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

So Am I Diabetic?

K

kostas1127

Member
Messages
7
Greetings,so recently i went to have my blood drawn because i didnt in a long time and the doctors discovered that i had 139 bg/dl they told me i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes until i took a hb1ac or whatever its called to see if i was really diabetic.1 week after i took this test and it showed 5.7 mmol which is below a diabetic range even by a small margin.After they told me to do one more test of blood glykose and i did two tests.1 showed i had 105mg/dl and the second 99mg/dl after fasting.Could it be that the first test was elevated due to my super increased anxiety? i was dropping sweat of anxiety and in the other ones i was calmer also before taking the first test i ate sweets 12 hours before the test could it be the problem?.My question is out of 4 tests i did only the first one seems to be positive.After all that i went to my endocrinologist for my hypothyroid due to my obesity (im taking t4 100mg) and she told me that i dont have any diabetes but to make sure she did a final test on my blood and the results were 97mg/dl which is borderline normal.Im really trying now to eat less carbs and no processed sweets at all even though im not diabetic.Do i have a chance not to have diabetes?PS im morbidly obese and im on a calorie deficiency with moderate exercise 3-4 times a week(gym walking 35-45 minutes at 4mph) Lost 4 kg in 2 weeks
 
The way to think about this is that being or not being diabetic is a grey scale. Doctors (accountants? medical insurers) have decided, for financial and administrative purposes, to count a certain number as being where diabetes starts. A tiny bit under and you are not classed as diabetic, a bit over and all their set routines begin.
From a patient point of view, I would say that if you are in the vicinity of the magic number (and this gets changed and is different in different countries), it would be a good idea to alter your lifestyle. In particular I would cut down on all sugar and most carbs. This will keep blood sugars safely down and will help with weight loss.
By the way, welcome to the forum and I'll tag @daisy1 who will post new member information (well worth reading) on this thread a little later on.
Sally
 
Ok so even if im not diagnosed as diabetic im pretty close to that number so i should keep a healthier lifestyle.One question please sir in order for a diabetic to have his leg amputated do his number have to be skyrocketed or could this happen to me too even if im not that high ? Also i exercise 3 times a week walking and eat mostly protein foods and fruits and vegetables in order to lose some weight too.I guess i should be in a state of ''prediabetes'' and watch what i eat
 
Last edited:
kostas1127 said:
Ok so even if im not diagnosed as diabetic im pretty close to that number so i should keep a healthier lifestyle.One question please sir in order for a diabetic to have his leg amputated do his number have to be skyrocketed or could this happen to me too even if im not that high ? Also i exercise 3 times a week walking and eat mostly protein foods and fruits and vegetables in order to lose some weight too.I guess i should be in a state of ''prediabetes'' and watch what i eat
Click to expand...
Amputations are necessary when infections do not heal and gangrene sets in. This is more common in diabetics because high glucose levels damage nerves and injuries are not noticed, and high glucose levels inhibit healing. However, the nerve damage occurs when high glucose levels have been present for a long time and this doesn't apply to you. If you are still worried, do what diabetics are supposed to do and inspect your feet regularly for any minor injury and treat it before it becomes a problem.
 
kostas1127 said:
One question please sir in order for a diabetic to have his leg amputated do his number have to be skyrocketed or could this happen to me too even if im not that high ?
Click to expand...
Legs are amputated because their condition is so diseased that to leave them in situ would put the rest of the body at risk. High sugar levels over an extended period slow down and prevent healing. A small blister caused by an ill fitting shoe can lead to an amputation, if it doesn't heal properly. As in all things, we are all a bit different and some will get away with more than others. The important thing for health, well-being and happiness is to keep your sugar levels within normal levels and this is best done, if possible, by not eating the sugar in the first place.
Sally
 
Thank you sir and by normal sugar levels under 100 mg/dl after fasting or is there any other safe limit i should aim for?And also i know im annoying but im just very depressed about it.According to my a1c levels and the numbers of glykose levels could i already have damaged my healing capabilities?
 
Last edited:
@kostas1127 Have a scroll down this thread, https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...-to-the-50-shades-of-diabetes-graphic.121077/ You will find the graphic, 50 shades of diabetes. The units that you are using, mg/dl are in the third row down in each colour band. As you will see, it would be wise to stay in the green or the greeny-yellows, if you can. This will give you the very best chances of good health.
As for damage already done, the body has an amazing ability to heal itself, as long as you stop damaging it.
Sally
 
So if keep my blood sugar in check,exercise regularly and healthy i wont damage my system and wont have to worry about the things im anxious about.Thank you also according to that chart you sent me it seems i didnt cause too much damage to my system there is a chance to become healthy and not have diabetic complications!
 
Thank you Sir you really relieved me from my anxiety.I will check it out i want to see what other people have experienced.Also i appreciate your help looking forward to keeping my blood levels under 110mg/dl then
 
It is fantastic that you are taking control of your health; the only upside to diabetes is that when you make the changes to address this condition it resolves loads of others. Keep in mind that diet is key at about 85% of the healing process, unless you are doing Biggest Loser amounts of exercise at around 5 hours a day. By combining exercise you will progress quicker, so keep this up. Complications can happen at pre-diabetic levels, but it doesn't appear that you are experiencing these.

If I could turn back time I would go Keto right away, I would keep a diary or use an app and learn about seasoning.
 
Sir actually i dont overdo it with exercise i go to the gym and i walk at a speed of 4 miles per hour for 35-45 minutes 3-4 times a week it may sound little but i get very tired cause i never pushed myself this hard before i had some bad habits in the...Also with the site Mr/Mrs Sally sent me i took a look at the ketogenic diet and all these people saying how helpfull it actually is.I will actually try to follow it as close as i can but most importantly avoiding clean carbs like bread,sugars,pasta,rice those are the cancer of diabetes and i wont fall for that again.Time to grab some veggies and hit the gym really appreciate your help guys.Prosperity and health to you!
 
@kostas1127

Hello Kostas1127 and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope it will be useful to you. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 
Back
Top