Chemist tested me for diabetes - sent me to the Dr TODAY urgently...please come and talk to me...

[MyHeadWasInTheSandNowNot]

These are my questions

1: The reading the chemist got was 20 - can anyone tell me what this means (ie how 'serious' it is) and if they think it could be controlled and/or preferably gotten rid of through diet and exercise.

2: What will the Dr do today.

The rest is whittering background.

Also, I just wanted to say that I'll have to go in about an hour and wont be able to get back on line until tomorrow afternoon, but I haven't done a runner and will be grateful for any help/advice.

[I'm a regular - I've namechanged because I'm not sure yet if I want to tell anyone or not and I have a few RL friends on MN. It's not that I mind people knowing as such it's just that I don't want it to turn into A Big Deal]

I have been wondering for quite some time if I might have diabetes. A few things have made me wonder about it such as

• Excessive thirst (always having to have a bottle of water on me)

• Eyes a bit blurry at night (been blaming the overhead light and the small tv screen with tivo bright red background and only a problem at night and spending too much time looking at screens)

• Occasional 'shakes'

• I am overweight and struggle with feeling like my 'blood sugars' aren't right

...but what made me 'man up' to getting tested was that last week & yesterday I had a couple of episodes of light headedness/feeling faint when doing things such as changing a lightbulb, I had also been having them in the shower, but put that down to it being hot/steamy etc

I called the chemist about a year ago to see if they did the tests, but ended up not going

I also went to my Dr about 3-4 years ago with constant tiredness and no real reason for it.... he put it down to my weight (which although I'm overweight was not stopping me doing anything, being reasonably fit etc), he really wasn't interested in looking further. I haven't been back, but am and have been pretty much constantly tired since before then. I know I should have seen another Dr but it's hard when you are overweight and they don't seem interested in seeing past that and accept their might be something other excess weight causing the problem.

I wonder now how long I might have had it for and thus how much damage I might have done already to my body, especially my eyes, that's pretty scary.

I was already overweight, but I was pretty fit - then something quite lifechanging happened and I've put on more weight, stopped exercising and I am not unfit. I'm certainly not can't move off the couch unfit - I could still easily walk 4 miles, run for the bus (i'd be panting but I could do it and would recover pretty quickly) - but something else I've noticed (just yesterday I really 'thought' about it) is that I have been putting off doing stuff like walking places (now I take the car), running up the stairs (now only ever walk), kicking the ball about with the kids etc and I realised yesterday it's because when I do I feel awful - not just tired/worn out but light headed and a bit pukey - it's been a gradual thing.

I am totally committed to exercising - a minimum of 30 minutes every day without fail (have just been for an hours walk - about 3 miles) and to improving my diet (which I fully accept hasn't been great for a while, since this 'thing' happened and for a wee bit before then).

I'm not looking for any magic cure - I just want to know if I can get rid of the diabetes through diet and exercise.

Thank you if you made it this far - or even if you didn't wade through it all but can help.

In over a month, I have only had two readings of 8.5, the rest have been between 5.8 & 7.4, so pretty steady I think.

No the gym won't be shut often - technical issues!

I have eaten pure crap this weekend (fully admit it and know it was stupid - back to normal tomorrow). Haven't had a reading above 6.2. Have tested randomly on and off over the weekend. All fasting readings have been 5.0.

Sorry for confusion on my part - I meant metformin would help stabilise your blood sugars not help with the tiredness. I read back what I wrote and it wasn't at all clear sorry!

Myhead I think your reading after two hours was therefore back to you general baseline level so really not a problem. I know it isn't entirely linear but if you are starting in the sizes then a rise by 2 will appear higher than if you are starting in the 4's.

You aren't going to get much lower levels as far as I can see without the medication. You are eating a very low carb diet and have done now for a number of weeks. Your levels fell almost instantly and have been pretty consistent ever since I'd say for the most part. The weight will come off, there is often a mini plateau in weeks 3/4 of low carbing then weight loss continues at a more steady rate. Also I find the week before my period it is inevitable I will plateau that week.

Very carby dinner - but all veg carbs.

Brocolli, red/purple cabbage, carrots in butter & 50g of Philadelphia - 24g of carbs.

Dinner +1 6.7

It has been a very high carb day today - I'm normally about 30.

Calories 1,261, Carbs 46, Fat 93, Protein 52

(When I was doing McDougal we kept fat under 10 per day - this amount is still shocking me!)

Veg carbs are very strange - I suppose it depends on where and how they are grown & stored etc. But it's hard to know what values to put. I put carrots at 8c/100g because that's what they are on the Sainsbury's website -BIWI has them at 6 and some on MFP are 10. How on earth are you supposed to get any accuracy? I'd sort of given up and gone for the 'avoid the obvious' (corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes) and don't worry about the rest... but I don't know, maybe that's not such a good idea?!

It's just difficult low carbing as a vegetarian ()

I wonder when I would show up as being 'out of ketosis' if I was? Anyone have any idea? I have some sticks to wee on!

Oh I love - that's absolutely fantastic!! Really, really pleased for you :)

I don't think there's anything wrong with crap occasionally if you eat well most of the time and your bgl's remain good. Life is to be enjoyed, not endured!

MrsHP - Yes, 2pts isn't a huge amount, just disappointing when I haven't really gone above 1 or 1.5 in the past. Still, not the end of the world as we know it. They say that losing 5-10% of your body weight can really help with your BGL's and whilst I'm on my way, I haven't got there yet (and need to continue well beyond it!!). If I was regularly getting 8.5's I would seriously consider the metformin, but given my levels are normally under 7.5 after eating and around 6-6.5 by 2-3 hrs and resting, I don't think it's essential at this stage. If you have anything I can read that suggests otherwise, I'd be happy to read it - I'm not totally against it.

Fair enough - my diabetes team and I work towards the diabetes UK guidance which is under 5.5 before meals and under 8 two hours later. Everything I have read on the diabetes forums (all anecdotal of course as personal experiences) suggests to me that levels of 6 or above before meals/fasting (even just over 6) can not be good enough to avoid diabetic complications in many cases. For me therefore I am not happy unless I am below 5.5 for my fasting and before meal levels. Of course this is a decision for you to make for yourself.

All targets are based on two hours after eating rather than 1 or 3, so I would stick to that as I think you'll get more consistent results that you can compare to the targets set (either by NICE or diabetes UK or by your diabetes team).

Apparently carrots (and I presume this applies to other veg) is the difference between old and new carrots. I usually assume worst case scenario if I am ever counting! I cut out all types of potato and am wary of high carb veg such as carrots, peas, beetroot, parsnip etc... Generally having them very, very sparingly.

ilove glad your levels have been good for you!

Sorry myhead to post again, I've just checked again and everything says 6-6.5 fasting levels are pre-diabetes with high risk of developing type II, if these are what you achieve on next to no carbs, then personally for me I wouldn't be satisfied enough with that. However as I said above it is a personal decision for you an your diabetes team to agree!

Right off to bed for me!

Dinner +2 6.7

MrsHP - which diabetes UK guidance are you referring to? I have only found the following...

NHS - (Non diabetics) Pre Prandial 4-6 Post Prandial 7.8
(DT2) 4-7 8.5

Diabetes UK & Diabetes org 4-6

Cross posted with your last post - I had the box open while I went and did some bits & pieces and didn't refresh before posting.

Don't apologise for posting!! I am open to all comments, suggestions & thoughts. It is very interesting to read what levels you are happy with & why. The more information I can get the better.

I have read site after site, page after page... it is all helpful, but 'talking' to you and others is especially helpful as it's more 'interactive' (the dedicated sites are a bit 'slow'!) and you know pretty much everything I have done, eaten etc whereas others wouldn't :)

The one on their website and the level targets they regularly publish in their magazine 'Balance' here above orange writing

one example of someone with hba1c of 6.5

Thanks - will go and read them now :)

My BGL conversion to HbA1c is 5-6 (according to Gary Scheiner - author of Think Like A Pancreas).

+3 6.2

I haven't seen that page before, despite being on their website a number of times and searching 'blood glucose levels'.

This is the bit I have read on their site

Q: What should my blood glucose levels be?

Diabetes UK currently recommends that people with diabetes aim to keep their blood levels at 4-6 mmol/l before meals (preprandial) and at no higher than 10 mmol/l two hours after meals (postprandial).

Evidence shows that by sticking within these targets you can help to reduce the risk of long term complications associated with diabetes.

Quite different?!

Anyway, one thing I think isn't helping is lack of sleep (my levels seemed better the week I was sleeping better), so I'd better go to bed! I'll be back tomorrow :)

Thanks again
x

Can you link to that bit for me?

Actually don't worry, but those are their targets for a child with type I so I think you have missed that somewhere!

Have you readings been ok today myhead?

Hello MyHead - also just popping by to see how you are feeling/going this week.

Hope you are ok.

MrsHP

It really makes no odds :) but it wasn't from the childrens type 1 section, it was here... LINK, but their site is messy and could easily be referring to type 1's even though I went in through the type 2 'door'? Who knows?

... this is what it says:

Q: What should my blood glucose levels be?

Diabetes UK currently recommends that people with diabetes aim to keep their blood levels at 4-6 mmol/l before meals (preprandial) and at no higher than 10 mmol/l two hours after meals (postprandial).

Evidence shows that by sticking within these targets you can help to reduce the risk of long term complications associated with diabetes.

-------------

I don't use that site much, it's too messy and not much on it.

I have used the diabetes.co.uk site more and their table, only because they seem a bit more balanced - but there's no love lost between those two sites is there - it's a bit like mumsnet v netmums - ouch!

Sorry, I've been working loads this week and then I 'broke' my laptop lead and had to get that sorted. [My phone is so old that it doesn't 'do' the internet

On the diabetes.co.uk website I find this: "Target blood glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes are: - 4 to 7 mmol/l before meals and when fasting - 4 to 8.5 mmol/l 2 hours following meals"

This was on their type II page here. I did see the link last time you posted it, however I can't see anywhere where any site thinks that a target of 10 after meals is appropriate for adults so if you got to it via the type 2 section for adults then I think some errr on their part as there is NO WAY that level is acceptable.

Of course all a moot point a yor levels currently look well within the post meal guides in anyone's advice. Pre-meals we'll have to agree to disagree as I personally wouldn't be quite happy with 5.8 for my fasting levels but I know that everyone makes individual choices due to their personal circumstances with their diabetes team so that might be absolute it fine or you!

I am concerned about some of the things you are being told. There is no guidance that all type 2s should automatically be put on medication eg metformin or that they should all be out on statins regardless of cholesterol levels. I would ask for a copy of this guidance if she says it again .

I have been v good thanks! Glad you are ok!

MyHead - another book I can heartily recommend is Dr Malcolm Kendrick's "The Great Cholesterol Con".

It's actually not a good thing for women, especially, to have lower cholesterol.

MrsHP yes, that's what's on the .co.uk site & that's what I have been going by.

I didn't say I was 'happy' with 5.8, just that it was 'good' - as in coming down nicely - it has come down from whatever they thought it was in the first place, to my 'fairly sure it's about 6.7, to 6.5 to 6.2 to 5.8 - so if it carries on like this I'm happy.

I'm not that worried about what she has to say to be honest, she can't make me take or do anything I'm not happy to take/do. She's not the sort to listen, discuss or in anyway have her view changed, so a total waste of breath trying to change her mind. It's a shame as it would have been nice to have had a diabetes nurse who was 'on my side' but I can live without her support.

I have you guys

BIWI - That's in the pile here I'm not actually worried about my cholesterol level (I've always thought it would be one of those things that we looked back on in 30 years to realise we'd got it all wrong) I just thought I'd have a read about it to counter some of her arguements for getting me to take statins (she is not changing my mind about that, no way, no hope) but it would be nice to have a few facts up my sleeve rather than just a 'No, I'm not taking them'.

Also, if there was something low carb friendly that was thought to increase HDL I'd do it - as in 'why not, it wont hurt'.

I need to go and do some scrubbing and hoovering as the house needs cleaning & all activity is good for BGL's :) THEN I'm settling down with a book & a 'bubbly'

OMG OMG OMG

I have been having 5.6/5.8's - before and after meals -highest in about a week a lone 6.

I just tested pre dinner... 4.6

FOUR POINT SIX