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NOT Diagnosed. But worried

G

guyanxiety

Member
Messages
12
Hi guys,

I'm a 20 year old male from the UK. I appreciate this is not a medical forum and I understand that you guys aren't health professionals, but I have a question in regards to detecting diabetes.

I purchased some urine dip strips from my chemist and they detect glucose in the urine which can indicate diabetes. I used one this morning and it came back negative, I used one later on in the day and that also came back negative.

My question is, are these a sure way to tell wether you have diabetes or not? Or do some people that have diabetes not have glucose in their urine?

Reason I ask is because for the past 3-4 years I get frequent hunger. 2-4 hours after eating a meal I'll start to feel hungry and sometimes I'll even begin to slightly shake until I eat something. I am quite the hypocondriach and I do have a fear of diabetes. I do get thirsty now and then and I do urinate more often than a normal person, but more so when I obsess about it (anxiety).

Also I removed the desiccant from the tube that holds the strips and disposed of it, however I then read on the leaflet and it said that they shouldn't be removed - Can this tarnish the way strips show results in anyway?

Cheers
 
Hi there,

First I'll answer the testing questions....
If the strips were only recently bought and are still in date the desiccant thingy won't matter.
But, the best way to tell if you have diabetes is via a blood test rather than a urine test. The urine tests are a bit less accurate. You might have negative urine tests but still have higher-than-normal blood sugar. You can ask your GP for the blood test for free. Or you can buy a meter from your chemists (they usually come with sample strips, but double check), and do it yourself. Personally I'd go to the GP because the strips are very expensive. But I appreciate that you may prefer to do it yourself.
Normal fasting blood sugar (ie first thing in the morning before you have eaten anything) is supposed to be roughly 4.2 to 6.0, I believe.

BUT! If you are getting very hungry and shaking, that sounds to me like hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar - below 4.0) not the high blood sugar of diabetes. Non-diabetic hypoglycaemia is almost unrecognised by doctors in this country, but well known in the States. My non-diabetic ex used to get it all the time; his hypos were worse than mine!
If you start shaking and eat some sugar, does the shaking stop fairly quickly (within about 15 mins)?
If you do have hypoglycaemia to this extent, it's annoying but it's easily treated by understanding which foods release sugars slowly (the GI or glycaemic index is worth a google). Aim to eat these foods for your main meals, and make sure you carry sugary drinks or food around with you for when you are shaking and need to up your blood sugar quickly.

I'd be surprised if you have diabetes, but do see a doctor for a blood test if you want to be sure.
 
Hello,

Thank you very much for the reply.

I have been through a period of worry before and did end up purchasing a glucose meter. I tested my blood sugar levels when I felt the symptoms come on and they were always in normal range which I found strange. (They were never below 4 and never above 8 from what I can remember)

However I also used the glucose monitor once when I woke up in the morning, and I was shocked to see that my level was 6.6 which apparently is high for first thing in the morning? But then I read online that it said glucose meters aren't accurate for 'fasting' readings. What do you think?

Having a 12 hour fasting blood tests quite makes me paranoid because if I don't eat for 4 hours I know I'll start to feel hungry and get symptoms; they aren't major symptoms at all, just quite annoying and can make me anxious. They do indeed seem to go away within 15 mins of eating something sweet.

I certainly need to improve my diet, most of my intake is usually unhealthy food.

Cheers
 
the urine test strips only detect glucose when your blood is quite higher higher than 12 as far I remember, so it is possible to be diabetic but still get a negative urine test, its best to have a blood test.
If you think you might be diabetic you should see your doctor.
but if you prefer some chemists offer a free finger prick glucose test.
 
guyanxiety said:
Could anyone please recommend a Glucose meter that would be good for testing in the morning i.e 12 hour fast?

Cheers
Click to expand...


they are all pretty much the same just stick to one meter as if you use 2 meters they will both give different results.
there is no meter that is better than another for accurracy.
 
I really think that you should do to the doctor and get tested self testing will not diagnose diabetes.
as a meter for self testing will never be as accurate as a lab test carried out by your doctor and I think by testing your self you will just make yourself more anxious.
if you get tested properly you can put your mind at rest once and for all
 
I'd like to point out that stress can affect your blood glucose levels. I'm not a diabetic but I noticed an increase in my levels during a period of stress last year. I think you should try to stop worrying about your blood glucose levels, if your tests have all come out within the accepted range of a non-diabetic then you're probably okay. See your GP about a fasting blood test if you really want to be sure.
 
Thanks for the replys.

Just starting to worry again now as I remembered that the last time I went through a period of testing my self it was 6.6 when I woke up. Granted it probabaly wasn't a full 12 hours so probabaly nothing to be alarmed about.

I will probabaly go and see my doctor about it but isn't there any other way at all I could get checked for diabetes without going 12 hours without food?

Cheers
 
guyanxiety said:
Thanks for the replys.

Just starting to worry again now as I remembered that the last time I went through a period of testing my self it was 6.6 when I woke up. Granted it probabaly wasn't a full 12 hours so probabaly nothing to be alarmed about.

I will probabaly go and see my doctor about it but isn't there any other way at all I could get checked for diabetes without going 12 hours without food?

Cheers
Click to expand...

the criteria for diagnosing daibetes has changed most gp,s no longer diagnose on the strength of a fasting blood test or a glucose tolerance test.
the test used now to diagnose is a HBA1C and does not require any fasting and can be taken at anytime of the day regardless of whether or not you have eaten before the test.
HBA1C is an average reading for a 3 month time frame
 
btw a reading 6.6 fasting is not a diabetic level if a doctor was diagnosing on the strength of a fasting level it would have to be above 7 on more than one occassion
 
louiseb said:
guyanxiety said:
Thanks for the replys.

Just starting to worry again now as I remembered that the last time I went through a period of testing my self it was 6.6 when I woke up. Granted it probabaly wasn't a full 12 hours so probabaly nothing to be alarmed about.

I will probabaly go and see my doctor about it but isn't there any other way at all I could get checked for diabetes without going 12 hours without food?

Cheers
Click to expand...

the criteria for diagnosing daibetes has changed most gp,s no longer diagnose on the strength of a fasting blood test or a glucose tolerance test.
the test used now to diagnose is a HBA1C and does not require any fasting and can be taken at anytime of the day regardless of whether or not you have eaten before the test.
HBA1C is an average reading for a 3 month time frame
Click to expand...

It's strange you should say that. I had a blood test done around 12 months ago when I had these symptoms. My doctor said something to me about the blood test being able to see my blood sugar levels for the past 3 months - I assume you are reffering about the same one? He did not go into detail lots of detail about it. Kinda puts a massive weight off my mind now that you mentioned that because the blood test came back fine and the only thing it showed up was anaemia, (It was a full health check)
 
I often suffer from anemia and it cause a falsely low HBA1C result so that wont be an accurate way of diagnosing diabetes however there is an alternative test than can be done if you are still anemic and it can be carried out in the same way as HBA1C so you dont need to fast the name of the test is Fructosamine discuss it with your gp.
the last test you had would not have accurate due to the anemia
 
Ah **** that sucks.

I was on medication for anaemia for 7 months and the last blood test I had showed I wasn't anaemia so I assume it's all cleared up.

So when I go to my doctor I ask for a HBA1C blood test?

Cheers
 
guyanxiety said:
Ah **** that sucks.

I was on medication for anaemia for 7 months and the last blood test I had showed I wasn't anaemia so I assume it's all cleared up.

So when I go to my doctor I ask for a HBA1C blood test?

Cheers
Click to expand...


its up to the doctor to decide he probably will carry out the HBA1C test but if you are still anemic you need the other test I told you about.
 
Well my last blood test showed I wasn't anaemic anymore so when I next see my doc I will ask for a HBA1C blood test. All of my symptoms are probabaly just down to anxiety.

My doctor never mentioned anaemia affecting the results of the HBA1C test though. :/

Cheers
 
guyanxiety said:
Well my last blood test showed I wasn't anaemic anymore so when I next see my doc I will ask for a HBA1C blood test. All of my symptoms are probabaly just down to anxiety.

My doctor never mentioned anaemia affecting the results of the HBA1C test though. :/

Cheers
Click to expand...


the sooner you see the doctor the sooner he can test you and you will know one way or another and you can put your mind at rest.
let us know how you get on hoping your NOT diabetic
 
Thanks,

I'll see about getting the bloodtest done next week. I just hope my doc understand the link between anaemia and HBA1C. How did you find out about it? Just wondering because I couldn't see much about it on Google - Did your doctor inform you about it?

EDIT - I had iron deficency anaemia I think, and I just read an article about it and it said that IDA raises it by up to 1.5% and haemolytic anaemia is the one that lowers it. So I guess I'm fine!

Cheers
 
yes my doctor told me about I have anemia often.
when I first diagnosed diabetic my HBA1C was 5.6 which is a normal reading even though a glucose tolerance test had confirmed diabetes.
I was anemic at the time however I never had that other test fruc something although my doctor told me about it I never had it when I was first diagnosed I was prescribed as many test strips as I wanted for self monitoring with my meter and my gp asked me to keep a record of the results to judge how diabetes was.
 
I also had iron deficancy anemia and it was my gp who told me that it would affect my HBA1C just check with your doctor
 
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