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Using Blood Sugar Increases as Early Disease Detection?

Diamattic

Well-Known Member
Messages
678
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
This may be a strange thread, but I have been thinking about it.

Most people when they develop a serious illness (cancer for example) tend to notice small signs that gradually get worse until they see a doctor who diagnoses them. But I was wondering - as a diabetic would we first see a change in our blood sugars and insulin requirements before, or during those early less noticeable sign periods?

Like when a non diabetic would walk around saying "my back has been sore, and my stool has been loose lately - thats probably just from changes in my diet" Would we have the same symptoms PLUS unexplained BS increases? effectively pointing to something more serious then say a change in diet ?

This may seem a bit morbid but i like to think of it as a potential bonus lol like now we have an early warning system right? I mean if it works this way that is... So does it work this way, anyone know if we would see that increase in BS early on ?
 
I too have thought about this and I see people on the forum mention that they may have a cold coming as they have erratic sugars.

Another thought I had was, despite the t1, are we healthier than most people? We are more aware of the food we consume, we see the doctor fairly regularly and any anomalies aren't ignored (i.e. Noticing illness/ colds early as you mention above).

Food for thought!
 
Oh yes. Definitely.

I've seen posts on the forum mentioning raised bg as a sign of chronic infection. And stress - and we all know the knock on effects stress on heart, stroke and immune system.

There is also a strong argument that insulin resistance is as (or more) harmful than raised blood glucose. So that can be a predictor too.

Also, IMO we can use blood pressure as a detection/warning device. I prefer to see my bp as a warning sign of things to come, and time to adjust diet, lifestyle, food intolerances, exercise, etc. Unfortunately, my doc just wanted to throw tablets at me, instead of investigating (onviously no one told him that raised bp is a symptom, not a cause). Eventually, through my own efforts, i worked out that coffee was raising my bp. Stopped it, and stopped the raised bp.

Not intending to derail your thread, but just wanted to say that there are many different warning signs, from indigestion to aching joints, bp and bg - we just have to be open to listening to our own bodies.
 
Sure, I've experienced this myself and have seen many members say they have higher bg levels before the symptoms of a illness appear.
 
This is all good stuff!

I am glad to hear - I am (like some of you I am sure) a bit of a hypochondriac (after being totally healthy and then all of a sudden getting this disease - why couldn't it happen again? but anyway...) So if you all agree then it would be safe to say if we had no change in our blood sugar levels, and no increased insulin resistance then we likely wouldn't have any diagnosed issues?
 

I would be very wary of making any assumption like that.

The idea appeals, but it would be wishful thinking. I mean, there must be a lot of health issues that can develop without specifically affecting blood glucose...
 
Diamattic said:
I am glad to hear - I am (like some of you I am sure) a bit of a hypochondriac (after being totally healthy and then all of a sudden getting this disease - why couldn't it happen again?
Click to expand...

Wouldn't say hypochondriacs as that applies we are overtly anxious about our health, I certainly don't fall into that category @Diamattic
 
Hi. One of the problems with diabetes especially T2 is that there are few if any symptoms which is why it is such an insidious condition. I would say that it is quite normal to have no symptoms until the diabetes has progressed quite along way and you get the symptoms of thirst, frequent trips to loo, candida etc.
 

There could be a variety of reasons for a sudden BS rise though.. Like a dodgy batch of insulin or someone slipping "something" carby in my drink??

I wouldn't instantly think I'm coming down with a dose of the clap...! (Not that I've ever had a "round of applause".)
 

har har har lol

Yes true, but the more symptoms easier things are to identify. Sometimes things in our bodies can get out of whack for a few days, or weeks before we really notice strange outwardly. So seeing that extended period of high sugars could cause someone to look a bit harder at their bodies and find symptoms earlier then those without diabetes - is the theory i have anyway.. Obviously sometimes its a bad infusion set, or poor meal control, but sometimes its a cold, or stress, or whatever else may happen.
 

I appreciate the logic in your thinking..
Though, to be fair a prickle at the back of the nose/taste buds shot & a snotty airway is a sure sign of lurgy. My meter just tells me to ramp up the basal to control the BS...
 
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