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Im a little confused

S

Seawallrider

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Following on from my yearly cholesterol test I was advised to have a GTT
I believe my level at this test was 6.5
The results from my GTT are as follows
GTT Fasting Glucose 6.4
GTT Glucose 120 min 5.4
Fasting glucose >6.0 but <7.0 2hr glucose <7.8 mmol/L
consistant with a diagnosis of Impaired Fasting Glycaemia which
is associated with increased risk of progression of Diabetes.
Suggest repeat annual fasting glucose.
The sample tubes have been checked and are
labelled correctly in the laboratory. Was this patient
fasting correctly for this GGT?
Interpret with caution. Dr S M (consultant Biochemist.

I can assure you that the fasting period was done correctly
I had nothing to eat/drink after 20.00hrs and nothing in
the morning prior to the test other than a very small sip of water

I am 64 quite fit, 5' 8.5" tall weight 11St 3 lb (72 Kg) 36" waistline measured at the correct level
I take statins to help with cholesterol latest result 4.7
Since the weigh in on Friday I have lost 3lb and new waist measurement 35.5"
GI diet of 800 Cal per day

Looking at the above my level seems to have gone down over the 2 hour period
which seems to me to be ok, or am I not understanding this correctly

any comments/advise will be very welcome
 
What are you confused about? The higher fasting glucose level?

Was there any test done for corresponding insulin levels?
 
Welcome @Seawallrider.

Yes it seems you passed the GTT but not the fasting blood glucose. In the UK GP's don't rely on fasting so much to diagnose anymore as there are so many variables that can affect it.

Prediabetes develops in three ways as I understand it
Problems with fasting and/or poor tolerance to glucose. I had both in 2011/12.

Tagging @daisy1 for some new member information for you
 
@Seawallrider

Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members, mentioned above, and I hope you will find it useful. Ask more questions when you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 
@Seawallrider

Hi and welcome!
Don't worry, the confusion is a perfectly natural part of it when we enter the world of pre-diabetes and diabetes. :)

Basically, it looks like you have test results that show your fasting blood glucose level was in the pre-diabetic range. This could be a one off, or a consistent thing. Only further testing will reveal which. Meanwhile, your GTT test showed that your body handled the glucose drink well, and returned your blood glucose to normal levels within the test time.

Is the 800 cal GI diet a new thing, since the tests?
 
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