What test was used for your diagnosis?

I was diagnosed March 2014 following two fasting blood glucose tests both of which produced a reading slightly above 7 and I was told that I was therefore type 2 diabetic. But my Hba1c results have always been within 'normal limits'. When I queried this I was told I was still diabetic which I have never properly understood. I did attend a diabetes education class after diagnosis and said there that I thought the HB1ac was a more reliable diagnostic method. I was told that things were moving that way. When I suggested that I thought T2 diabetes was potentially reversible if the factors that caused it were reversed, I was treated like a laughing stock! But I now know that I was thinking along the right lines!

I had my urine tested and it contained sugar. I had gone to the doctors with signs & symptoms of Diabetes.

I went to the doctors with an infection - sent for a fasting blood test, came back with sugar level of 16.1 and informed type 2 diabetic and immediately put onto Metformin and a statin - statin because cholesterol was slightly high as well.

Glucostix (or an equivalent brand) urine stick for me at the docs in 1986. Didn't have any issues producing a sample for the GP whilst there as I couldn't stop weeing - and drinking. I was then taken from the surgery to hospital by ambulance and put on insulin and saline drips in severe DKA. I had just turned 18 and had IDDM to look forward to for the rest of my life. Now older , hopefully wiser and a bit greyer - but I'm still the same weight as I was back then .

At a general review appointment in November 2013 I was told that at my previous review in March of that year a routine blood test (presumably HbA1c) had given results in the low 60s - I don't remember the actual figure. I had two follow up HbA1c tests with levels of 60 and 61, so was eventually diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic at the end of November 2013.

Robbity

I went through the oral glucose test... or nearly did! The local hospital decided after I had sat there for a few hours, my BS levels were that high, it wasn't safe to do so. Originally the first hint of a major problem was cataracts at quite a young age. Perhaps a HbA1c test as part of a routine test for everyone, would save a lot of pain and money for the NHS?

staturn said:

I went through the oral glucose test... or nearly did! The local hospital decided after I had sat there for a few hours, my BS levels were that high, it wasn't safe to do so. Originally the first hint of a major problem was cataracts at quite a young age. Perhaps a HbA1c test as part of a routine test for everyone, would save a lot of pain and money for the NHS?

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In NZ it is recommended for everyone at age 45 and every 5 years after that, and younger for those with risk factors or symptoms.

My OH was meant to get tested a few years ago as the Dr had concerns but as he is scared of needles he never got it done. It would be great if it was compulsory and there was no way of getting out of being tested.

rosserk said:

So you were left for over 6 months after a blood test showed a result in the low 60s?

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Yes, but I was too gobsmacked at my diagnosis to make a fuss about it.at the time.. And in retrospect I suppose I may have been partially to blame in that I never used to ask for my routine test results. I only ever did so if there needed to be a follow up for some reason, which didn't often happen. I'd also spent the previous five or so years in a state of complete and utter brain fogged zonked out zombiness which didn't actually help matters. It's only since I started low carbing that I've been able think with a clear head again...

But yes, I've been appalled.

Robbity

4ratbags said:

My OH was meant to get tested a few years ago as the Dr had concerns but as he is scared of needles he never got it done. It would be great if it was compulsory and there was no way of getting out of being tested.

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How is your OH doing now? I don't know how people scared of needles survive - I've had so many injections and fingerprick tests in my life.

Still wont go and he wont let me test his BS either.

4ratbags said:

Still wont go and he wont let me test his BS either.

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I hope his BGs are ok.

Men!

In my case I had symptoms, so purchased my own monitor. I had readings of 17 and 15 two Sunday mornings in a row, so I went to my GP and requested a test for diabetes.

In the meantime I had found this site and forum so I had already educated myself.

The nurse gave me a HbA1c test and a week later my GP told me what I already knew, as I had a result of 88.

I went to the doctors as I couldn't get rid of a cold, they found my blood pressure was high, so I was asked to return for blood tests. Nothing was mentioned regarding what the tests were for. A week later the practice phoned and said there were no problems with the tests but the doctor would like to Speak to me. I went through the door and the first thing the doctor said was "I have to tell you that you have diabetes."
That was basically it. No discussion on the results , I was told to attend a diabetes education day (complete waste of time)
I felt like someone had kicked me where it hurts and the run away.
I am assuming it was hba1c test they used but I was never told!

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 49. I thought I had a viral infection as I just felt rough. Luckily I was with my family and clearly my mother could see that I was very unwell and persuaded me after a couple of days to attend an out of hours GP service. I still felt that I was suffering from a viral infection. The GP immediately diagnosed that I was dehydrated and sent me to A+E (the same building). I was put on a trolley and shortly after I became breathless, being told I was hyperventilating. I work in healthcare and I knew I wasn't hyperventilating as I have had to manage patients doing exactly that. I then became extremely thirsty. The breathlessness and thirst were due to the onset of ketoacidosis. I think I was diagnosed largely as a consequence of the signs and symptoms as I think I then became unconscious. My next memory was being under a sterile drape with doctors struggling to place a central line to give me fluids. an abdominal MRI scan was taken and my pancreas was atrophied (shrivelled) to about the size of a walnut. A pathologist friend assured me that that doesn't ever occur with type 2.

Subsequently it became apparent that I had started to develop type 1 many years before but probably as a consequence of a healthy diet I had staved off the symptoms. I visited my GP about 15 years earlier with an incident of blurred vision lasting about a minute. He however diagnosed a migraine without a headache. I had a few vother episodes of slight visual blurring. The one manifestation of diabetes that I had other than the acute symptoms was diabetic retinopathy.

I am angry with myself that I didn't push my GP to investigate further especially as I my undergraduate course contained a module on diabetes and I had further training in my postgraduate career. I had only been qualified about a year when I diagnosed type 1 diabetes within 5 minutes of questioning for a woman who had seen 6 GP's over the preceding few months

rosserk said:

Can I ask the good people on this forum if they were diagnosed using a testing method other than HBa1c ?

To clarify where you diagnosed using one of the following methods.

• A fasting plasma glucose test measures your blood glucose after you have gone at least eight hours without eating or drinking anything but plain water. This test is used to detect diabetes or pre-diabetes.
• An oral glucose tolerance test measures your blood sugar after you have gone at least eight hours without eating and drinking and two hours after you drink a glucose-containing beverage. This test can be used to diagnose diabetes
• A random plasma glucose test, your doctor checks your blood glucose without regard to when you ate your last meal. This test, along with an assessment of symptoms, is used to diagnose diabetes but not pre-diabetes.

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Hi, went to GPwith lump in my axilla. HbA1c was 23.

I went to my GP due to feeling incredibly grotty with nothing in particular I could identify. I'd qualified (as a nurse, of all things) and while I'd been fit & healthy during my training, as soon as I'd qualified and got my first job, it was as if I'd been dropped into a vat of treacle up to chest-level. I was constantly exhausted, drinking all the time, always weeing and- by far the worst- that sleepy o daren't sit down long at work cos I was convinced I'd fall straight asleep! My GP wrote to me with blood results telling me I'm diabetic & high cholesterol; see me. When I did he merely said You're diabetic, eat healthily, go away. That didn't help nor work. I ended up on insulin pretty fast.

I was diagnosed 10 years ago...I had a fasting bg test...then had to go home ..eat a normal breakfast...drink a bottle of lucozade ...eat a chocolate biscuit.....then two hours later have another test..which came back as 11.1...I was told I was type 2....had to see a dietitian....diet and exercise....not on any meds.....my last hb a1c was 5.4