My Doctor Wants To See Me!

Hi and welcome to forum.

I will say that infections and medications can raise sugar levels with me in the short term so I would await proper testing when I am fully recovered. Then again high sugars can cause infections.

Do get your full test results to understand your diagnosis and it is likely you will be retested in 3 months so you can compare.

Tagging @daisy1 for some new member information for you.

Hi @Lenny249 .. and welcome

Lots of people find themselves in a similar position when they are first diagnosed .. a bit shocked with no information and no idea what's happening. Since joining this forum, though, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need .. It's still early for me but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly ..

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that @Alison Campbell has tagged @ daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

If you consider testing, try the website at: https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/ for the SD Codefree meter or: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/ who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free. The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I will be able to manage them
Hope this helps

Hi @Lenny249 and welcome to the forum. The blood test which showed you are pre-diabetic was presumably the full HbA1c test where a vial of blood is taken from your arm for lab analysis. It shows your blood sugar levels over the last 8-12 weeks, and your bladder infection and possibly the antibiotics over the last 20 days might have raised the bs levels.
When you see your GP ask for a full printout of your test results. If you are pre-diabetic it will help to know your figures so that you know where you are starting from.

HbA1c test results are usually given in the HbA1c (IFCC) range. Below 42 is non-diabetic, 42-47 is pre-diabetic, 48 and above is diabetic.
If it is confirmed that you are pre-diabetic, don't get too stressed. You should be able to lower your bs levels to non-diabetic. Many of us on here have done that by adopting a Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) approach to eating. Starchy carbohydrates especially bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and beer turn to sugar in our bodies, so need to be avoided or limited.
Have a read round the threads to see how LCHF works and ask any questions you want to. The people on here are friendly and supportive and you will get a lot of good advice.

Edit: The course your doctor wants to send you on is probably one for newly diagnosed pre-diabetics or diabetics, usually a 'DESMOND' course. You can do a search using the 'SEARCH' box at top right hand corner to find information and opinions on these courses. I think it is worth going to but you have to be wary of the standard NHS advice about the 'Eatwell Plate' which advocates continuing to eat starchy carbs.

@Lenny249

Hello Lenny and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

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.

Lenny249 said:

I've been having some tests - urine and blood - as a result of a bladder infection. I was put on antibiotics for 20 days after it was discovered I had blood and nitrates in my urine. At the end of the antibiotics treatment I had to take a blood and further urine test. The day after handing in the urine sample I was contacted by the local surgery which stated that they had done a "dip" test prior to sending it to the hospital lab and sugar was discovered.

The original urine test prior to antibiotics didn't show any sugar. I was asked to go to the surgery and do a "finger prick test". This showed 4.9, which the nurse said was normal. The testers at the hospital found the urine sample to be normal.

This morning the doctor phoned me to state that as a result of the blood test I am in a "Prediabetic State" and need to make an appointment to go and see him. If I heard him correctly he said he would put me on a course etc.

It's obviously worrying but on the positive side he did say that my liver, kidneys etc showed no signs of problems.

Well, it's going to be a life changer that's for sure. Hopefully I'll gain some valuable advice from members on these forums.

Male aged 69, Caucasian, sensible eater, semi couch potato!

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Do not Worry!
Lenny please reach out to the net if you want a delivery system with medicine so you can manage your O2 levels and boost your metabolism! Sounds kind of sci-fi huh? Anyway I had a pre-diabetic designation this morning of 6.3/6 .5- yes this morning- along with wax buildup removal, liver enzyme testing, vitamin D prescription, and an EpiPen...I have lost weight since last doctors visit and feel good but I have not refined my diet. I will going forward. I plan on working on my microcirculation at home and I can afford it... non invasive transdermal CO2 therapy...Lenny, whatever you choose I highly suggest you do as much as you can now preventatively, so these decisions remain yours.

Lenny249 said:

As a matter of interest how are posters ascertaining their BMI? I've always been a bit heavier than most people my own height, (even when fit as a fiddle) as I seem to have shorter arms & legs - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

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It is disputed as to whether BMI is a good indicator of healthy weight. Bodybuilders, rugby players and athletes are often shown as obese though their weight is due to increased muscle, not fat.
But if you want to find out your BMI you can work it out on the NHS BMI calculator:
www.nhs.uk/tools/pages/healthyweightcalculator.aspx?WT.mc_id=10100

A height/waist ratio is considered to be a better indicator of healthy body size. Your waist measurement (not trouser size) taken at navel level should not be more than half your height measurement. If it is more than half that can be an indicator that you are more likely to become T2 diabetic.

Lenny-Good luck and please
ask your physician this, "Are my SpO2 levels important?"

***SpO2 stands for peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, an estimate of the amount of oxygen in the blood.

"B-M-I-Schmee-M-I!!!

Lenny249 said:

I eat loads of fruit, potatoes, vegetables, pulses (beans and lentils in stew), buy the cheapest muesli with no added salt or sugar and coat most foods with wheat bran.

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And there lies your problem I'm afraid. You are eating far too many carbs Every single thing on your list (except veggies) is difficult and unwise for diabetics to eat. You haven't reached that status as yet, but if you continue to eat these foods willy nilly you may well find yourself diagnosed by your next test.

Fruit, grains, pulses, legumes, potatoes, muesli. These are all the worst culprits in raising blood sugar levels. It really isn't just sugar! ALL carbs turn to glucose once inside the system, and your system is showing signs that it isn't coping. You are pre-diabetic, which means you are at serious risk of crossing the line. If you want to avoid that, you need to take a serious look at your food choices.

Everything @Bluetit1802 says is right, you should consider moving to a LCHF diet, it worked for me, my readings are now consistently in the non diabetic range.

Well done @Lenny249 that is excellent news. Now the hard part - to keep it up and not get complacent!

Lenny249 said:

I’ve relapsed!

Unfortunately a year ago this month my wife had a venus stroke and was admitted to hospital for 31 days.

As such, I’ve had to take on most if NOT all of the chores completed by my wife. Having found her on the bedroom floor following the stroke I’ve been reluctant to go out for my usual walks.

I had a HbA1c blood test on 26 September and the Dr asked me to make a telephone appointment to discuss the findings, this took place yesterday.

She told me my HbA1c reading was 50 and has booked me for a further test this Friday and will talk this through with me on Monday 17th October. (Quick turnaround, hey?)

Talking with her it would seem that the system has changed since I last had a conversation with a different doctor.

Previously the Dr said that if I reached a score of 48 (or above) for two consecutive years I would be classed as having Type Two Diabetes.

Yesterday the Dr said that that was NOT now the case. If my figure on Friday is above 48 I’ll be classed as having Type 2. Final.

She said that if the figure was the same, I could be put on medication. I asked if the medication would be short term, ie take the med, go back on my exercise routine, have a test in 6 months time and if I had a noticeable improvement I’d be taken off the medications. She said “No” and that if I go on the medications it’s for life! Pretty daunting!

As a matter of interest, once one is classed as Type Two, ie above 48 are higher figures worse than a lower figure in terms of health threats etc?

More than 20 years ago when I registered at the local surgery they carried out a “Well Man” examination which included a blood test. When the results came back the Dr drew me a graph stating that I was in the pre-diabetic group. At that time I was very fit, running 6 days out of 7 and spending lunch times in the gym. I’d also had a civil service health assessment and they placed me in the top 5%. I wonder if I am one of those who are destined to be diabetic?

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So sorry to hear of your wife's stroke.
A heavy burden for all, I'm sure.

And the two tests does seem to be 'IT' now.

( However I just see it as a word, not a sentence )


And a simple answer to your questions ...no.

No to being on meds forever
No to being 'diabetic' , as in the typical diabetic many seem to think us.

But it's all down to you.
(But you knew that, right ?)

Exercise makes a difference but I honestly believes it's not a patch on a better diet.

For want of explanation,
Your internal regime is damaged, and can't handle carbs as well as it could .

That, may well be forever.
There is an argument for it not being so, but I'm not convinced.

If you like, Your body before was like a ship, able to tackle the roughest storms.

But now it's damaged .

It doesn't mean you can't still take in the roughest storms, you just have be a little more circumspect & plan your course better...imho.

The entire forum related to T2D has examples of others having to make the same decisions as you at some point, and finding a way to reduce their HBA1c AND come off meds .

Is 50 high ?..not as high as the 100's some start with, so all in your control, given the chance.

Best wishes all improves over time .

My DN is big on ranting (no people skills!) and assured me I could never come off the medication and would need more and more as the future unfolded, progressing to the insulin I had just refused pro tem. so I could see if diet improved matters.

I went keto and had my BG down to pre-diabetic levels within a few weeks. Ditched the metformin (Nursie said I wasn't to, even though my bloods were mostly in the 5s and low 6s by then) in easy stages, came off it completely once bloods were pre-diabetic, and as a side effect, lost a shedload of weight with no effort whatsoever. She never even asked what I'd done.

That's me and may or may not be you. But it's safe to make sensible diet adjustments and see where that takes you.