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!
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What test was used for your diagnosis?
- Thread starter rosserk
- Start Date
rosserk
Well-Known Member
I was told two random blood sugars of 13.2 & 15.3 were not conclusive of diabetes because my HBa1c came back at the upper end of normal I was told I didn't have diabetes but they can't explain why all my random blood sugars are high always in double figures. I have two doctors saying I'm diabetic and one saying I don't. I'm waiting to see a consultant and need to have some scans to see what's going on. I've been low carbing and my blood sugars are now averaging 7 but I can't tolerate any amount of carbs without sending them into double figures.
srobertson06
Well-Known Member
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.
Matt J
Well-Known Member
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 
.
, hopefully wiser and a bit greyer - but I'm still the same weight as I was back then .
Robbity
Expert
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
Robbity
rosserk
Well-Known Member
So you were left for over 6 months after a blood test showed a result in the low 60s?
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?
ButtterflyLady
Well-Known Member
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.
Robbity
Expert
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
ButtterflyLady
Well-Known Member
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.
ButtterflyLady
Well-Known Member
britishpub
Well-Known Member
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.
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!
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!
Last edited by a moderator:
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
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
Barrystainthorpe
Newbie
Hi, went to GPwith lump in my axilla. HbA1c was 23.
Bagpuss Lives!
Active Member
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
