Not diagnosed yet

[Lisa haffy]

@Lisa haffy was the blood test you had one where a vial of blood was taken from your arm, or was it just the finger prick test which just gives a small blob of blood tested immediately on a blood glucose meter?

The first time was a few vials taken from the arm I wasn’t told to fast for that but I did. Then I got a call to go and get fasting bloods done and they took two vials of blood that time.

 

[Resurgam]

Even if it is not a mistake, there is no reason to expect things to get worse.
I was diagnosed on just one test, put straight on tablets, but I went straight back to eating low carb. The pills made me so ill I stopped them, but I was soon below diabetic numbers, and in 6 months at the top end of normal. I usually eat under 50 gm of carbs a day, and am now trying to keep under 40 gm as I want to lose more weight. I feel so much better than when eating stodge.

 

[Prem51]

OK well that would be HbA1c test then. You can ask your gp surgery for a printout of the results. That would give you a lot of useful information, including your cholesterol figures, including breakdown of component parts.
GP surgeries are supposed to allow you access to your test results online, though not all do. You should ask your surgery if they have online access, and if they do ask to be given access.

 

[Lisa haffy]

OK well that would be HbA1c test then. You can ask your gp surgery for a printout of the results. That would give you a lot of useful information, including your cholesterol figures, including breakdown of component parts.
GP surgeries are supposed to allow you access to your test results online, though not all do. You should ask your surgery if they have online access, and if they do ask to be given access.

Thank you for your advice. I’m going to start a low carb diet tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Starshine]

I too am waiting for my second bloods to come back. My initial HbA1c was 55, so this time I have had a repeat of that one and also fasting blood glucose. I will keep an eye out for you posting again. Maybe we can be each other’s diabetic buddy if we are both officially diagnosed

 

[Lisa haffy]

I too am waiting for my second bloods to come back. My initial HbA1c was 55, so this time I have had a repeat of that one and also fasting blood glucose. I will keep an eye out for you posting again. Maybe we can be each other’s diabetic buddy if we are both officially diagnosed

My fasting blood was 6.6 and I sure could use a buddy , hoping neither of us will need each other, but the more I read the more I’m beginning to think the bloods are right. It would be good to hook up with someone though, I’m on my own in this world and it’s wuite a struggle, especially when things like this happen and there’s no one to talk too. I’ll keep a look out for you too.

 

[Prem51]

I’m on my own in this world and it’s wuite a struggle, especially when things like this happen and there’s no one to talk too.

You are not on your own in this @Lisa haffy, we're all here for you, and you can always find someone on this forum to talk to.

 

[Lisa haffy]

You are not on your own in this @Lisa haffy, we're all here for you, and you can always find someone on this forum to talk to.

Thank you.

 

[Lisa haffy]

Thank you.

Can I ask, I had five units of alcohol the night before my blood test would alcohol have raised me blood sugar the next morning after fasting

 

[Prem51]

Can I ask, I had five units of alcohol the night before my blood test would alcohol have raised me blood sugar the next morning after fasting

The HbA1c test measures the level of blood glucose over the previous 8-12 weeks which is the time over which red blood cells are replaced. So something you drank or ate the previous night wouldn't make a difference.

 

[Lisa haffy]

The HbA1c test measures the level of blood glucose over the previous 8-12 weeks which is the time over which red blood cells are replaced. So something you drank or ate the previous night wouldn't make a difference.

Thanks

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Been told I’m either prediabetic or diabetic. Waiting on second bloods to come back. Hoping it’s all just a mishap with the results and the second lot come back normal. Can fasting blood# of 6.6 be something else or been spiked by something I ate or drank running up to the night of fasting. Do I just sound desperate.

Hey Lisa,

First off, I love the avatar picture. As for whether you're diabetic or not, well, we can't exactly diagnose online, but don't jump straight into a diet you know nothing about just yet. Read first, learn, and discover what is right for *you*. You've tried a LOT of diets, and the thing with low carb/high fat is, well... It's pretty much for life, if you want to keep control of your bloodsugars. Whether you lose weight or not is not the issue (though people usually do on low carb), the important thing is getting control of your bloodsugars. And you need to really commit to this. Best way to do that is to read up, find out what you actually like to eat, and that'll help you stick with it. (There are keto-mugcakes, and bacon is my bestest buddy in the world.) I mean, you can make adjustments to your diet, of course... But rushing headlong into it might just be extra stressful and people tend to make mistakes at first when they rush things. (I know I did. ). If you want to learn about low carb or keto, check dietdoctor.com, and remember a couple of things.

First, a meter is a wonderful tool, IF you're pre-diabetic or actually diabetic. Check before a meal and 2 hours after, and if the reading went up more than 2 mmol/l, the meal was carbier than your body could handle. (T2 is the inability to process carbs out of our bodies again effectively, after all.)

Secondly, fat is your friend. Like others stated, forget everything you think you know. There's been a lot of research recently that just disproved everything we've been taught.

Thirdly, white or brown carbs, doesn't matter. The "glycemic index" is an interesting concept, but in the end, a carb is, in most cases, a carb. So if you do decide to go low carb, rice, bread, pasta, oats, corn, cereal and the like are mostly off the table, even if it is the brown variety. Loads of fruits too, as there's a lot of fructose in there... Though berries (especially with cream of full fat greek yoghurt) are fine in moderation.

Fourth, and this one's REALLY important: You're not alone in this, if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic. You can ask anything here, and usually someone'll have an answer. More often than not there'll be loads of answers and you can decide which resonate with you.

You'll be okay. And you're not alone.
Jo

 

[Lisa haffy]

Hey Lisa,

First off, I love the avatar picture. As for whether you're diabetic or not, well, we can't exactly diagnose online, but don't jump straight into a diet you know nothing about just yet. Read first, learn, and discover what is right for *you*. You've tried a LOT of diets, and the thing with low carb/high fat is, well... It's pretty much for life, if you want to keep control of your bloodsugars. Whether you lose weight or not is not the issue (though people usually do on low carb), the important thing is getting control of your bloodsugars. And you need to really commit to this. Best way to do that is to read up, find out what you actually like to eat, and that'll help you stick with it. (There are keto-mugcakes, and bacon is my bestest buddy in the world.) I mean, you can make adjustments to your diet, of course... But rushing headlong into it might just be extra stressful and people tend to make mistakes at first when they rush things. (I know I did. ). If you want to learn about low carb or keto, check dietdoctor.com, and remember a couple of things.

First, a meter is a wonderful tool, IF you're pre-diabetic or actually diabetic. Check before a meal and 2 hours after, and if the reading went up more than 2 mmol/l, the meal was carbier than your body could handle. (T2 is the inability to process carbs out of our bodies again effectively, after all.)

Secondly, fat is your friend. Like others stated, forget everything you think you know. There's been a lot of research recently that just disproved everything we've been taught.

Thirdly, white or brown carbs, doesn't matter. The "glycemic index" is an interesting concept, but in the end, a carb is, in most cases, a carb. So if you do decide to go low carb, rice, bread, pasta, oats, corn, cereal and the like are mostly off the table, even if it is the brown variety. Loads of fruits too, as there's a lot of fructose in there... Though berries (especially with cream of full fat greek yoghurt) are fine in moderation.

Fourth, and this one's REALLY important: You're not alone in this, if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic. You can ask anything here, and usually someone'll have an answer. More often than not there'll be loads of answers and you can decide which resonate with you.

You'll be okay. And you're not alone.
Jo

Thank you

 

[xfieldok]

@Starshine there is no reason to go through this on your own, you will find many new friends on this forum.

 

[HSSS]

I’m wondering if the op is actually talking about a random/fasting blood glucose test given the number 6.6 doesn’t sound like hb1ac in mmol to me and I’m assuming she is in the uk so unlikely to be hb1ac% either. That’s a vial from the arm too.

I had an hb1ac followed a week later by a fbg to confirm diagnosis. I demanded a second test as I was in denial blaming all sorts of other conditions for the first result. Even if it hadn’t been the diagnostic limit it would have been close enough to mean I needed to make changes to prevent that happening. I get that now and 4 months later and 2 stone lighter I see the shock was what was needed to make me take that action.

 

[Lisa haffy]

I’m wondering if the op is actually talking about a random/fasting blood glucose test given the number 6.6 doesn’t sound like hb1ac in mmol to me and I’m assuming she is in the uk so unlikely to be hb1ac% either. That’s a vial from the arm too.

I had an hb1ac followed a week later by a fbg to confirm diagnosis. I demanded a second test as I was in denial blaming all sorts of other conditions for the first result. Even if it hadn’t been the diagnostic limit it would have been close enough to mean I needed to make changes to prevent that happening. I get that now and 4 months later and 2 stone lighter I see the shock was what was needed to make me take that action.

Hi hsss are you saying I’ve made a mistake by thinking this is my blood sugar levels. Could the 6.6 refer to another blood test result. I know absolutely nothing about bloods or results. Which means I might be in the clear. Worrying for nothing as usual.

 

[xfieldok]

It is hard to say. When you go to the surgery, ask for a printout of both test results. This will give you a better idea of where you stand.

 

[Birdwoman]

Hi hsss are you saying I’ve made a mistake by thinking this is my blood sugar levels. Could the 6.6 refer to another blood test result. I know absolutely nothing about bloods or results. Which means I might be in the clear. Worrying for nothing as usual.

Hi Lisa
I have always worried that I might get Diabetes as I got older BUT it is not the illness I thought it was!! It need NOT be progressive as it was once said to be and by taking control of it you can reverse it, although, you will always have it and cannot go back to eating the carbs again as it would return. Another thing is also - it is not being fat that brings on diabetes, it diabetes that makes you fat!!

I have not got full type 2 but decided to do something about it before I did have it and went low carb high fat by this I have lost 18kg and reduced my BG, my cholesterol also changed for the better too.

This is a very good forum and we help one another, so you are never alone!! STOP worrying as even if you have diabetes it is not the end of the world these days!!

Good luck and let us know your results when you get them.

 

[Prem51]

I’m wondering if the op is actually talking about a random/fasting blood glucose test given the number 6.6 doesn’t sound like hb1ac in mmol to me and I’m assuming she is in the uk so unlikely to be hb1ac% either. That’s a vial from the arm too.

Hi hsss are you saying I’ve made a mistake by thinking this is my blood sugar levels. Could the 6.6 refer to another blood test result. I know absolutely nothing about bloods or results. Which means I might be in the clear. Worrying for nothing as usual.

@Lisa haffy I see you are in Dumbarton. In the UK different scales are used for expressing blood glucose levels, IFCC, DCCT and mmol/L. In other countries mg/dl is also used.
HbA1c test results are usually given as IFCC readings, but some doctors give the result in DCCT figures which is shown as a percentage.
Your figure of 6.6 would be in DCCT, ie 6.6%. This would be 7.9mmol/L or an HbA1c of 48.6 IFCC.
Below 42 is non-diabetic, 42-47 is pre-diabetic, 48 and above is diabetic. So your reading of 48.6 IFCC would be in the diabetic range, though not very high. I was 49 when I was diagnosed T2.

You can convert your figures on the online converter:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-to-blood-sugar-level-converter.html

The 6.6 figure would not be in mmol/L as that would be 39.5 in the HbA1c IFCC range, and non-diabetic.

But your figure isn't very high and you should be able to reduce it. I reduced mine from 49 to 44 by my 3 month retest.

 

[Lisa haffy]

@Lisa haffy I see you are in Dumbarton. In the UK different scales are used for expressing blood glucose levels, IFCC, DCCT and mmol/L. In other countries mg/dl is also used.
HbA1c test results are usually given as IFCC readings, but some doctors give the result in DCCT figures which is shown as a percentage.
Your figure of 6.6 would be in DCCT, ie 6.6%. This would be 7.9mmol/L or an HbA1c of 48.6 IFCC.
Below 42 is non-diabetic, 42-47 is pre-diabetic, 48 and above is diabetic. So your reading of 48.6 IFCC would be in the diabetic range, though not very high. I was 49 when I was diagnosed T2.

You can convert your figures on the online converter:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-to-blood-sugar-level-converter.html

The 6.6 figure would not be in mmol/L as that would be 39.5 in the HbA1c IFCC range, and non-diabetic.

But your figure isn't very high and you should be able to reduce it. I reduced mine from 49 to 44 by my 3 month retest.

Well thank you very much for that. I think I’ve resigned myself to the fact I probably am diabetic maybe it’s the kick up the behind I’m needing