How did you find out you have diabetes?

[Pebbles982]

Can you please explain how you have found out as I have visited my doctor abroad that knows me well for ages and when she saw me she said that she wants me to get my insulin tested and few other things and it turned out I am pre diabetic but it can be easily reversed if I follow a diet. However, I live in the uk so I need to start the test again to see where I am and I will need advice on nutrition. I don’t know how to start this test - do I ask for them ? Never used NHS in 10 years living in the UK - thank you

You need to book an appointment with your doctor and ask for a hba1c blood test.
I’m type 1 but sounds like you’re likely to be type 2. You can reverse it /manage it and prevent it progressing by changing your diet/losing weight if you’re overweight.
just look up “type 2 diabetes” on the nhs website

You tend not to be given a test unless you are symptomatic, for monitoring or as part of a wider battery of blood tests. The diabetes one is hba1c.

See your gp or practice nurse, explain you have previously been advised you are prediabetic and ask if they can check your HbA1c. This will indicate if you still have prediabetes, or if you are in fact diabetic.

This is a good website with advice on diet for pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes….
https://lowcarbfreshwell.com

How old are you OP? You are entitled to a health check every 5 years once you turn 40 on the NHS. They do certain bloodtests as standard and one of those is the HBa1C test for diabetes. You can contact your GP practice to arrange it. Some surgeries automatically invite patients but doesn't seem to.

At my surgery if I told the receptionist I needed an hba1c test they’d make me an appointment with the phlebotomist to have this done.

I successfully reversed mine by losing 4 stone on an NHS supervised diet which had me on protein shakes and 800 calories.

now I believe they prescribed mounjaro for this.

I was wondering what the difference is between fasting glucose blood test and the Hba1c? What if one is highlighted as being high (but only by 0.1), and the other is normal, i.e. the glucose is slightly raised but the HB is perfect. Would anyone know, because that is me!

I couldn’t get an appt at the doctors and had suspicions so bought a freestyle Libre sensor on Amazon. Within a few hours of putting it on my arm it was sending me alerts to seek medical attention for very high glucose readings. Called 111 and gave them my readings, a doctor called me back and told me to go straight to A&E, they did a load of tests, gave me a shot of insulin and sent me straight to the Diabetes team. Blood sugar normal range is 4-10 n/mol, my readings on the Libre and the finger prick tests were 26-30 n/mol so just a bit high 😂

Within a couple of weeks of being diagnosed they prescribed me Mounjaro, since then I’ve lost 4 and a half stone and my HbA1c has gone from 11% to 5.7% so I’m now in remission. Unfortunately it’s one of those conditions where you’re never ‘cured’ but hopefully I can keep it in remission for a good long time,

You are n’t diagnosed on a finger prick test. Levels go up and down naturally. Normally it is two hba1c tests at intervals, above 48 is diabetic range.

If you had blood tests and the reports abroad, and they are readable in English (or potentially a European language where its similar lettering), you make an appointment at your UK GP and discuss with the GP. As other said, an HbA1C and depending on your age, they might do thyroid and other well woman/well man tests.

Are you actually registered with a GP in the UK?

Yes - I am, I will contact them first thing tomorrow morning thank you for your feedback

I’m only in my early 30s - I had a huge stress recently losing my mum so I’m not sure if that’s what has been affecting me

Thank you so much - my doctor abroad said “ just avoid carbs” but I want a proper plan on my diet now and I want to be checked regularly.
I hope to shake this off

I was diagnosed as Type 2 just before Xmas on the results of HBa1 test (I had had no symptoms, this was a routine blood test). My level was 49 so just above the pre-diabetic level. I had read a lot on how to manage Type 2 previously so I opted to manage it via diet and exercise and retest in 3 months. I had another blood test two weeks ago and am now back at 45, so heading firmly back down.
I have followed a low carb diet, been strict about the times I eat (opting for at least 15 fasting hours) and have lost only half a stone. I’ve restarted my aquafit classes and am walking/cycling more. So I’ve definitely not been on a starvation diet and in the gym 2 hrs a day. I do believe the biggest change has been dropping carbs.
ive found the book “Diabetes weight loss cookbook” by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi really useful, both for food advice and for Giancarlo’s story of putting his Type 2 into remission, and the foreword by Dr David Unwin which makes the science make sense for me.
im hoping for 42 at my July test.

That’s more sensible advise than any you’ll get in the uk. You’ll just be told to reduce sugar you won’t be given a diet plan or see a dietician or anything, I’d be surprised if you even get a leaflet.

Do an econsult and ask for a hba1c test though so that you’re in the system and followed up with an annual check.

Just ask them for a blood test checking your A1c levels.

my kid has diabetes, we found out as they nearly died. It’s not fun and something you seriously need to stay on top of.

No need to scaremonger, whilst undiagnosed T1 can be fatal you’re not going to die from pre diabetes. Standard UK care is an a1c every 12 months and that’s it, they’ve already had an a1c in the last 12 months anyway

Athlete's Foot and being sick/feeling strange during the night.

Went 6 months in between the two tests.

Pebbles982 Sounds like you've probably been in touch with GP already, but I asked just asked the receptionist for an appointment to have my bloods checked. I probably haven't been a GP for 15 years though, so I guess if anyone checked if I was entitled, they wouldn't refuse me as they've no idea what my state of health is.

When you get your result back, ask if your GP's practice can put you on the ten month programme for pre-diabetes. It's called a different thing in a different area and I think the majority of areas do them. You can attend online or in person (a different local area comes up every few days, so you can get one reasonably local). I think mine consists of about 16 group sessions. If you can't make a session you can easily reschedule online with others (even if you're you attend the in person programme). I've found it really interesting think about diet, nutrition, gut health, stress, exercise, sleep. I've got my follow up blood test next month (nine months after first). No idea how my levels are (I struggle to keep weight on so have had some things I shouldn't but overall I've made a lot of improvements in all areas), but I do feel really well, fit and less tired.

As a teen I went to my GP and told them I think have diabetes based on having same symptoms that my dm had when she was pregnant with my youngest sister. GP agreed to test. After a few back and forth, I ended up in hospital being treated for dka.