New member and very confused

[Llaina]

Hello to you all. Just found the forum and joined to see if anyone can answer a few of my concerning questions. I was diagnosed in January 2020 and told I was borderline diabetic and as both my parents had diabetes I would need to take 1 metformin tablet every day. That was it, On Friday (5th March) I had an appointment to see a specialist for my Arthritis who said I had glucose in my urine and asked if I was diabetic? I said borderline and on Metformin to which he replied no not borderline type 2 I will write to your GP plus most of your pain especially in the hands and feet are due to you being diabetic. I also have Graves disease and have gained weight over the last 4 years of being diagnosed gone up from 9 stone to just a tad under 14 stone being just 5ft 1 this is a great strain on my health issues as I also suffer from osteoporosis and COPD. Phew think I've covered everything but really need to know what to do next. Do I wait for the specialist to write to my GP and hope she contacts me to check this diabetes or do I get it checked myself and if so how? forgot to mention I have never been into sugary foods like cake crisps biscuits or sweets but do like my chocolate yet over the last 3 months I have noticed my saliva tastes sweet and I am craving sugary sweets like fruit pastels. I keep going really light-headed and often feel tired and weak is this part of being a diabetic and does it sound like type 2?

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @Llaina and welcome!

We can’t help with diagnosis, but in your shoes I’d be on the phone to my GP explaining what the specialist had said and asking for some tests to check.

Has your GP done an HbA1c or were the tests they did random/fasting blood glucose tests? The HbA1c is the usual tool for diagnosis.

Good luck with getting to the bottom of it all!

 

[EllieM]

OK, trying to put a positive spin on a series of bad health diagnoses....

T2 diabetes is an intolerance for carbohydrates (at least in the quantity supplied by the modern food industry) and is very strongly genetic, so if you have a parent with T2 you are likely to need to curb your carbs. (Speaking from experience as a T1 with one T1 and one T2 parent).

Weight gain is a symptom of T2 diabetes, so reducing carbs often reduces weight.

I know nothing about Graves disease, but lowering your carb intake should help the T2 and possibly the arthritis.

As regards the diagnosis, phone your GP asap and find out whether it's T1 or T2, and whether you need meds. Make sure to ask for the hba1c result. Many of the T2s on here have returned their blood sugars to normal by low carbing, but you need input from your GP.

Good luck, and lots of virtual hugs. The diabetes side of your issues is definitely treatable.

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. Yes, reduce all the sources of carbs in your diet to a low'ish level. Have 85% Dark Chocolate for example if you want chocolate. BTW I thought weight loss as opposed to gain was a common Graves disease symptom? I have a friend diagnosed with Graves when she had unexplained weight loss. Symptoms may vary of course.

 

[KK123]

Hello to you all. Just found the forum and joined to see if anyone can answer a few of my concerning questions. I was diagnosed in January 2020 and told I was borderline diabetic and as both my parents had diabetes I would need to take 1 metformin tablet every day. That was it, On Friday (5th March) I had an appointment to see a specialist for my Arthritis who said I had glucose in my urine and asked if I was diabetic? I said borderline and on Metformin to which he replied no not borderline type 2 I will write to your GP plus most of your pain especially in the hands and feet are due to you being diabetic. I also have Graves disease and have gained weight over the last 4 years of being diagnosed gone up from 9 stone to just a tad under 14 stone being just 5ft 1 this is a great strain on my health issues as I also suffer from osteoporosis and COPD. Phew think I've covered everything but really need to know what to do next. Do I wait for the specialist to write to my GP and hope she contacts me to check this diabetes or do I get it checked myself and if so how? forgot to mention I have never been into sugary foods like cake crisps biscuits or sweets but do like my chocolate yet over the last 3 months I have noticed my saliva tastes sweet and I am craving sugary sweets like fruit pastels. I keep going really light-headed and often feel tired and weak is this part of being a diabetic and does it sound like type 2?

Hi there, if I were you I would not really wanting to be waiting for the Specialist to move things along as that could take a while. Could you get yourself a glucose meter (maybe one of your parents has a spare one). That way you could at least test your levels over a few days to see what they are. If the figures are alarming then straight to your GP! As for not being in to 'sugary foods', well many, many people with diabetes weren't either, that's part of a stereotypical belief that assumes we all must have been shovelling pure sugar into our mouths for breakfast, lunch & tea. It's all about the carbs (do you eat pasta, bread, rice, cereal for example, they contain as much 'sugar' as a banana). One thing to be aware of, a rush into very low carb eating right now may well skew any investigation they will do once your Specialist & GP gets to work, hence some immediate testing will be very useful information. x

 

[Llaina]

Thank you all for your useful advice I have booked a GP phone call for Thursday hopefully I can get some information from her. now I know to ask for the results of The HbA1c and if there not available to book a test. It is a real eye-opener reading information and posts on the forum but also a great help and comfort to know there are others who know how I feel.

 

[VashtiB]

hello and welome,

It is very stressful when finding out you may have yet another thing to deal with. I agree with the previous posters. Type 2 has a strong genetic component so don't worry about blaming yourself.

While we cannot diagnose you type 2 diabetics have an intolerance to carbohydrates and many here myself included have found that by dramatically reducing the carb intake not only does the blood sugar levels come down but for many (not all) so does the weight.

It is worth having a look at what you eat and the carbs in your food. Early on I made the mistake of ignoring some food like cucumbers which I assumed had no carbs- I was wrong.

The good news is that you have found this site. The people here are some of the most friendly, helpful and supportive people I have ever met. Keep posting whether for information support or just to vent.

Once you have been diagnosed whether as a type 1 pr type 2 you will need a meter. If you are a type 2 many doctors do not believe you need to test. This is because they consider it a progressive illness with nothing you an do to stop. Many many here have proved that incorrect. You won't be able to do so without a meter. @Rachox has information about meters. I chose one that would sync with my phone but it is totally your decision.

Good luck and welcome.

 

[EllieM]

If you are a type 2 many doctors do not believe you need to test.

And many posters on here believe that is influenced by a NHS desire to avoid spending money on testing strips. Though to be fair, there's no point in testing if you don't let the test results influence your dietary choices....