14.3 finger prick before eating

[AlfiesMum42]

Hi, my partner thinks he may be diabetic we did a finger prick test yesterday and it came back at 14 .3. How much would you panic? Going to try for an appointment tomorrow but if I can't get one could we wait a few days?

If he wants to speak to a doctor you could Phone nhs24 and tell them about his symptoms and reading and if they think it’s necessary they will get a doctor to speak to him and likely tell him to come in. That should satisfy him that it’s been appropriately dealt with.

Op if your DH goes into DKA his brain could swell in his head and he could die. Or become brain damaged. People can, and do, die from not seeking medical help quickly enough when they’re developing type 1. He needs to go to A&E and he needs to go now. I think waiting for it to become a blue light situation is incredibly unwise.

I was 24 when diagnosed and that was after eating a meal and drinking a fizzy drink. My blood sugar would’ve been about 14 I think before eating, although it’s hard to say as initially you still produce some insulin which keeps you alive but this peters out rapidly.

Unless you or somebody under your roof has type 1 please don’t try to reassure OP these numbers can be normal. They’re very much not normal and guessing at ‘benign’ reasons why a fasting reading is so high is very dangerous advice.

Also sorry to post again but please stop urging him to test again. There is a small natural variation in readings so if he gets 14.1 he’ll be falsely reassured it’s ’coming down’. It’s far too high, he is at risk of DKA, he needs to go to A&E.

@AlfiesMum42 did you manage to see a doc?

Yes thanks he's seen a Gp and had bloods she wasnt sure what his symptoms could be and said glucose could fluctuate so just waiting on these results now. Thanks

Did they test his sugar levels there too?
Really hope you get some answers quickly.
but please, if you notice any signs of DKA, please call an ambulance or take him to A&E immediately.

Common Symptoms of DKA
Early symptoms:
Extreme thirst
frequent urination
High blood glucose levels
High ketones in urine or blood
Dry mouth or dehydration
tiredness or weakness

As it worsens:
nausea and vomiting
Stomach pain
Loss of appetite
Flushed face
Rapid, deep breathing (called Kussmaul breathing)
Fruity-smelling breath (like pear drops or nail polish remover)
Headache or confusion
Blurred vision

Severe or advanced DKA symptoms (medical emergency):
Severe dehydration
Drowsiness or difficulty staying awake
Disorientation or confusion
Collapse or loss of consciousness

I have type 1 myself. If the bg is only 14 whilst it’s high it’s not “you’re in DKA now get to a&e this second” high. It’s wash your hands and recheck, be aware of DKA symptoms and go to a&e if you get any of them whilst waiting for gp” levels.

this is backed up by him having seen a GP and them not sending him to hospital or going anything urgent, just routine bloods

Hope all is ok, do let us know the outcome as it can help others who read this. A BG reading of 14 is a very high and should absolutely be investigated. Compared to your 4.9 which is normal. From the symptoms going to toilet several times, tiredness are already 2 out of 4 definite flags. If it is diabetes then delaying treatment can cause more harm so you will want an answer asap.

Got results back today HBA1c is 105 so seeing nurse on Monday.

This is a very high hba1c reading. This is higher than mine was when I was admitted to hospital with DKA and diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic. I’m shocked your GP hasn’t been in touch asap!

He needs insulin. He will feel so much better for it.

If he’s still not happy to go to A&E, I would definitely call 111 tonight and get their advice. And absolutely call your GP tomorrow morning and try to find out why they haven’t treated him more urgently.

Here’s some info from Chat GPT that might also be helpful:
What 105 mmol/mol means

• HbA1c measures your average blood glucose over the past 2–3 months.
• A normal result is below 42 mmol/mol (6.0%).
• Diabetes is diagnosed at 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) or higher.
• 105 mmol/mol ≈ 11.8%, which is very high — roughly double the threshold for diabetes.

⚠️ Why this is urgent
At that level:

• Your blood sugar is dangerously high most of the time.
• You are at risk of serious short-term complications (such as dehydration, infections, or diabetic ketoacidosis if you have type 1 diabetes).
• You are also at very high long-term risk for damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.

Monday is too late! He needs seeing today because he could end up seriously ill with readings that high. That 105 is the average over 3 months. His finger prick was very high too. He needs to start treatment today.

I would present to A&E with that reading. He’s needs starting on insulin immediately.

All these people saying needs a&e and insulin don’t have the full details of his condition. If he had ketones and so suspected T1 the GP would have been in touch to send him to hospital. Many type 2 diabetics have hba1cs above 100 when diagnosed, he will likely be started on metformin when he sees the nurse. Perhaps another medication as well like gliclazide or a flozin. If they suspect type 1 they’d usually refer to hospital to do confirmatory tests and start insulin.

Wow that's a high Hba reading but if the Dr isn't too worried then that's good I hope. Seems likely to be diabetes. I was told even if I had one reading over 43 it's pre diabetes

If he was a child I’d be saying A&E tonight because I know they are GENERALLY only Type 1 and they say anything over 11 is a diagnosis - is this the same for adults or could he be Type 2?

For a newly diagnosed type 2 they usually recommend 3-12 months of diet and exercise changes first, but if a1c is around 90/100+ they often will start with medication straight away then wean off the medication in future once the diet and exercise changes are working more.

The medication for type 2 takes time to start working so it’s normal to have a week or two lag between diagnosis and starting medication.

OP did they mention what type they suspect? Have they checked a urine sample?

Any news op?

A work colleague is type 2 and his hba1c readings are normally around the 80-90 levels and he refuses to go on insulin as he is needle phobic. He seems to be bumbling along perfectly fine even with all the meds he's on. I'm pretty sure that the GP knows what they are doing and the OP doesn't need scare mongering.