The rush to label

[JHB]

I have never had problems with blood sugar in my life.

Recently I had a series of traumatic heart events & was diagnosed with atrial flutter. Over a very few months I experienced lots of stress, which of course raises blood sugar and, was prescribed Bisoprolol, which is a known trigger of blood sugar.

My GP received details of the blood tests that I had over the period which showed a HBA1C reading of 53 - I was then referred to the practice nurse because "now you are a diabetic"

Since my initial stress has subsided and the correct medication & dose has been arrived at through trial & error, all my pre & post daily blood meter results have been averaging between 5 & 6.

There seems to me to be some sort of eagerness all round to label people who may have only temporary issues with blood sugar as DIABETICS - which in my mind is pejorative terminology.

This rush to label heaped more unnecessary worry and stress on me when I was vulnerable - it was, and is, a nonsense.

 

[trophywench]

For every 1 of people like yourself there have been approx 101 others who don't even get told their HbA1c is 53 or anything else so it's not until they have the symptoms of fairly serious diabetic complications they even discover the fact. You know - when it's too ruddy late to prevent complications!

On balance, TBH, though it may be hard for you to grasp this personally - I'd rather there were a few folk mis-diagnosed than leave loads more people un-diagnosed.

I'm very pleased that your own HbA1c is now comfortably under 42 again!

 

[mikeyB]

You may think “diabetic” is a pejorative term, but you might have to get used to it at some time. Stress may cause a temporary rise in blood glucose as part of the “flight or fight” set up, but that is not enough to up your HbAc into the diabetes level, so I would suggest you are almost certainly at risk of diabetes. So it isn’t nonsense.

You have no need to panic, just keep testing especially 2 hours after a meal heavy in carbohydrates, such as pizza or Spag Bol, to see how your body responds to such a challenge. If your glucose comes down to normal levels fairly quickly, then you have no need to worry, but always test your BG if you feel unwell.

 

[JHB]

For every 1 of people like yourself there have been approx 101 others who don't even get told their HbA1c is 53 or anything else so it's not until they have the symptoms of fairly serious diabetic complications they even discover the fact. You know - when it's too ruddy late to prevent complications!

On balance, TBH, though it may be hard for you to grasp this personally - I'd rather there were a few folk mis-diagnosed than leave loads more people un-diagnosed.

I'm very pleased that your own HbA1c is now comfortably under 42 again!

Of course you make valid and important points, however the whole Type 2 diabetes thing perplexes me.

Especially the "pre-diabetes" labelling. When measuring on a meter, if you are 5.4, or, under, all is hunky dory, however if 5.5 comes up, you are "pre-diabetic" - this is nonsense to me. My belief is that it is a marketing ploy by the companies who produce diabetes parafanalia - it's like saying someone who doesn't fall into the modern 'skinny skinny' image is "pre-obese", or, someone who injures a limb and is incapacitated for a while, is pre-disabled, or, someone who has day to day depression/mood issues, is a pre-mental patient.

People with diabetes (I do not call them diabetics, to me it is akin to call those with a disability cripples - the language MUST change) have challenges and I admire the way they deal with them, in an unobtrusive & dignified manner - but I think there is much "hoo ha' surrounding the type 2 debate

 

[JHB]

You may think “diabetic” is a pejorative term, but you might have to get used to it at some time. Stress may cause a temporary rise in blood glucose as part of the “flight or fight” set up, but that is not enough to up your HbAc into the diabetes level, so I would suggest you are almost certainly at risk of diabetes. So it isn’t nonsense.

You have no need to panic, just keep testing especially 2 hours after a meal heavy in carbohydrates, such as pizza or Spag Bol, to see how your body responds to such a challenge. If your glucose comes down to normal levels fairly quickly, then you have no need to worry, but always test your BG if you feel unwell.

In many studies, and in my own case, it has been shown that stress has a significant effect on blood sugar - as also do some medications. This can cause an increase over time & show in an HBAC1 test.

Unfortunately I have been in hospital on a number occasions in the past six months - any doctors an nurses that I have spoken to have told me that a meter reading of between 4 & 8 is "perfectly normal".

People today have gadgets and monitor their health more - why are they being told that fasting 5.4 is good, and 5.5 is on the slippery-slope to full blown diabetes? Seems to me there is a fear campaign to rope-in as much of the population as possible. The contradiction is, of course, we are living longer healthier lives than any time in history.

 

[trophywench]

I'm so sorry if using the adjective diabetic of the complications caused by untreated diabetes has offended you but I am not whatsoever apologising for the correct use my native tongue.

 

[Drummer]

I neatly sidestep the thing which seems to be the main problem you have, and just don't measure fasting first thing in the morning glucose levels.
As I have always had a problem with carbohydrate, which I knew about, my diabetes was just a bit of a Schrodinger's cat - and I find that I always knew how I should eat - it was other people who got themselves red faced and spitting about it and insisted that I should eat 'normally'.
Well - meeeeow - see where it got me - full on type two.
I now eat my normal diet or nothing and disregard all 'information' on the various deadly consequences low carb is supposed to bring on. I was in a state of diagnosed diabetic, and now I am not. They have their results, I have my well being - job done.