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Need some advice please

R

Rachypops

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi all!

I had my blood results back from the doctors today for a diabetes type 2 test which has come back at 35. The receptionist said this was within normal range and they are only concerned with results over 48. I had another test for it a couple of years ago which came back okay as was a thyroid test. But having more and more various symptoms relating to it since then, being a 40 yr old smoker that's a bit overweight and my late Gran having had it led my family to nag at me to get another test done. I've tried to look up what the results mean and some websites are saying these sugar levels are okay, others are saying it's borderline between normal and low blood sugar which is ironic as I was so sure the test would reveal the opposite. I just don't know what to think and am more confused than ever. Part of me feels relief of course it's come back supposedly normal but there's also a worried frustration of not knowing what's causing so many similar symptoms.

Can anyone advise on any of the above?

Many thanks

Rach
 
Rach, perhaps this is a British conversion of a blood range, but in Canada, it is extremely high and would make you very tired, having to void, and thirsty. Maybe you could as your pharmacist.
 
An HbA1c result up to 40 is considered non diabetic, 41-48 pre diabetic, over 49 diabetic. You really need to go back to the doctor so they can try to find the cause of your symptoms as its not diabetes
 
If you are in the UK that HbA1c is bang on normal. You should be relieved and be dancing round the room, not worrying about being diabetic. If you are having strange symptoms you need to see your GP who may do further blood tests to get to the bottom of it. Whatever it is, it isn't Type 2 diabetes.
 
Thank you for the replies- it's helped put my mind at rest as far as diabetes type 2 is concerned. Didn't know precisely what the test was called too so great to have clarification. Will make sure to go back to my doctors soon but am hoping to keep a diary first of symptoms/how frequent they are to show him as last time (2 yrs ago) I got fobbed off somewhat because of my age even though I was experiencing regular chest pains, pins/needles/numbness in limbs and extreme tiredness/feeling dizzy.

Thanks again. X
 
Did they test you for B12 deficiency? I had the symptoms you describe (minus the chest pain) some years ago & tested quite low - a few shots over a few months & I was fine with no problems since.
 
Hi Safi

No they didn't test me for that recently, thank you for the suggestion. It makes sense as I've been a vegetarian from around age 12 and do remember tests showing low iron levels/anaemia when pregnant with each of my children. Have vague memories of being given these pills that looked liked red smarties but were so foul tasting I think I gave up taking them in the end. I've just been looking up about being deficient in B12..never realised it could cause half of the things it mentioned. Still would rather that then the other things going through my mind like minor strokes and blocked arteries. I did have an ECG a year or so ago but it was clear. Just because that was okay and my age it was like my doctor stopped taking me seriously then, in fact if anything he gave me a right talking down to about the dangers of trying to self diagnose on the internet.

I left feeling like he thought I was just some hypochondriac just wasting his time for the sake of it. That's why I left going again for so long. Just wanted to add it wasn't just symptoms mentioned so far that made think of diabetes but a few others too like the constant thirst/hunger/needing sugar hits every so often. I already had a weak bladder due to my last pregnancy so didn't know if that counted and sometimes the urine smelt like ammonia. The only inexplicable thing was it mentions weight loss, if anything I've mysteriously piled on the weight over the years even though my exercise/eating habits haven't changed and are reasonbly good. Well I say good- my diet is so so but due to working in the evening and years of being a night owl hence eating more then, my mum thought somehow it had contributed to insulin in my body not working as it should.
 
One of these days, I'll clean up my notes on this lecture. Michael Gregor, M.D., in 2003, began presenting on common nutritional deficiencies associated with eating a vegetarian diet. In my notes, I list vitamin B12, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, iron, zinc, iodine, EPA and DHA. Here's the video...


I know when I was diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity in 2011, tests showed that I had three deficiencies: vitamins B12 and D, and iron. I felt a lot better after I began supplementing.

[Additional link]: This article by Chris Kresser goes into more detail about these deficiencies... http://chriskresser.com/why-you-should-think-twice-about-vegetarian-and-vegan-diets/

A book that helped me understand heart and vascular disease, what tests are available, and what I can do to improve my heart health is The Great Cholesterol Myth by cardiologist Stephen Sinatra, M.D.... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Chole...36488324&sr=8-1&keywords=the+cholesterol+myth

Your library may have it.

Dr. Sinatra strongly advocates for his patients to exercise, as does nutritionist Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN in her book Prevent a Second Heart Attack. So far, I've only read the exercise chapter and found this section most encouraging...

More is better: Walk often, walk far

Researchers from the Division of Cardiology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine tested the somewhat archaic - yet still standard - protocols for cardiac rehabilitation, which typically recommend that patients burn a mere 700 to 800 calories per week in exercise.

The researchers randomized seventy-four overweight subjects with coronary artery disease into two exercise groups.

The control group exercised aerobically (walking, biking, or rowing) for twenty to forty minutes per session, three times a week, with the goal of burning 700 to 800 calories per week.

The intervention group exercised five to seven days a week, walking for a longer duration (forty-five to sixty minutes), and at a lower intensity, with the aim of burning 3,000 to 3,500 calories per week. The basic motto for the intervention group was to "walk often, walk far".

After five months, the high-calorie-burning exercise group, unsurprisingly, had double the weight loss and fat loss as well as greater loss of belly fat compared to the standard cardiac rehabilitation exercise group. What's more, the long walkers exhibited a greater reduction in insulin resistance and a greater increase in HDL cholesterol, as well as a decline in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, from 59 percent of subjects assigned to the intervention group at the onset down to 31 percent at the end of the study.

The long-duration walkers did not find this exercise prescription more difficult to accomplish (it was remarkably well accepted), nore did they experience an increased rate of overuse injuries compared to the control group. The authors concluded that this type of high-calorie-expenditure exercise should be the preferred protocol for almost 80 percent of cardiac rehab patients.(7)

Your new mantra? Walk often, walk far.

Tips [abbreviated]: make walking a priority; start slow, maybe just a walk around the block, and build up over time to your set distance; set a target, choose a set distance, and plan to walk that distance and back - every day; wear the right clothing and shoes; walk with a buddy or your dog; listen to your favorite tunes; walk indoors on a treadmill...in front of the television; hire a personal trainer...for strength training.

I'm experiencing intermittent chest pain, and my energy level varies a lot, so I try to walk a minimum of a mile a day, and give myself permission to walk up to two, sometimes three miles, if I'm feeling good and up to the challenge. When I'm feeling bad, I walk slowly, faster when I'm feeling good. I listen to and respect my body. I sometimes have to skip a day, but I really, really try not too. When I don't put on the proper shoes, I sometimes get a way with it, other times not. Shoes do make a difference, appropriate clothing for weather too.

Hope you're able to get this sorted out. It's no fun to feel so ill.
 
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I can certainly see what your mum was getting at but if the blood sugar tests are OK then I really think you should get your B12 looked at.
I know what you mean about being made to feel like a hypochondriac - it sucks & it's not uncommon - but just try to remember that you don't think so highly of them either!

Let us know how you get on OK?

safi
 
Hi again

Thank you both for the replies.

Wow a lot of info there Winnie..have just watched the video and read the links. I wasn't under any illusion that being a vegetarian was a superior diet to a meat eater as I already knew the best source of B12 is from meat, Omega 3 from certain fish..but yep there was obviously a lot of other crucial vitamins that a vegetarian diet lacks too that I was unaware of/had simply forgotten. I couldn't go back to eating meat now after all these years or fish. I cook it for my family but the thought of eating it myself makes me want to gag as does the smell of even cooking meat/fish. I'm not even sure I could bring myself to even want to take cod liver oil. Like I mentioned before my diet is reasonably good in that I already do eat plenty of veg, salad, fruit and the fortified cereals but probably bad in that I do have a weakness for biscuits/cookies. I think as well as asking the doctor for a B12 test I might see if he can test to see if I'm low in other vitamins to while he's at it. Might start increasing my uptake though in nuts, seeds, beans and pulses and start looking at all these multi vitamin tabs and which ones are best.

The gluten sensitivity is interesting (r.e the symptoms) . I have read a few studies before now of people not even allergic/sensitive to say the likes of wheat and gluten but have cut them out or down and feel lots better for it. Will have a look for that book in my library (can't say I've read too many good things about statins either). I try to get an adequate amount of exercise. My job is quite physical and I walk to and from work places, doing the school runs. I'd love to be able to exercise/walk more but (this is where I sound even more of a hypochondriac-sorry) having a weak bladder and painful bunion on one of my feet puts me off somewhat. If I've overdone it on my feet it can leave me in a fair bit of pain for a few days after (that's with wearing comfy shoes/trainers too). Need's operating on really but I'm in this dire situation of knowing if I took several weeks off for recuperation I'd struggle to pay the bills etc as I wouldn't get any financial help once any owed holiday pay was taken off.

Sorry to hear about your chest pains Winnie (I hope you feel lots better soon too). After my ECG came back clear my doctor tried to fob me off saying it was panic attacks. I get stressed but not really one for panic attacks as such and these pains would even come when after resting for ages/relaxed, there was no set pattern. Then he came to the conclusion it must be costochondritis/something similar which although very painful at times is not serious and can be eased with anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. I still don't know if he's right or if it's something more serious? Either way I've tried to cut down my smoking with the aid of an electronic cigarette as previous attempts at giving up I've failed miserably at (cold turkey/patches) or have sent my mental health declining (taking certain medical anti smoking drugs).

Well have rambled on far too much (thank you again Safi for the supportive message). Will of course update as soon as I've had more blood drained from me/got results back. Feel like I'm hijacking this forum now with a hundred and one health issues non diabetes related. Sorry everyone. X
 
That's great that you're on the move every day.

I wasn't familiar with costochondritis so looked it up... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costochondritis I'd never heard of it before. Hope the doctor is right.

I think asking your doctor to check your B12, D, and iron levels would be a good idea, and your homocysteine levels too. All cause significant problems if not within the normal range. Here's a good article written by nutritionist Jack Norris, RD on why it's so important to monitor your homocysteine levels...

http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/hcy

If you'd like to read more by him, have a look at his website - (there's a subject index in the left column)... http://jacknorrisrd.com

It might also be a good idea to take a look at your thyroid. Here's information on the Thyroid Function Test from the NHS website...

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Thyroid-under-active/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx

Sorry to hear you're a smoker. That alone was probably the biggest contributor to my heart issues. It's good that you want to quit. I tried to quit for the first time at age 16. At some point in my early 20's I managed to quit by using the SmokEnders program - (very expensive) - and didn't smoke for 2 years. During that time I spent my cigarette money on nice things for myself.

When I was researching tobacco cessation programs a few years ago - (I worked as an information and referral specialist) - I came across and really liked this program... http://www.becomeanex.org/ It also has a discussion forum... http://community.becomeanex.org Check it out.

At age 29, I quit again when I was put on lithium for two months - (long, complicated story of misdiagnosis) - and haven't smoked since. Keep trying.

Glad you don't have diabetes, but the symptoms you're having are a bit concerning. Do keep posting as you continue to sort out what's going on.

If you want to learn more about heart disease, here's a book that might be of interest to you because it's aligned with your way of eating... The Whole Heart Solution http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whole-Heart...UTF8&qid=1436598128&sr=8-1&keywords=joel+kahn To read reviews on it, go to Amazon in the US... http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Heart-S...pebp=1436598102113&perid=045TQDAKC6VX9ZRRJ46F He's a cardiologist, and believes firmly in the power of making lifestyle changes to improve heart health. It's very positive and upbeat.
 
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Thank you again Winnie for all the links and helpful suggestions. Have just been having a look through them all. I was having a google about homocysteine levels levels before and came across this. http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?350194-Homocysteine-Level-Doctor-doesn-t-want-to-know

I don't know whether to assume from those few posts whether it's difficult for most to get a doctor to do a test for free via the NHS? Not holding much hope if there's people 20 yrs and older not having much luck. Am already apprehensive about going back and saying I want to be tested for this, that and the other after him patronising me somewhat the last time I properly saw him in regards to the chest pains and pins/needles/numbness. He's a nice enough man but sometimes you can't help but feel doctors are quick to jump to their own conclusions to get you out the door asap without stopping to think that it just might be something else and to double check/test for a few other things. There was this nagging doubt always at the back of my mind thinking I'm overweight, I've been a heavy smoker for years, surely ECG's don't pick up on everything....?

That book looks good (lots of great reviews) as does the quit smoking website. Will keep an eye out for that at my local library too. It's great that you managed to quit smoking- well done. I got to admit when I read stories of heavy smokers who've managed to quit just like that after years of smoking I feel like an utter failure with rubbish will power. There's those that have properly quit with the electronic cigarettes- I can't even do that fully..not even with one of the highest rating e cigs and e liquid with the highest mg of nicotine available. They just don't seem to cut it first thing in the morning or at times of stress- that may aswell be my middle name, ha ha.
 
Yes, how you can get the tests you want is a big question in my mind too. In the US, my doctor can and does order all four tests if requested, but my insurance won't pay for the vitamin D test now so I have to pay for that one out of pocket. In the US, paying cash at the time of the test, if insurance won't cover it, is cheaper. Don't know about the UK labs.

Most forum members here are from the UK, you could start a new post in the "Ask a Question" section of the forum, "Can I get my vitamin A, B12 and D, and homocystine levels tested through NHS?" I'd also ask if it's possible in the UK to get tests without your doctor, and how that's done. My choice would be the cheapest option.

As for quitting smoking, and I failed probably a dozen times, I was able to quit twice, and it was and still is the hardest thing I've ever done. Today, while walking, I'll hold my breath and cross the street to avoid cigarette smoke. I never thought that would happen, but it did. I have no interest what so ever in smoking now, nor do I dream about it anymore.

I personally don't know anyone who has decided to quit and has done so in one day with no preparation. I know it's not a myth, but I think it's rare. When you come across accounts like that, don't read or listen to them.

With SmokEnders, I think, can't remember, we didn't stop smoking until after we completed 4 to 6 weeks of education and daily practices, which changed weekly. The tobacco cessation website I referred you too has helped a lot of people, and the best part is that it's free and 24/7, so it's conveniently available when you are. You might even to be able to partner with someone you meet on the forum for added ongoing support.

Of all the books I have on diabetes, and I have stacks, I like The Whole Heart Solution by cardiologist Joel Kahn M.D. best (for vegetarians), but I do have one more, The End of Diabetes by Joel Furman, M.D. (also for vegetarians). That one has been out since 2013 so might be in your local library. That said, I like Dr. Kahn's book best, but the two books combined might give you the best chance of making the diet changes you want to make.
 
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Hi again..

Just been browsing the Internet some more on homocystine tests. I could be wrong but everything seems to indicate that doctors on the NHS won't give you (well adults) one for free (due to the cost) unless you've have had a heart attack, stroke, blood clot or showing signs of alzheimers disease which is fair enough. Hopefully the other tests should be got with no problem/expense. Even if I don't get the homocystine check done privately then data seems to suggest that taking vitamins B12, B6 and folic acid along with the healthy diet seems to be the key in keeping them low. There seems to be a few private companies that offer it but I'll ask my doctor first anyway- see what he's got to say/NHS prices for it.

In regards to the smoking many years ago I attended this 6 wk (?) NHS giving up smoking class where they educate/support you etc which sounds similar to the thing you mention. I'm ashamed to say that after an hours session of everyone banging on about smoking- do you know the first thing that crossed my mind/that I wanted the moment I got out the door? A cigarette. It's the same when family are talking about it to me. They don't even have to be nagging. It's like my brains hearing the word over a dozen times and well.... That wasn't the worst of it- there was some poor lady there that had quite bad emphysema and even that didn't shock me enough into trying hard enough to quit.

But of course I will still check out the website you recommend further. I know ex smokers haven't done it in a day/struggle and start/quit again.One day I'll get there (before heart/stroke/lung failure) hopefully. I can't help beat myself up about it though..it's hard not to hearing stories of those who've smoked twice as long, twice as much and have succeeded. Thank you for the other book recommendation- have noted them all done. You've been such a great help/support- thank you again Winnie.
 

[Laughing with you] Even talking about it is a trigger. 30 years ago - (I'm truly questioning if I'm recalling this correctly) - we were encouraged to smoke during the classes. This was back when we were still allowed to smoke on airplanes. Best of luck to you. And when you quit, do let me know so I can celebrate with you!
 
@Rachypops I've been researching a condition I have, subclinical hyperthyroid, this week, and came across two books of interest, also a website for the author of one of the books.

When I read this testimonial, I thought of you, because costochondritis is mentioned. The treatment approach is similar to the low carb high fat diet - (though fats aren't discussed) - eating protein at all meals, exercising, and specific nutritional supplements, some of which we've discussed, others are new to me. All of which is helpful for diabetes too. The website http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/ includes a free download of a free 55 page booklet. I'm reading it now. It's located in the right column.

I read the author's "about" page, and he seems knowledgeable and genuinely interested in helping. No hype, which is so refreshing. He became interested in endocrinology after he was diagnosed with Graves disease, which is a hyperthyroid condition, and now specializes in helping patients with thyroid problems. Here's the testimonial [from one of his patients, Adah]...


When I first began the natural treatment plan for my autoimmune

hypothyroid condition my top five symptoms were chest pain (diagnosed

with costochondritis), fatigue, memory loss, stomach upset, and muscle

weakness. No matter how much rest I got, I was still tired. Additionally I

did not sleep well either. Originally, I didn’t feel much different. I believe

the reason for that to be because I was only taking a portion of the

recommended natural supplements, as well as the fact that I had only

changed some of my diet. When I really got serious about making

changes is when I began to really see improvements. Although this

does require a change in lifestyle, I feel much better today. The natural

treatment protocol allowed me to delve deeper into the root of the

problem and address it so that I will hopefully not need to be on these

supplements for the rest of my life. I have already cut back on some of

my supplements since my last blood work results.
 
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