Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

How quickly can diabetes start? (cotton wool spots)

3 replies

ACourseInstead · 25/01/2024 17:34

Had an eye test today and the optician thinks I have a cotton wool spot on my retina which she says can be a sign of diabetes. She suggested I see my GP and I've asked for an appointment.

However, I'm confused- I have annual blood tests due to hashimotos and my GP usual asks for everything not just thyroxine levels, so I've been being regularly tested for years and never had an issue. Last test was March 23 and my HbA1c was 33 mmol/mol which is bang in the middle of normal. Everything else also normal inc cholesterol.

I'm surprised as I thought diabetes type 2 usually crept up. Could I have gone from normal to diabetic within less than a year and with no indication of pre-diabetes or symptoms or change in lifestyle? Otherwise is there anything else the cotton wool spot could mean?

Would really appreciate any advice. Obviously the GP appointment is key but they tend to take a while for non urgent things.

OP posts:
Gingerbee · 25/01/2024 17:44

Type 1? Often if you gave one autoimmune disease you develop others.
Hope you are OK.

ACourseInstead · 25/01/2024 20:55

Thank you. I hadn’t thought of type 1 😕

OP posts:
Deathraystare · 26/01/2024 09:08

Mine never showed up in eye tests (does now!). I( believe I had it ages (kept getting thrush). I did go a few times to GP to be checked out but they said it was ok.

Then when I went to my mums for a holiday (and ending up caring for her as she had bowel cancer), I was thirsty a lot of the time and developed what I would call carbuncles on my 'fufu'. Huge itchy sores - lumpy and a large red rash between my legs at the back that felt like I had been attacked by a flame thrower.

I was unable to see a GP as not my area. Anyway, in the meantime mum had died and a friend invited me to Denmark for his wife's birthday. They had a diabetic dog and let me use one of those sticks to test my week. It went straight to the purple colour! When I got back my brother took me to a walk in centre where it was confirmed type 2 diabetes.

I tell you in the meantime I was using every thing on my poor foof..It was so sore and I could hardly sit down! Riding in my brother's car was agony!!!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page