Prediabetes diagnosis

[Lynn1]

I think @Brunneria is responding to @Alice233 's disbelief in pre-diabetes as a diagnosis, rather than specifically to you. But, I'm sure she'll pop in at some point and clarify.

Yes, I think you should call the surgery and ask if you can drop by and pick up your test results. The print out will clarify once and for all. For completeness, if you had a Fasting Blood Glucose test, the name says it all. If you had an HbA1c test, that is not a fasting test. The HbA1c test isn't a snapshot of your bloods at the time of the test, it looks at the amount of glucose "attached" to your red blood cells, which gives an indication of your longer term blood glucose levels. This page explains the test and its implications in more detail: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

I agree. You need to settle your mind, so that you can move forward and deal with it. How you feel is really very usual, so don't be concerned.

Thanks. I'll pop in this morning.

I just think it is appalling that I went to see my doctor expecting to hear one thing and then this bombshell landed and was sent away without any dietary information and told to wait 'til the next Workshop. Today, for example, I am meeting friends for lunch and haven't got a clue what I should or shouldn't be eating. Having been told this news, I want to get started immediately controlling it.

 

[AndBreathe]

Out of interest, how long ago where you diagnosed prediabetic?

Plus, totally confused about the rice, potatoes, pasta, porridge advice or is it just purely the way each individual responds to these carbohydrates? Some say good, others not so good.

I know your question was targeted at Annie, but I'll comment on your carbs comment.

Type 1 diabetics who inject insulin are able to eat more carbs, should they choose to, because they inject insulin to deal with the sugar and carbohydrates they have eaten. As pre-diabetics and Type 2s, our condition is a bit different. I won't go into the science, but in essence, it means that for us, irrespective of our weight status, we need to be significantly mindful of our diets; with particular the carbohydrate content.

The annoying fact is that many, many foods contain carbohydrate, which in turn, through metabolism, converts to sugar, going through our digestive systems. Glucose raises the blood sugar levels in everyone - irrespective of diabetes status. Where we differ is how our bodies cope, bringing the levels back down again. Part of that reduction process is done by insulin, which is why Type 1s (whose bodies don't produce any insulin) must inject. For Type 2s and pre-diabetics, for a plethora of reasons, are slow to reduce these levels. (Reading up on insulin resistance and failing beta cells might be useful, in due course). When our levels take a long time to reduce, then we top them up again at the next meal, there can be a cumulative effect which means our general levels run high. Clearly that is an incredibly simplified description, but I hope my more learned friends will agree it pretty much covers it, without too much detail or science.

So, what most of us choose to do is to try to limit the blood sugar rises we have, when we eat. As the majority of these rises are sugar and carbohydrate related, it makes sense to limit those food categories.

Which carbs to reduce? That's the tricky bit, because we're all different, and react as individuals. This is where testing really teaches us incredibly valuable lessons. By testing around our eating, we can begin to understand the rises, and what causes them for us, personally.

In your shoes, I'd really strongly recommend you get your blood results, because those really will help, and guide you towards your next steps.

there's a lot to take on board.

 

[AnnieC]

Out of interest, how long ago where you diagnosed prediabetic?

Plus, totally confused about the rice, potatoes, pasta, porridge advice or is it just purely the way each individual responds to these carbohydrates? Some say good, others not so good.

I have been on the borderline for about three years last year was my highest BG levels when I had my blood
tests they came out at 6.9 and 6.8 at two consecutive tests. I am due this month for my routine yearly blood test so will know then if I have gone into the diabetic levels ..that is two tests at 7 or over As for the rice pasta etc you will only find what you can eat by testing these some people can't eat them at all some can eat small portions with out spiking their levels

 

[Lynn1]

I have been on the borderline for about three years last year was my highest BG levels when I had my blood
tests they came out at 6.9 and 6.8 at two consecutive tests. I am due this month for my routine yearly blood test so will know then if I have gone into the diabetic levels ..that is two tests at 7 or over

Well, good luck and I have already ordered some of the bread you recommend. Can I have butter?

 

[AnnieC]

Well, good luck and I have already ordered some of the bread you recommend. Can I have butter?

Yes you can many here have gone back to eating butter instead of the spreads

 

[AnnieC]

I have been on the borderline for about three years last year was my highest BG levels when I had my blood
tests they came out at 6.9 and 6.8 at two consecutive tests. I am due this month for my routine yearly blood test so will know then if I have gone into the diabetic levels ..that is two tests at 7 or over As for the rice pasta etc you will only find what you can eat by testing these some people can't eat them at all some can eat small portions with out spiking their levels

Sorry messed up my thread seem to have lost some of it.. senior moment

 

[Lynn1]

Yes you can many here have gone back to eating butter instead of the spreads

Well, that's a bonus at least.

Thanka for your advice and I'll leave you in peace now!

 

[AnnieC]

Let us know how you get on

 

[Brunneria]

Why I am so confused is the blood test I was given was NOT a fasting blood test. Before the test I had eaten breakfast and drunk coffee and tea.

Really need to check this out with my surgery.

Hi again, Lynn.

Yes, my earlier response was to the poster who seemed to think that belief was relevant. Very odd. Don't worry about her comment - it isn't the slightest bit relevant to you!

When you get your test results back, in written form, you will be able to see whether it was a fasting test or an hba1c test. Both can indicate prediabetes.

And you are perfectly right. We've been talking about carbs and cutting them back, but we haven't really been talking about what you CAN eat.

So, to settle your mind. There are masses of foods that have no or minimal effect on your blood sugar. You can eat them as much as you like, allowing for any other health conditions or dietary preferences you have.

Foods that do not significantly impact on blood glucose:
All meats, fish, eggs, cheese, soya, quorn
All vegetables and salad stuff that grow above ground (root veg tend to be starchier and impact BG)
Tea, herb teas, coffee (see below for comments on milk)
Cream, unsweetened yogurt and cream cheeses.
Butter, oils, veg oils, coconut oil, margarine and mayo

So you can see, that gives you enough variety to never go without. And you get to design a diet that YOU want.

Plus, because you are prediabetic, you don't need to cut back on carbs nearly as much as a diabetic would. So you will probably still be able to all the bread, potatoes, rice etc. you will just need to cut back and have smaller portions. Your testing meter will show you

Sorry I didn't post this in time for your lunch out, but hopefully you found something to eat!

 

[Lynn1]

Hi again, Lynn.

Yes, my earlier response was to the poster who seemed to think that belief was relevant. Very odd. Don't worry about her comment - it isn't the slightest bit relevant to you!

When you get your test results back, in written form, you will be able to see whether it was a fasting test or an hba1c test. Both can indicate prediabetes.

And you are perfectly right. We've been talking about carbs and cutting them back, but we haven't really been talking about what you CAN eat.

So, to settle your mind. There are masses of foods that have no or minimal effect on your blood sugar. You can eat them as much as you like, allowing for any other health conditions or dietary preferences you have.

Foods that do not significantly impact on blood glucose:
All meats, fish, eggs, cheese, soya, quorn
All vegetables and salad stuff that grow above ground (root veg tend to be starchier and impact BG)
Tea, herb teas, coffee (see below for comments on milk)
Cream, unsweetened yogurt and cream cheeses.
Butter, oils, veg oils, coconut oil, margarine and mayo

So you can see, that gives you enough variety to never go without. And you get to design a diet that YOU want.

Plus, because you are prediabetic, you don't need to cut back on carbs nearly as much as a diabetic would. So you will probably still be able to all the bread, potatoes, rice etc. you will just need to cut back and have smaller portions. Your testing meter will show you

Sorry I didn't post this in time for your lunch out, but hopefully you found something to eat!

Have just collected test results and am none the wiser, frankly. Have no idea what the figures mean!

 

[Lynn1]

I know your question was targeted at Annie, but I'll comment on your carbs comment.

Type 1 diabetics who inject insulin are able to eat more carbs, should they choose to, because they inject insulin to deal with the sugar and carbohydrates they have eaten. As pre-diabetics and Type 2s, our condition is a bit different. I won't go into the science, but in essence, it means that for us, irrespective of our weight status, we need to be significantly mindful of our diets; with particular the carbohydrate content.

The annoying fact is that many, many foods contain carbohydrate, which in turn, through metabolism, converts to sugar, going through our digestive systems. Glucose raises the blood sugar levels in everyone - irrespective of diabetes status. Where we differ is how our bodies cope, bringing the levels back down again. Part of that reduction process is done by insulin, which is why Type 1s (whose bodies don't produce any insulin) must inject. For Type 2s and pre-diabetics, for a plethora of reasons, are slow to reduce these levels. (Reading up on insulin resistance and failing beta cells might be useful, in due course). When our levels take a long time to reduce, then we top them up again at the next meal, there can be a cumulative effect which means our general levels run high. Clearly that is an incredibly simplified description, but I hope my more learned friends will agree it pretty much covers it, without too much detail or science.

So, what most of us choose to do is to try to limit the blood sugar rises we have, when we eat. As the majority of these rises are sugar and carbohydrate related, it makes sense to limit those food categories.

Which carbs to reduce? That's the tricky bit, because we're all different, and react as individuals. This is where testing really teaches us incredibly valuable lessons. By testing around our eating, we can begin to understand the rises, and what causes them for us, personally.

In your shoes, I'd really strongly recommend you get your blood results, because those really will help, and guide you towards your next steps.

there's a lot to take on board.

OK. Have test results. Hope they make sense to you!

HbAlc IFCC standardised 44mmol/mol (20 - 42)

 

[Kat100]

Hi Lynn ....
A few tears ago I had a test that told me I was pre diabetic ...
Then another 2 weeks later that told me I was fine ...so did not worry .
Then 18 months ago it was panic ...my numbers were very high...and I was feeling rather unwell ..
It was amazing how bad things had become ....
I remember my GP saying that I could be a person whose numbers go quickly up and down ....
Now 18 months on my last hba1c test ... 5 7 or 39 ...not sure I would want to go any lower though ...getting the numbers right is something you might learn about because they are what are right for your own individual health ...
Just sharing my experience with you ..and think going on the course sounds good ...look forward to hearing about how you get on ...
Best wishes ..Kat ...not sure the shock ever goes away , but knowing what is going on ..gives you a good starting point for some control ...

 

[AndBreathe]

OK. Have test results. Hope they make sense to you!

HbAlc IFCC standardised 44mmol/mol (20 - 42)

Firstly Lynn - To answer your very first question: The test you have had, the HbA1c does not require fasting, so please rest easy on that one. That's the good news.

Secondly, the figures in brackets would be considered desirable; 20 - 42. Again, simplistically, a full blown diabetic diagnosis is anything over 48. So, that means, pre-diabetes is 42 - 48; meaning your score of 44 is within that range, but towards the lower range. So, that's bad news; your bloods do indeed indicate pre-diabetes.

Now then; next steps.

In many ways, it's up to you really, but my strong recommendation would be that you have a look at your day to day diet and assess, bearing in mind the things you have learned today about carbohydrates, if there is anything you can pare back on. I would also strongly recommend you invest in a blood glucose meter. Almost inevitably, your nurse, and the workshop you are going on will state testing is unnecessary, but I would counter that by saying it really is the only way to narrow down the what you need to do regarding carbohydrates. By looking at your testing results (and we can help you interpret them), you will learn where your hot spots are, which in turn empowers you to decide whether you need to trim back on quantities, or (hopefully not) eliminate that particular thing from your diet. At a score of 42, I would wager you could trim that score back to under the prediabetic range, without massive lifestyle changes.

You can guy a blood glucose meter in Boots, Amazon, eBay and many other places. Many of us use a meter called the SD Codefree, which is, to the best of my knowledge, not available on the High Street. you can buy it on ebay, Amazon or from Home Health directly. the meter, plus 50 strips comes to about £20, and would get you started. The meter itself is under £15, but the repeatable costs is in the strips at £6.99 for 50 (or you can get a discount for some bulk buying). The vast majority of the competitor strips come in at around £20 for 50, so it's pretty evident why many of us go the SD Codefree route!

Finally, I would start to keep a detailed food diary, so that you get a real idea of what you're eating. I'm not suggesting you graze or anything, but when we might want to think back a few days the old memory goes all fickle on us! There are several decent websites and apps you can use to keep it simple. I use myfitnesspal, but there are lots and lots out there.

Have a little think about things. There is a lot to take on board, but I would urge you to take this diagnosis as a bit of an amber light in the traffic lights of diabetic disease.

Keep posting. Keep asking questions. It's what every single one of us did at the beginning.

 

[Brunneria]

OK. Have test results. Hope they make sense to you!

HbAlc IFCC standardised 44mmol/mol (20 - 42)

Aha! Panic not!

They make sense to us.

The HbA1c test is the one you don't need to fast for. So that should lay that worry to rest.
The (20-42) figure is the normal range, that people with no problems with blood glucose lie within.
Your test result is 44.
The prediabetic range is 43-48

So you are in the bottom third of prediabetes.
Which is good news.

A few changes and adjustments to diet, a bit more exercise, and you may never develop diabetes - and you might even improve and go back to normal.

Hope that helps.

Edited to add: oops. @AndBreathe beat me to it. And said it better.

 

[Lynn1]

Than

Firstly Lynn - To answer your very first question: The test you have had, the HbA1c does not require fasting, so please rest easy on that one. That's the good news.

Secondly, the figures in brackets would be considered desirable; 20 - 42. Again, simplistically, a full blown diabetic diagnosis is anything over 48. So, that means, pre-diabetes is 42 - 48; meaning your score of 44 is within that range, but towards the lower range. So, that's bad news; your bloods do indeed indicate pre-diabetes.

Now then; next steps.

In many ways, it's up to you really, but my strong recommendation would be that you have a look at your day to day diet and assess, bearing in mind the things you have learned today about carbohydrates, if there is anything you can pare back on. I would also strongly recommend you invest in a blood glucose meter. Almost inevitably, your nurse, and the workshop you are going on will state testing is unnecessary, but I would counter that by saying it really is the only way to narrow down the what you need to do regarding carbohydrates. By looking at your testing results (and we can help you interpret them), you will learn where your hot spots are, which in turn empowers you to decide whether you need to trim back on quantities, or (hopefully not) eliminate that particular thing from your diet. At a score of 42, I would wager you could trim that score back to under the prediabetic range, without massive lifestyle changes.

You can guy a blood glucose meter in Boots, Amazon, eBay and many other places. Many of us use a meter called the SD Codefree, which is, to the best of my knowledge, not available on the High Street. you can buy it on ebay, Amazon or from Home Health directly. the meter, plus 50 strips comes to about £20, and would get you started. The meter itself is under £15, but the repeatable costs is in the strips at £6.99 for 50 (or you can get a discount for some bulk buying). The vast majority of the competitor strips come in at around £20 for 50, so it's pretty evident why many of us go the SD Codefree route!

Finally, I would start to keep a detailed food diary, so that you get a real idea of what you're eating. I'm not suggesting you graze or anything, but when we might want to think back a few days the old memory goes all fickle on us! There are several decent websites and apps you can use to keep it simple. I use myfitnesspal, but there are lots and lots out there.

Have a little think about things. There is a lot to take on board, but I would urge you to take this diagnosis as a bit of an amber light in the traffic lights of diabetic disease.

Keep posting. Keep asking questions. It's what every single one of us did at the beginning.

Thanks for your extremely helpful reply. Have immediately cut out my one teaspoon of sugar in teas and coffees. There certainly is scope to pare back on certain foods, although I am not a big eater. determined to beat this.

Feel more than angry to find out today that I had a prediabetic reading well over a year ago and waa never informed by my surgery.

 

[Lynn1]

Aha! Panic not!

They make sense to us.

The HbA1c test is the one you don't need to fast for. So that should lay that worry to rest.
The (20-42) figure is the normal range, that people with no problems with blood glucose lie within.
Your test result is 44.
The prediabetic range is 43-48

So you are in the bottom third of prediabetes.
Which is good news.

A few changes and adjustments to diet, a bit more exercise, and you may never develop diabetes - and you might even improve and go back to normal.

Hope that helps.

Edited to add: oops. @AndBreathe beat me to it. And said it better.

Thanks for the helpful reply. The main problem I have exercise-wise is that I have just had a total knee replacement and will be having the second knee operated on next March. The good news, I suppose is that I only weigh 9 stone, having lost 10 lbs since my operation, so obesity is not one of my problems!

 

[AndBreathe]

Than


Thanks for your extremely helpful reply. Have immediately cut out my one teaspoon of sugar in teas and coffees. There certainly is scope to pare back on certain foods, although I am not a big eater. determined to beat this.

Feel more than angry to find out today that I had a prediabetic reading well over a year ago and waa never informed by my surgery.

Whilst that didn't happen to me, I have read of it happening to others. But, you seem engaged and at the lower end of the scale, so I'm very hopeful you can reduce your score.

Do you know what the actual score was last time?

 

[Lynn1]

No, b

Whilst that didn't happen to me, I have read of it happening to others. But, you seem engaged and at the lower end of the scale, so I'm very hopeful you can reduce your score.

Do you know what the actual score was last time?

No, but I intend to find out.

Any idea when I am likely to be retested?

 

[AndBreathe]

No, b

No, but I intend to find out.

Any idea when I am likely to be retested?

That can vary, but I would ask for 3 months. The worst that can happen is they disagree and you have to wait longer.

 

[Brunneria]

That can vary, but I would ask for 3 months. The worst that can happen is they disagree and you have to wait longer.

I was tested once
Then 12 months later
Then they forgot about me for 3 years (I was low carbing, feeling better, and didn't feel the need to chase them)

Then I moved 300 miles.
My new surgery did a series of tests, pronounced me prediabetic (again)
Forgot about me for 3 more years (again)
I reminded them because I suspected I had developed type 2
Tested me again... And I STILL don't have an official diagnosis because my fasting BG is very variable, and I won't take an oral glucose tolerance test because it made me feel so ill last time!

I now have my blood glucose so well under control (at the moment!) that I will probably be classed as prediabetic (again, again) in the next tests?

Moral of the story:
Take personal responsibility.
Remind them if necessary.
Don't depend on the NHS to schedule anything.
Get your own meter

It works for me