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.

(that's good, isn't it?!)

BIWI - good? It's Fan Fucking Tastic

But yes, I did look like the above pictures

Especially as I nearly didn't bother testing. I have lots of veg in the fridge, but the kitchen is freezing and I am beyond tired, I just couldn't be arsed freezing my bum off & standing cooking, so I threw together a quick and came into the warm lounge to eat, nearly forgetting to test - but I got up, washed my hands and came back and was well rewarded

Really well done, by the way

BIWI - thank YOU . It's in no small part due to you, your Bootcamp threads and book recommendations etc. The sense of 'not being alone' doing this has helped heaps x

I've only posted occasionally on the Bootcamp threads as I'm not properly Bootcamping. I'm probably doing the vegetarian bootcamp with the occasional naughty latte thrown in! Also, with some of the 'higher carb' veg - a fair bit of cabbage and some carrots. As a vegetarian I had to find a way of making this a sustainable WOE for me. Mind you, I think I've 'bootcamped' more than some of the official Bootcampers!!

I can't stop grinning. I'm almost frightened of doing my post dinner bloods incase they aren't brilliant

I have done nothing. All the hard work has been your own. And it must be hard, especially as you are a vegetarian

You have done loads :) I have read most of the Bootcamp 'back issues' and I'm pretty sure it was you who suggested Briffa in the first place. Honestly, even though I'm not Bootcamping - the threads have been invaluable & I really appreciate all of them and the help & encouragement you've given me :) x

Thank you to everyone else who has posted on this thread too - you have all been brilliant!

Dinner +1 5.8 :)

Fan fucking tastic indeed myhead!

How I long to be a fly on the wall
At your next review with that nurse that spouts the nonsense!!!! When is your hba1c - is it soon!

That's great news myhead. Good stuff. It took ages for my test strips to arrive from eBay but have now got them. All good results today. Highest was 5.6 after lunch. Only 4.6 2 hours after breakfast which I'm pleased with.

Brilliant readings MYHead

From a purely selfish viewpoint - is 5.8 considered high then? I thought that was within the bounds of normal?

exit 5.8 as fasting/pre-meal or after meal? After absolute fine, before I think it falls within the range for people not to be too concerned and within NICE/duabetes uk/NHS targets etc but this will differ for situation to situation, for me, my fasting/pre meal targets are 4-5.6.

Does that make sense?!?

I used DH's kit when he got it and I was 5.7 fasting and 5.8 after a carby meal.

Now I am starting to worry again...

If you went with those levels to doc, I should think they might say you are possibly bordering on pre- diabetes and give you lifestyle changes to try and then test you again after a certain time. I don't think they are high enough to hit the level to be seriously concerned about but I think poss you might be able to do some small things to help yourself eg careful with carbs, no or absolute minimal sweet stuff (chocolate, desserts) etc. the thing is, if you were diabetic they'd be in target so I wouldn't worry too much, but would make changes to prevent it from becoming an issue later.

5.7 fasting sounds little high but surely 5.8 after a carby meal is well within limits and pretty good MrsHercule?

My fasting was the highest I've tested it at today 5.2.
2 hours post porridge 4.5.

I have made lifestyle changes to support DH so that should help my levels. I have just cleaned the kitchen worktop and gave my KitchenAid a sad wipe - no more baking for me for a while

Yes sorry that level after a carby meal is good - how many hours after was it?

exit it sounds like just bake in moderation or bake for others!!! I didn't want to panic you in any way, they really aren't that high an the post meal one if within two hours was good and shows your body can deal with carbs. For me my base level blood glucose is much higher when I used to snack in things like toast and stuff or have chocolates in the evenings (obviously not surprisingly!!!)

It was two hours after.

I have given up bread and wine for Lent and I am doing 5:2 as well. Lost 23lbs since the start of Lent - the whole house is bathed in abstemiousness - oh, apart from DD who still needs her sugar fix

I was just daft and had a big tuna bagette and chips (as well as a handful of sweets). Did reading 2 hours after and it was 5.2. Pretty pleased with that really.

Well done exit 23lbs is amazing!

ilove it sounds like your pancreas is absolutely fine! Can I ask if there was a reason you were concerned I can't remember sorry!

MrsHP You are welcome to come with me

Next HbA1c isn't for another 5 weeks or so - so I'm hoping to see a few more 4's before then

Ilove shame it took your strips so long to arrive - but your results are great - you must be very happy!! Your post tuna baguette, chips & sweets really shows your pancreas is doing just fine :) Have you read John Briffa's Escape the Diet Trap? If you haven't, you should, he explains it all really well.

Exit I would continue to check your levels - and if they don't seem right, rinse your hands thoroughly and test again. You can get very different readings one after another (it's a bit frustrating). I think if your post carby meal was 5.8 your pre meal probably wasn't accurate. The thing is, whether you have 'pre diabetes' or not - you know what to do to stop it progressing and push it into remission :) I had only just started to get back into thinking about baking again after years of not and was eyeing up the Kitchen Aids :( I feel your pain (baking for others without having some yourself is no fun!)

You have lost 23lbs since the start of Lent?? Lent this year??? WTF have you not been gloating enormously?! That's brilliant!! You have done better than me and I have been strictly low-carbing! and not had a single naughty thing! Incredibly thrilled for you, but Harumph for me!

No I haven't read that Myhead. I'll give it a go.

MrsHercule. The reason I was worried a few weeks ago is just a general panic about my whole health really. I am very overweight and I was getting cloudy urine. Was beginning to suspect diabetes. 99% of my readings have been fine though. I've had a couple of high ones though.

Oh and Exit, how on earth have you lost 23 lbs in a month?

ILove - do get Briffa, if you are serious about losing some weight it's very eye opening (and cheap on eBay, only about £9 at WH Smiths).

I've 'given away for good' 18lbs in about 5/6 weeks... despite not doing as well as Exit, I'm still pretty chuffed as in the past eating feck all and exercising like a demon didn't get these results!

ilove fair enough. I reckon then if 99% are good then you are fine, worth keeping in mind though those couple of outlier readings and thinking about your health in general. I would recommend, and I am sure MyHead would say the same (although feel free to correct me ), that being a little more proactive in advance would be much better than the shock and emotional trauma suddently being diagnosed as T2 is. Cloudy urine can be down to loads of different readings, many of them completely normal and a few not so. Have you noticed a change with any changes you have made to your diet?

MrsHercule. I seem to be being self destructive when it comes to my diet. Pissed off with myself really.