• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Pre-diabetes or not?

E

emgoo

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi All. So since my last post I've been a little concerned about my "high-normal" reading from Lloyd's pharmacy a couple of months ago and bought myself a test kit. My first reading with the test kit was 6.0 but I had again had a coffee with one sugar in 2 hours previous to the test. I had a very carb heavy lunch (on purpose) and 2 hours after I was 5.7. The next morning I took my bloods almost immediately on waking and I was 5.5 so I decided to book an appointment with my doctor. Tbh I feel I may have been brushed off she checked my urine and that was clear but she did a finger prick which was 6.0 again I had had a coffee with one sugar in approx 2 hours before the test. She didn't even mention pre-diabetes and said I was fine. Anyone have any thoughts or advice. I don't particularly have any symptoms of diabetes but I was suffering with a dry mouth (not thirst) which prompted me to get tested. Thanks Emma x
 
We're not exactly qualified to diagnose anyone here, but I tend to agree with the doc about being fine... Those are pretty good numbers. (The 5's in the morning could be dawn phenomenon, and non-diabetics get that too.) There's a bunch of other things that can cause a dry mouth, (temporarily or chronically inflamed saliva glands, Sjögren's, side effects of other meds, or simply slight dehydration), but until you drink massive amounts and your bs still tops 10, your pee smells sweet and other symptoms pop up, I wouldn't worry about (pre-)diabetes. Personally. No idea whether others here have different ideas?
 
Your blood sugar readings don't suggest diabetes or pre diabetes. If youre concerned, ask your GP for a hba1c test.
 
emgoo said:
I had again had a coffee with one sugar in 2 hours previous to the test.
Click to expand...
Hi emgoo,
Your numbers look good, not suggesting diabetes.

But your obviously concerned so making a couple of changes to you diet isn't going to hurt,
here are a couple of suggestions that should help.

First how much coffee or tea do you drink in a day?
The recommended amount of sugar for you in a day as a non diabetic person is 6 spoons. If you have more than 6 coffees in a day, I know I do, your probably over the limit with out knowing it. You said 1 sugar in your coffee if that's a heaped spoon full then is better to call that 2.

I used to love a chocolate digestive with my coffee each one is 1 spoon of sugar, if that's something you do.

If you buy any pre made meals there going to contain sugar, make things from scratch when you're cooking.
Any product that says low fat is going to have added sugar.
If you can cut down on the amount of carb's you eat in a week that should help too.
Oh and diet coke instead of coke etc....

These are some simple changes that should help ease your mind.
 
Thanks for all your replies. It's so confusing as you read one thing, think you understand it, only to find out your wrong. I am worried yes so thank you so much for the advice. I've never worried about my health before but I can now see how people can get obsessive about it lol. Sugar is a hard habit to break but better now when it looks like it's still my choice rather than waiting totii HAVE to. Xx
 
Hi emgoo

I’m due at the doctors tomorrow to be tested. I’m sure i have pre-diabetes based on testing for the last week with a monitor that they supply on the NHS (borrowed to me by a pharmacist friend who specialises in diabetes).

I’m going to ask for a hba1c test as well but wanted to take some readings to my GP so it wasn’t a case of “come back in 6 months to test again”. I’m worried I’m going to be fobbed off. I meet all the risk factors for prediabetes/diabetes so am really worried.
 


Did you get your results back?
 
Yes I did. My HbA1c is 33
 
Dexie1 said:
Yes I did. My HbA1c is 33
Click to expand...

Oh, that's really good news!!!
It's hard when there's no one to really sit and ask questions etc at the doctors!

When i got my first A1C of 42 in dec, they just sent me awa with the test result and told me to "Eat less sweets and cakes and things" and that was it, so i was left to figure it out myself.
My next test came back at 35, so what i am doing is obviously working, but when you have a day where you get an odd reading, there's no one to ask about it!
 
That’s excellent that you’ve made such a difference! I’ve been on low carb diet for the past three weeks and so far lost 8lbs. My fbg has hovered around 5.5 in the mornings. Had pizza and a small slice of cake on Tuesday and next morning fbg was 6.2! And I’d gained 2lbs! Just goes to show you how easily it can be affected!
 
Oh and this morning was back down to 5.4
 

My fasting levels are usually btwn 4.4 to 5.6, most around 4.9 ish, but we went ti stay with friends for the weekend and i ate what I was served, and for the next week my fastings were higher, with one hitting 6.2 and all in the high 5's!

I eat a whole food plant based diet with no added fats or oils, and about 300 gm carbs day, but the meals she made had lots of fat in them, like coconut cream etc, so it was interesting to see what happened when I added fat back into the mix!

After staying right away from any added fats after that, they have dropped back down again.
 
Hi All , after my annual health check a few months ago ( I'm 73 ) , I was diagnosed as prediabetic , having a HbA1creading of 42 . Since then , after a lot of reading I opted for a low carb diet . My wife was away for 2 months so I was able to control everything I ate ( and drank ) . Basically I cut out potatoes , bread , rice and beer . My weight dropped from 91 Kg to 81 Kg ( my lowest weight ever .. well ...since growing up ) , with BMI now under 25 and much smaller waist meaning all my trousers now several too large for me. I bought an Accu-chek blood glucose meter a couple of months ago and take my Fasting Glucose first thing in the morning with results in the range 5.5 to 6.5 mmol/mol . Also I sometimes test blood ketone level , which is 0.2 or 0,3 . I feel this is now all OK but my wife is back and likes to bake cakes and give me larger portions than I really want . I make my own"bread" using coconut flour and am trying to get my wife to make a low carb cake . I was recommended a sugar substitute , but having bought a bag am surprised to see content shows as 100% carb. Can anyone please explain how this can be better than or different to sugar as this has really confused me. Thanks in advance
 

What sugar substitute did you buy?
 
Winsor said:
Xylitol..which is quite commonly used , and apparently bad for dogs
Click to expand...

Definitely bad for dogs, it can be fatal.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol (or polyol) so while it will contain carbs, polyols generally aren't processed by the body in the same way as regular carbs, so you are likely to have much less of a sugar spike (or no spike at all) using it instead of regular sugar. Your best bet is to give it a go and test afterwards
 
Thanks for that , today is cake baking day , so my wife will give it a go .. Wonder if it is fatal for garden slugs too ..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…