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Testing my blood at home AFTER an official test?

C

CanadianGuy

Member
I am a huge baby about blood tests. My anxiety floods my system. Today I decided screw it, bite the bullet and get it done!! So I went in, still anxious, and asked to lie down, had a good nurse. Before I left the house my level was 5.2. I went and did the test, the nurse/blood person was amazing, she made me laugh, and even though I was jittery I was ok. No fainting, lol.
Came back home and checked and it was 106 followed by 2 or 3 102's.
Why is my # higher after my blood drawn?

How much does anxiety play a role in the #'s, especially in non-diabetics?

Reason I ask is last time I went for a test my fasting # was 115 (I was soooo anxious) but my A1C was 5.0 (31?) which my doc said was perfect.

Somehow I can't convince my doctor that my anxiety is hindering me, he won't prescribe anything or do anything for me.
 
Have you actually been diagnosed with pre diabetes? Because a hba1 of 5% isn't prediabetic.
High random blood sugars which you know are caused by the stress of the blood test don't suggest there's anything wrong with you. There isn't anything to prescribe or do for this. If you aren't have frequent blood tests then you won't be having ant noticable anxiety, certainly not enough anxiety to be "hindering" you.
 

I'm really unsure what my doctor is on about.
I brought my girlfriend with me to interpret and she was super p***ed that he didn't seem to listen to me.
In Jan 2017 he sent me for blood and my fasting was 105 but I'm extremely anxious with my blood getting drawn and have gone to him with anxiety issues and he doesn't do anything about it.
So I went in October 2017 again for anxiety and I happened to see the 105 on my test and I asked him about it. He never told me about it until I asked!
So he went on about how I'm too heavy and need to lose weight and again told me he can't give me anything for my anxiety but sent me for more blood.
Took another blood test at a lab and it was 115 fasting with 5% a1c. I was an absolute nervous wreck before the test btw. He told me that the a1c didn't matter it was the fasting that did.
I tried to tell him my anxiety was causing me huge physical stress. He told me he could refer to a psychiatrist but expect to wait six months.
No anxiety meds.
Then he accused me of drinking too much wine and eating too many potatoes (I told him I drink whiskey to help with anxiety but never said wine).
So I never got any official diagnosis from him.
But to be honest I think my higher numbers are anxiety related.
He had no explanation why my a1c was great but my fasting wasn't. Just told me to lose weight.
Since then I've lost a lot of weight and gone from 185 to maybe 163 pounds at 5'9" tall.
But when I test my blood nothing makes it creep up like anxiety.
But he won't listen...
Ok the most anxious during tests.

So in a nutshell, he told me my numbers are pre diabetic for my fasting but my a1c is."perfect" according to him, and when I asked him for help with my anxiety he just scolded me and told me to lose weight.
My girlfriend thinks my doctor is incompetent and she told me she feels he just blew me off.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Anxiety is an awful thing to suffer from it has no logic and can be very debilitating- I can't really help with your question but I think for your peace of mind you should see a different doctor that will listen to you about your anxiety and help you
 
@CanadianGuy

I have great sympathy with you and anxiety with blood being taken.

I have had a phobia of needles all my life, as at age 5 I had a lumbar punch, which was not pleasant in the mid 1960's for a kid.

Since then if I have to have blood taken, my veins play hide and seek and have had blood taken from some odd places, and today it was from my left forearm. Plus, I have been known to faint too, but make a joke of it and nurses make it as stress free as possible.

For example, today I had to have my blood taken for HbA1c.

My fasting BG with finger pricks first thing on waking have been in mid 5's for several days, today with my HbA1c, today it was 6.0, and a quick check just before giving blood it had reached 7.3.

All because of the anxiety and stress of having to give blood

So you are no alone and the rise can be expected
 
Hey @CanadianGuy, I'm with your girlfriend - there is no need to continue seeing a Doc who will not listen and try to work with you.....Get a new Doctor!! I know it isn't easy finding one, especially if you are in a big city like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, but there should be something with the Canadian Medical Association or a provincial body that lists Doctors accepting new clients? Or ask around at your work place if anyone knows if their Doc is taking new clients....this current Doc is not worth your time!! You have to look after yourself!! For him to tell you that the A1C isn't important is completely ridiculous.....sorry, but I have no patience with Docs that don't want to work with their patients. Take care/L
 
Thank you all for your replies. I have had anxiety my whole life. My current doc thinks it's not going to do me any good to go on meds...If he feels that way, I certainly would like him to listen about my phobia of getting my blood pricked.
I was surprised when he dismissed the A1C number and said the FBG is what they use to diagnose.
Mick1959, sounds like you and I have the same thing...I am scared what m FBG is going to be with this bout of anxiety. I was gonna get my blood drawn yesterday but was so anxious that my numbers shot up and i felt i couldn't do it.
Today was more relaxed but still think it's screwing with my true numbers.
 
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