Prediabetic age 22?

[worried23xxx]

Hi guys, I am 22 years old.

So I have always been worried about my blood sugar I've been testing for the past couple of years, mostly bloods are in the 4s highest I've ever got is 5.3, my bmi is about 24. In 2017 my Hba1c was 34.

Lately I've had a feeling that my bladder is full and my doctor thought it was a bladder infection so I'm on antibiotics. I thought I would order a new blood sugar monitor because my old one didn't work from amazon and test my sugars. I tested last night and my reading was 5 so I thought I was okay. I barely slept last night and so woke up and tested my sugars and they were '5.3'. I then went for a 3 hour nap and woke up and to my surprise my blood sugar was 6.1! I didn't believe it so I tested again and the two other readings were 5.9 and 6.1. I'm really shocked.

Does this mean I am prediabetic? I'm unsure what to do and I'm quite worried.

Ok so I've just tested now half an hour later and I'm 5.4?

What makes you worried enough about your blood sugar to buy a monitor without having diabetes?
Sleeping does weird things to your levels.
Get a telephone GP appointment if you are worried.

My family have a history of diabetes so bit anxious about having it @girlcalledjames

That still seems pretty low. Do you have anxiety because that amount of monitoring seems excessive in an otherwise well person. Maybe consider a few lifestyle changes.

@LIZS Yes I have pretty bad health anxiety, why lifestyle changes?

Lifestyle changes to think about - Possibly stop measuring your blood glucose levels so regularly. Most diabetics wouldn't do it multiple times an hour because results like that are meaningless.
Research what constitutes a good nutritious diet around foods you like and if you eat well and exercise plenty you'll put yourself in a good position for not developing it.

@raydeeo yes thats true thankyou

A normal blood sugar level is between 4-7 so nothing you have stated is anything to worry about. If you have family members that are diabetic then they should have been able to reassure you. I really wouldn’t advise to keep testing yourself. You are already suffering with health anxiety and this is not going to make you feel any better. There are more symptoms that go towards a diagnosis of diabetes. STOP testing. Take a breath. Live as healthy a lifestyle as you can and take one day at a time.

Yes, increasing your activity and exercise level, a balanced diet (including slow energy release foods like oat cereals, wholegrain etc), maintaining a healthy bmi and lifestyle will all help reduce your chances of developing t2. Sugar levels naturally fluctuate during the day so constantly testing proves little.

That spike suggests you probably need more exercise instead of sleep after a meal. Walking after a meal will often help lower sugar levels

I hadn't had a meal @grumphoonmain thats what worried me how I could get 6.1 without having eaten something

Missing meals will not help reduce blood sugar level.

@LIZS So why do you think it would be 6.1 without eating anything and just sleeping and then dropping to 5.4 half an hr later?

Did you read anything I wrote? Stop analysing the numbers. You are getting NORMAL levels

@emmacb82 I only wrote that because it was in line with the previous discussion and somebody thought I had eaten and I hadn't. 6.1 isn't normal it is in the prediabetic range and its abnormal for me because I've never had it that high and I'm confused why I would be getting it and wanted some insight that is all.

www.dietdoctor.com/why-is-blood-glucose-elevated-when-fasting this might help explain your spike (that isn't one).

All these readings are normal.

If you have a family history of T2 diabetes then try and eat healthily and exercise regularly. Obsessively checking your blood sugar will not do anything to help you and is just giving you pointless anxiety.

You are confusing a one off reading of 6.1 with a HBA1C result which is essentially an average reading. A one off result of 6.1 is normal and you have clearly established that you generally have lower blood sugar than that.

You need to educate yourself further, nothing you have written suggests you are pre diabetic. The changes are small fluctuations and within normal range. Do you have any symptoms which have prompted you to test? It is evident is that you are overly anxious and possibly struggling with healthy eating and lifestyle. Your gp may offer a well-being service , probably by phone atm, to support this.

My lifestyle is fairly healthy I could improve so I agree that will help my anxiety. My symptoms were the bladder fullness and felt that I hadn't emptied my bladder properly so thats why I'm on the antibiotics but I felt anxious that it might be diabetes related and the 6.1 set off my anxiety more. Thankyou for the responses.

Presumably your gp tested urine, which would indicate whether sugar level was raised. A uti is entirely different. At 22 you have time to establish better habits than your family members who developed t2.

My gp has not tested my urine it was a telephone consultation she has just assumed bladder infection due to the presentation of symptoms.

And are they subsiding?

Not as of yet no.

That is a much more likely diagnosis though. Are you taking abs as prescribed, drinking plenty of clear fluids etc