP.

And that was that.

Interesting to read of so many ways of diagnosis. I have an annual heart/health check as I'm in the 'high risk' group due to losing a brother at age 38 from angina/heart attacks ( his first at 32)
Went back a week later for test results and was told I had type 2 diabetes...no symptoms whatsoever so a massive shock

It runs in my family, and I started showing symptons 4 weeks ago. I was just getting over a cold and had been drink loads to flush my system. Once the cold was over I was still drinking loads and needed the loo more than usual. One day I asked a work colleague who is diabetic, if I could take a reading. Monitor count was 21.8. I called my GP and got an appointment for bloods 2 days later. However, the nurse was unable to find any veins, and I got sent on my way with bruised arms and no test done. I had to rebook for an appointment which was a week later!! This time there was no problem drawing blood. I called up the next day for results and was told I needed to book an appointment with the doctor for my results. Earliest appointment was a week later, so I booked the appointment and on the Monday called again and luckily I was fit on. Dr saw me, asked me why I thought I was diabetic, then told me I was and gave me a prescription for metformin and statins. She explained the side effects and told me I had to book in to see the diabetic nurse. I asked whst the statins were for and was told 'it is to lower cholesterol' when i asked what my cholesterol was '4.4'. When i asked why i needed to take it then i was told all my answers would be provided by the diabetes nurse.Diabetic nurse was only available 2 days later. And now that I have been to see her, I have no answers to my questions and a lot more questions. Oh and possibility that instead of being type 2 I might be type 1. She too tried taking blood with no luck so was sent to the blood clinic a day later. I won't know the results until Tuesday!!

katiemc said:

Well I had alot of problems trying to convince the doctor that I was diabetic! Was drinking alot only after my evening meal but blamed the warm weather. But it was the weight loss that triggered alarm bells. After frequent trips to the GP surgery over a period of 2 weeks eventually ended up in hospital. The consultant was great and told me never to go to the GP with any diabetic problems as they don't know enough about it. Hospital or Dsn to be first port of call. It explains why they didn't believe me I suppose. (This was only 6 months ago)

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I had to convince them to

I kept falling asleep especially after eating

I was 11 and my mum had taken me to the doctors about a rash on my leg, she happened to mention to the Dr that I drank a lot. She tested my blood, I said OUCH and she said you better get used to that you are diabetic straight to hospital. My glucose wouldn't even register on her machine. Will never forget that day!!!!

Sweeeeeeeeeet said:

I was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I had all the classic symptoms, weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, etc. I would get really dizzy after eating certain foods with carbs in them. I avoided going to the doctor for the longest time, hoping it would pass. Then I noticed my urine was sudsy and someone told me my breath smelled fruity, and the next thing I know, I'm being rushed to the hospital! The ER doctor said I had DKA and me, thinking I was dying, just stared blankly at him. He explained what DKA was and told me I was very sick. After about a week's stay at the hospital, I feel somewhat better physically, but I'm really upset about the diagnosis. Do all type 1 diabetics get diagnosed after being DKA?

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I was totaly the same Hun .....and still can not take it in

Had issues for a month but thought was to liver failure
Had hot bath one night
Fell out
Grabbed phone called 999
Spent week in ward DKA and of the chart
Months in D - 4 !!

Being now about 2 years in remission from Lymphoma, I decided to take control and address my weight/fitness issues. Signed up at a local Nuffield gym in March, where as part of their induction they do a blood sugar test. The little lad said mine was 11 (11 whats, I don't know), and should see my doctor. I'd just retired and moved house, so didn't have a GP yet. I eventually got round to registering at the end of May and asked for a blood test. When those results came back, all I got was a text from the practice saying to have another test. That was scary. I had the HbA1c test, and it came back 7.7%. I was given the diagnosis by phone, and at the time was merely relieved it wasn't pancreatic cancer. (**** google).
It was another 15 days before my first DN appointment, during which time I feverishly searched the internet, and made myself literally ill with worry. I honestly hadn't thought T2 diabetes was that big a deal. I know differently now. After the Lymphoma, I had a major anxiety, depression, insomnia "thing" that lasted very many months. I'd had a bit of a recurrence of that between the blood tests, and I think it would have died down by now had it not been for the diabetes diagnosis. As it is, I'm still having some odd sensations throughout the day, that I'm not sure whether they're latent fear or lowering blood sugar.
However, from 01 June, when I eventually Did start a diet, to today, I've lost 27.2lbs, which has to be good.

The way that I was diagnosed is somewhat peculiar and the events of that day I was diagnosed will be etched onto my mind for the rest of my life! I went to see my GP on a cold and rainy Friday morning. Once in her room she asked what the trouble was to which I replied that I had been vomiting back everything I had eaten or drunk for the previous four or so days. She examined me and asked the usual questions such as had I had my appendix removed, had I had an accident etc. She told me I was 'poorly' but she had no idea why.Then I mentioned the thirst and what I had been drinking for the past couple of days. It was then the light bulb went off and she measured my blood glucose levels which read 31.1. I ended up in hospital, of course. I have to say I knew nothing whatsoever about diabetes and even now some ten years later when I attend the local diabetic clinic if I asked any questions I am constantly being told that I needen't worry about anything because they were looking after me!

I had a bout of pancreatitis along time ago now and was sent to hospital for investigations and they found I had a split pancreas (pancreas divisum) the blood results they did were in the 30's so they told me I was diabetic there and then.

I was asked about being thirsty, and urinating a lot more than usual and feeling tired, I confirmed that I had experienced all of these.

i found out in the ER after going though a period of not only knowing why i was not well in the the head i just wanted to kill myself because of a bad reaction to some med that i was taking the doctor did a blood test and found out my sugars were high and that i was diabetic. diabetes was what kept me going the metal health stuff did a number on me but i am over that and do not take any meds for it just insulin for my diabetes . diabetes gave me a voice and i have made friend on many sites because of it .

Same classic symptoms.mum advised me to go to Lloyd s chemist for test.bs was 38,ended up in hospital for 10 days

Hi all i was getting bad chest pains one saterday night while sitting with the family ..paramedics were called and given a good going over luckily nothing wrong with the old ticker but was told my blood sugars were through the roof better get your self to your doctors ..had the bloods done on the monday went back on thursday and the rest is history

It was on my tenth birthday (32 years ago) when my Mum took me to the doctor, I had had my party on the Friday and I had been seriously sick all weekend. The dr said I had eaten too many sweets at my party and I needed to stay off ALL sugar, including fruit and exercise twice a day to get my blood sugars down. My Mum spoke to my Aunt who was a medical nurse and my aunt said I was far too thin... she said if I did all the exercise the dr had told me too, it could kill me. So my Mum took me to the hospital, I was then diagnosed with type 1 and had to give myself my first injection. I was never hospitalized, my poor Mum had to juggle everything, bless her! I remember thinking it would only be for a week and then I'd be fine..... I also couldn't understand why I could never quench my thirst or eat enough to get rid of my hunger? I wondered if it was because I had never been given a massive jug of drink that I could drink until I could quench it?
Funny how a 10 year olds mind thinks? The fact that I had eaten too many sweets at my birthday party stuck with me for years! I was badly bullied about it too.... that's what happens in small villages!
Xxxxx

my doctor knew of my family history of diabetes and gave me urine sticks to use if I felt unwell one day I thought I had flu tested it was positive saw her and had it confirmed with a blood test.

I was 6/7 (long time ago lol) and apparently I had lost an awful lot of weight, very tired and kept drinking/going to the loo, mum was a T1 herself and recognised what was happening, made me pee in a pot and tested it (this was in the days pre blood glucose home testing), she took me off to the GP who for want of a better word was a funny old bloke and told her she was being over protective and worrying. 4 more visits to the GP over the course of the next couple of weeks with me becoming gradually more unwell, he refused to listen to mum and refused to do a urine test (!), last visit was to a locum who took one look at me and knew that it had to be T1, called an ambulance, ended up in hospital for a few weeks as I was so unwell, very nearly didn't pull through apparently but I did and I'm still here, 40 years on

Felt generally unwell for a long time.

Around end February noticed that my eyes were blurry sometimes and that I couldn't always read signs on foot/in car. But it came and went. Assumed as I was 27 and still didn't wear glasses/contact lenses at all that my time was up and would need to go down that route, but was determined to put it off for a while as I had perfectly good vision days as well.

At Easter time on a trip to Spain I vividly remember feeling awful and having to get up every half an hour the whole night long to go to the toilet after a day spent grazing on too many pick n mix sweets and interesting Spanish cakes. Saying to my partner that I felt really bad and being told to shut up as I had turned into such a hypochondriac and it was so boring.

Was really depressed and emotional in general and constantly arguing with my mother, who similar to my partner told me I was horrible to be around and to snap out of it pronto.

By June/July was very, very tired and craving food like crazy. Was an effort to get out of bed/off chair and I just wanted to sleep all day. Only motivated to move from chair at work to go to the bakery opposite and buy and eat bags of cakes and pastries.....which for some reason I noticed were not causing me to put on weight - not normal for me! Was falling asleep after meals. Put all of this down to end of school year (was working in schools at the time) and needing my holiday.

I also noticed that the reactive hypoglycaemia symptoms I had always had suddenly weren't appearing any more. Felt like I could exercise for ever when I went to the gym, for example, rather than reaching a point where my blood sugar felt empty and like I needed to stop to eat. Assumed I was making some kind of breakthrough with my fitness!

What initially took me to the GP around end of July was constant urine infections. They gave me antibiotics immediately but then started hounding me on my voice mail to come back in once the results of the other tests they had run were available. Again, I put it off and off until I was on leave for the summer in August and never suspected there was something really wrong. By this time, I had noticed that part of my hand was often numb when I woke up in the morning (assumed just pins and needles) and it was taking longer and longer for it to clear through the day. Come August GP told me, by way of a voicemail message, that I was diabetic and "not to worry as I would just have to take a little tablet and there would be a cure soon anyway". So I started taking my little tablet and watched my blood sugars remain in the 20s and heading up towards 30s with ketones in urine. DSN at surgery said she couldn't understand why the GP would think I was type 2 and referred me to the hospital. Went on holiday mid August to a hot place and got bitten alive by flies for the first time ever as they were clearly getting high from my sugary blood! End of August I was sitting in the diabetes clinic at the hospital hearing that I was indeed type 1, and that, given my timeline of symptoms, probably had been for a good 6 months or so. Very lucky I didn't get DKA, and to this day amazed that I managed normal life for so long before being diagnosed!

I did not have strong symptoms. My blood sugar was regularly checked, as my blood pressure has been high. Once my HbA1c was somewhat high (49 maybe) and I stopped eating sugar, doing more exercise, etc. The levels went down for the next test. During a stressful time I cut down on exercise, ate more, felt tired often, especially at work and gained some weight. Some scratches on my arm were not healing. At the next routine blood tests my HbA1c was at 49 again and I was diagnosed. This was not as dramatic as some stories here, but for me still a shock. Since then I have increased my exercise routine and cut down on carbs, to about 100g a day. My measurements at home seem to be alright, but I notice that when I eat too many carbs my BG goes up!

I just got a letter saying that my appointment at the diabetes clinic with a consultant has been cancelled due to a clinical decision. I call my GP practise tomorrow to hear what this is all about

Edit: The last GP I saw re-classified me as prediabetic. Hence, the appointment in the clinic was cancelled. I am asked to perform lifestyle changes and then come back for another HbA1c next month.