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most definite test for diabetes?

W

winglets

Well-Known Member
I have done two separate recent finger prick blood glucose tests on myself, on the 27th and the other yesterday on the 5th Jan. Both done about 1hour 50 mins after eating. My results were 5.4 and 5.9 which I see is in the normal range for a non diabetic.

However I know that the most accurate test for a diagnosis of diabetes is the HbA1c blood test along with a fasting blood sample but my question is how likely would it be that those numbers would be high if my finger prick tests were within the normal range?
Don't the finger prick tests provide a good indication that you may have diabetes?

The symptoms I've been having don't seem to be relenting. I'm still having occasional bouts of frequent urination where I find I'm sometimes peeing more than I drink and still occasionally waking up at night with a slight sensation of wanting to pee. A mild dry mouth too in the night but no thirst, hunger or tiredness. No other symptoms otherwise.
 
I agree with the others. You have been asking a lot of questions and are clearly worried you may have diabetes ..... the only person that can tell you this is your doctor following the diagnostic blood tests. My surgery no longer does the fasting plasma test. It just does an HbA1c with a second HbA1c a week or two later if there is room for doubt or zero symptoms presented.

We can't diagnose you.
 
I will go to my GP asap next week.

The glucose level that causes increased urination is around 10.0 I believe, is this always the case though? If I'm having readings of 5.4 and 5.9 during the bouts of frequent urination, then this can't be due to high glucose levels?

I am planning on doing more testing/monitoring now, starting with this morning and I got slightly worrying results -

2 hours after small portion of oats with semi skimmed milk and herbal tea- 6.1 - This I wasn't expecting, this seems a tad bit high for me given that I only had a very small breakfast. Given that my previous readings of 5.4. and 5.9 PP were fine before, what's the explanation for this slightly high reading? I remember a few weeks, I had a similar breakfast, 3 weetabixes, oats portion with semi skimmed milk and my reading was 7.0 after all this. So maybe it's the oats or weetabix that's raising my blood sugar level. I'm now worried that my fasting bs level could be high but would that make sense given that my PPreadings are normal??
 
Hi. I suspect you are fine but do check with the GP. A fasting test is unreliable and no longer used. The HBa1C is a very good test of the last 3 months average but as it requires bloods to be taken and lab-tested a GP may be reluctant to do one if it's not obviously needed due to cost to the NHS. Don't forget if you are male then the need to pee frequently can be due to prostate issues.
 
Given oats are known as a long lasting food for energy I suspect they may increase many 'normal' people's BG level. Please go and see your GP for investigations.
 
Circuspony said:
Given oats are known as a long lasting food for energy I suspect they may increase many 'normal' people's BG level. Please go and see your GP for investigations.
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I believe the spike would be corrected quickly in a non diabetic. I know porridge sends me above 10 very quickly.
 
LouWilk059 said:
You should test right before you eat then @ 1 hr & 2 hr intervals and see how high it goes and how quickly it comes back down.
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I just did this today for lunch. Started at 6.1 (that was the breakfast of a small portion of oats, after 2 hours).
For lunch I had a chicken kiev (garlic/herb), some sweetcorn, peas, cucumber, wholegrain pasta and then a small chocolate after (6g carbs).
So after all this was consumed at 12:10, I tested every half an hour from then -

12:45 - 7.8
13:20 - 7.1
13:50 - 6.2
14:20 - 5.7
 
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@Bubbsie check out Micheljb meter accuracy and how cold weather affects BG readings he lives in Montreal Canada, I knew I'd read it but wasn't sure who it was from! Troubled1 comes from Northern Canada where weather reaches high -30 and -40 deg and more with wind chill factor.K
 
winglets said:
I just did this today for lunch. Started at 6.1 (that was the breakfast of a small portion of oats, after 2 hours).
For lunch I had a chicken kiev (garlic/herb), some sweetcorn, peas, cucumber, wholegrain pasta and then a small chocolate after (6g carbs).
So after all this was consumed at 12:10, I tested every half an hour from then -

12:45 - 7.8
13:20 - 7.1
13:50 - 6.2
14:20 - 5.7
Click to expand...

A load of carbs in that meal. Your post meal levels after that lot were remarkable. Remarkably good, that is.
 
Granny_grump_ said:
@Bubbsie check out Micheljb meter accuracy and how cold weather affects BG readings he lives in Montreal Canada, I knew I'd read it but wasn't sure who it was from! Troubled1 comes from Northern Canada where weather reaches high -30 and -40 deg and more with wind chill factor.K
Click to expand...
Thanks K...I will have a look at that...interesting to see the comparison...I always used the SD codefree meter & strips...self .funded them for almost a year...then on a point of principle asked my GP to prescribe them...initially he said the CCG would restrict them...so I wrote to my local CCG...justified my need/use of them....now have them on prescription....the meter I use is a Pura x life...that's what my surgery provided...have to say I preferred the codefree... its the most accurate I have used...when I used it regularly the thirty day average it gave me was almost identical to my HbA1c test result.
 
w
winglets said:
I have done two separate recent finger prick blood glucose tests on myself, on the 27th and the other yesterday on the 5th Jan. Both done about 1hour 50 mins after eating. My results were 5.4 and 5.9 which I see is in the normal range for a non diabetic.

However I know that the most accurate test for a diagnosis of diabetes is the HbA1c blood test along with a fasting blood sample but my question is how likely would it be that those numbers would be high if my finger prick tests were within the normal range?
Don't the finger prick tests provide a good indication that you may have diabetes?

The symptoms I've been having don't seem to be relenting. I'm still having occasional bouts of frequent urination where I find I'm sometimes peeing more than I drink and still occasionally waking up at night with a slight sensation of wanting to pee. A mild dry mouth too in the night but no thirst, hunger or tiredness. No other symptoms otherwise.
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Winglets the symptoms you describe could relate to many conditions including but not limited to diabetes...our blood glucose is affected by a number of things...what we eat...how well we are feeling...whether we are stressed or anxious...the numbers you give appear to be in 'normal range' which are between 4.0 to 6.0 when fasting and up to 7.8 hours after eating however as one member has advised we are not able to diagnose here...you would need to consult a suitably qualified health care professional for an accurate diagnosis...is there any particular reason you fear you may be diabetic...a family history...self testing your blood glucose will not give you an indication of whether you are diabetic...that is merely a spot test...it will only tell you what your BG is at that particular time...the test for diabetes the HbA1c will give you an approximation of what your BG levels are for the previous three months...you can have a test for diabetes at most Lloyds Pharmacies...possibly other pharmacies too....but you need to make an appointment with your GP...outline your concerns...the symptoms you have clearly worry you...are recurring...go to see you doctor who will have the necessary expertise to advise you...can discuss this with you productively...and offer you the right support & assistance.
 
@Bubbsie yes that's right, I do understand that no-one can diagnose on here, however I know there are many experienced people on here so they could offer potentially helpful insight. I do have a family history (dad is type 2) plus being asian puts me at risk.

I realise that the Ac1 test is the most definite method to formally diagnose diabetes but surely does glucose testing not give you some indication? For example I tested before and after lunch today.

I was 6.1 after breakfast, after 2 hours, which was a small portion of oats, which I thought was a tad high. So I decided to keep testing.
Right after this reading I had lunch which was a chicken kiev (garlic/herb), some sweetcorn, peas, cucumber, some wholegrain pasta and then a small chocolate after (6g carbs) - maybe around 50 carbs in total.
So after all this was consumed at 12:10, starting at 6.1, I tested every half an hour from then -

12:45 - 7.8 (140)
13:20 - 7.1 (128)
13:50 - 6.2 (112)
14:20 - 5.7 (102)

So from that those are fairly non-diabetic numbers.
I guess I am quite stressed out at the moment thinking about all this so it's possible this is having an effect and causing this slight feeling of wanting to pee occasionally.
 
winglets said:
@Bubbsie yes that's right, I do understand that no-one can diagnose on here, however I know there are many experienced people on here so they could offer potentially helpful insight. I do have a family history (dad is type 2) plus being asian puts me at risk.

I realise that the Ac1 test is the most definite method to formally diagnose diabetes but surely does glucose testing not give you some indication? For example I tested before and after lunch today.

I was 6.1 after breakfast, after 2 hours, which was a small portion of oats, which I thought was a tad high. So I decided to keep testing.
Right after this reading I had lunch which was a chicken kiev (garlic/herb), some sweetcorn, peas, cucumber, some wholegrain pasta and then a small chocolate after (6g carbs) - maybe around 50 carbs in total.
So after all this was consumed at 12:10, starting at 6.1, I tested every half an hour from then -

12:45 - 7.8 (140)
13:20 - 7.1 (128)
13:50 - 6.2 (112)
14:20 - 5.7 (102)

So from that those are fairly non-diabetic numbers.
I guess I am quite stressed out at the moment thinking about all this so it's possible this is having an effect and causing this slight feeling of wanting to pee occasionally.
Click to expand...
Winglits I have read your posts and as I have said self monitoring your blood glucose will not give you an indication of whether or not you have diabetes...only the requisite test by a qualified medical professional will do that...you need to heed the advice you have been given here by several members...speak to your GP...or practice nurse...the symptoms you have may relate to another condition...or could be symptomatic of nothing at all...just one of those things...speak to your health care team ASAP...then you will have the definitive answer to your concerns.
 
You're numbers quite honestly look quite good for what you ate. Definately get the HbA1c test done so you know either way at least then it will put your mind at ease. I get offered 2 free HbA1c tests per year from my Dr but I sometimes pay to get extra ones done so if your Dr is reluctant at all to do the test due to cost I would pay to get it done as it really seems to be bothering you.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
A load of carbs in that meal. Your post meal levels after that lot were remarkable. Remarkably good, that is.
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Yes I accept that meal numbers yesterday were fine however I'm still concerned with that first reading of 6.1, 2 hours after eating a small portion of oats with ss milk but then i went down to 5.7 which is lower than what I started with. Why would that be?
 
Why would that bother you? That's a fall and not unexpected. As others have said, get an HbA1C if it bothers you that much. Wasting time asking here as we are NOTdoctors
 
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