To think it’s possible I have diabetes

[Dustlandcinderella]

I’ve been feeling poorly post Covid. Not I’ll enough to be off work but just a bit blah.

GP sent me for blood tests and at next appointment told me they were all fine last week

But today I got a letter from the GP telling me to contact the nurse for a fasting blood test.

I’ve never been asked to go for a second blood test: is it possible that they think I have diabetes

they check diabetes in your piss, you would be pissing sugar.

@VelvetChairGirl when I was pregnant they checked it with a fasting blood test and diagnosed it that way

[quote Dustlandcinderella]@VelvetChairGirl when I was pregnant they checked it with a fasting blood test and diagnosed it that way[/quote]
they can do both, piss take is the general simple one a GP does, my sister is diabetic the GP always gives me piss tests as a precaution not because they have already found something if you see what I mean but as a basic check to see if thats what it is as I would be genetically more prone to get it because of her so it might explain my symptoms.

everyone gets the blood test when they are pregnant because you can have Gestational diabetes.

I cant imagine a GP giving a blood test instead of a piss test first if they are looking for diabetes, piss test is instant. a blood test isnt and can find more things.

They do check via blood tests usually for diabetes, I've never been asked to do a pee test anyway myself

oh and piss test was how my sister got diagnosed, then bloods were taken to get more accuracy.

Do you mean type 1 or type 2?

If they thought you were type 1 I’d have thought they’d literally get you in same day and do a simple finger prick, you’re blood sugar would be really high

Sounds possible. If you’ve already has gestational diabetes, you’re at increases risk. Don’t panic though. Even if you test as having elevated blood sugars, it isn’t necessarily full blown diabetes and types 1.5 & 2 can be put into remission. I’m in remission.

@Dustlandcinderella it may be that your random sugar level wasa little high - can be seen with stress response in illness and that a fasting test is being done to check on it.

@VelvetChairGirl at least here in the UK diagnosis is made only on blood tests either glucose or HbA1c levels.

I’ve never heard a urine sample called a “piss take” before.

[quote Hamsterfan]@Dustlandcinderella it may be that your random sugar level wasa little high - can be seen with stress response in illness and that a fasting test is being done to check on it.

@VelvetChairGirl at least here in the UK diagnosis is made only on blood tests either glucose or HbA1c levels.[/quote]
well she had a piss test and then was sent to hospital on the same day.

@Thoosa

I’ve never heard a urine sample called a “piss take” before.

well it is

actually I should say it is, what it is.

It kind of works, yes.

Diabetes is diagnosed from a blood test called hba1c, it's non fasting. Tell us what your sugar has been over the past three months.
A fasting glucose is only a spot check of a moment in time and not diagnostic. Nor is a urine dipstick, although both may initiate further investigation.

OP, when my son was diagnosed the GP dipped his urine and did a finger prick test. They told us the results instantly. It's very easy to check blood glucose levels (we do it 7 times a day now!), and it's instant. This was for type 1 diabetes, but type 2 is a different beast so the test for that may be different.

Have you the classic diabetic symptoms? My son was very, very unwell: weight loss, extreme thirst, passing a lot of urine, vomiting, tiredness.

Velvetchairgirl is not correct, I monitor blood test results for a GP practice.
Tests for diabetes are usually via a blood test. We generally use hba1c rather than fasting blood sugar. If your hba1c result is indicative of diabetes we would usually repeat the test, if this is still raised we would diagnose diabetes.
However - you do NOT need to be fasted for the hba1c blood test.
Some GP's might want a fasting blood sugar level to diagnose diabetes but this isn't usual (not in my area anyway).
OP - you say your GP wants you to have a fasting blood test - did they specifically say they were testing your blood sugar? They are more likely to be testing your cholesterol level - if we do a fasting test we can get a more detailed result, we would then be able to discuss dietary changes and/or statins.

My son and partner were both diagnosed with Type1 diabetes in the last year. With my son the GP did a urine dip stick and sent us straight to A&E where they did a finger prick glucose test and admitted him. My partner did a glucose finger prick (with sons kit) at home after feeling poorly, it was high so we called 111 and the again sent him straight to A&E.

Do you have symptoms of diabetes? They are being very thirsty, needing the toilet all the time especially over night, losing weight and feeling very tired.

@hazelnutlatte. I’ve just read the letter again! It just states “fasting blood test” I’ve just assumed it’s for diabetes.

I had gestational diabetes and my dad has type 2 diabetes despite never being overweight: I also take meds which increase the risk of diabetes so that’s why I’m a bit worried!

Could be testing for triglycerides. I think that and blood glucose are the common ones that require fasting.

You sound quite stressed. If you don’t have a surgery log in, you might be able to access test results on the NHS app if you have that or download it.

To look at the numbers in the last round of the blood tests, blood I mean.

Sometimes things get signed off as “normal range” but then they’re reviewed and someone else thinks they are too close to the edge of range, or consider a borderline result in the context of symptoms and decide to follow up.

If you look at the actual results you should be able to see what’s what.

@VelvetChairGirl

they check diabetes in your piss, you would be pissing sugar.

My diabetes was diagnosed via a blood test about 5 months ago. The GP hasn't asked for a urine sample.

Well anything's possible OP.

Just take the test.

I had gestational diabetes and type 2 is in my family. I have to pee in a bottle for a urine dip once a year. Every three years or so I get a fasting blood test.
It'll probably be that.
I was told because of my circumstances I'd probably be diabetic by the age of 40 ( and they knew me as the kebab queen!)
I was 50 in January and touch wood all is well.

@hazelnutlatte

I’ve just had blood tests and my HbA1c came back at 5.7. Dr specifically said I’m not diabetic but (and I know I shouldn’t!) Googling suggests 5.7 May be on the cusp of pre diabetes. What would you say?

People can have different levels of diabetes - particularly type 2 (which tends to be older people). Fasting blood sugar is more sensitive than urine test I think. If you are borderline diabetes, then it could be that lifestyle interventions like weight loss, exercise can reverse it and at the very least reduce complications from diabetes. My parents have lived with type2 diabetes for several years now and they take medication and watch what they eat, but have a normal life.