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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Hello, I wonder if anyone can assist? I checked my blood glucose levels last Friday, and they were 28. I checked them using my daughter's equipment (she is T1D), as my wife has been telling me for a while that I have been losing weight. I saw my GP today, who prescribed Metformin and took a Hba1c blood test to determine what type of diabetes I may have. I should have asked more questions, but there isn't the time in these appointments. Given how high my bg levels are, is it probable I have diabetes? I am 51 years old, and reasonably fit!
Hello, I wonder if anyone can assist? I checked my blood glucose levels last Friday, and they were 28. I checked them using my daughter's equipment (she is T1D), as my wife has been telling me for a while that I have been losing weight. I saw my GP today, who prescribed Metformin and took a Hba1c blood test to determine what type of diabetes I may have. I should have asked more questions, but there isn't the time in these appointments. Given how high my bg levels are, is it probable I have diabetes? I am 51 years old, and reasonably fit!
Welcome to the forum
The HbA1C test will not tell you what Type of diabetes you have, you would need other tests for that, GAD antibodies and c-peptide. Diagnosis is usually made on clinical presentation, however high blood glucose from a finger prick and losing weight without trying would suggest Type 1.
In which case metformin will not do a lot. Your HbA1C will at least tell you where you are on the diabetic scale, anything over 47mmol/mol will give that diagnosis. How far above will determine the treatment needed.
Do have a read around to forum but you should get your result in a few days and you will than know what action needs taking. I suspect you will need to make some dietary changes so it may be worth looking at this link to see what would help if your diagnosis is confirmed as Type 2. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
Presuming the reading of 28 wasn't due to some error (faulty meter, you didn't wash your finger, etc.) yes, it's likely some kind of diabetes. 28 is some way outside the range our meters are accurate. (I think mine might just say HI.) So way higher than someone without diabetes is likely to hit.
But don't rely on us: you've seen your GP who can give better advice based on the testing. Certainly mention the weight loss too, and any other symptoms you've had.
Hello, thanks for your reply. Having looked online at symptoms, and my daughter being T1, I thought that would be the more likely outcome. But my GP, because of my age, seemed to think Type 2? I am struggling to grasp this to be honest...I have a healthy diet, not overweight and drink alcohol in moderation. Before the appointment today, I thought it has to be Type 1? I went to a&e last Friday, but got no sense! My parents, a retired a retired paramedic and nurse, said there's no point going to a&e on a bank holiday weekend!
Presuming the reading of 28 wasn't due to some error (faulty meter, you didn't wash your finger, etc.) yes, it's likely some kind of diabetes. 28 is some way outside the range our meters are accurate. (I think mine might just say HI.) So way higher than someone without diabetes is likely to hit.
But don't rely on us: you've seen your GP who can give better advice based on the testing. Certainly mention the weight loss too, and any other symptoms you've had.
I would ask your GP for the other tests, GAD antibodies and c-peptide, and persist if they say it's not necessary. Cite your daughter's Type 1, the weight loss, and that older people DO develop late onset Type 1 (source this website!!!)
I would ask your GP for the other tests, GAD antibodies and c-peptide, and persist if they say it's not necessary. Cite your daughter's Type 1, the weight loss, and that older people DO develop late onset Type 1 (source this website!!!)
It's not an uncommon story. GPs don't often diagnosed someone with Type 1 because we're pretty rare (0.5% of the population or so) and often the diagnosis happens rather quickly in A&E to children (though people of any age may develop it); when it happens to adults the development can be a bit slower so present more like Type 2, with diagnosis corrected by specialist (or not).
I must admit yours sounds more like the traditional Type 1 so I think pressing your GP a bit harder makes sense. And don't hesitate to go to A&E if you get much worse; as you know, DKA isn't something to ignore.
Many GPs seem to assume because you are male and of a certain age that it is type 2 diabetes . This is wrong: I can vouch for this. Please encourage your GP to confirm diabetes type with further testing as already suggested by others. It is essential your condition is categorised correctly in order for you to receive the correct treatment. An assumption is not good enough.
There are lots of us here on the forum who were diagnosed with Type 1 later in life although many of us were initially assumed to be Type 2 and went through the Metformin and other oral medications first with minimal success. I was 55 at diagnosis and I was lucky that my misdiagnosis was picked up in a matter of weeks rather than years some other people here have to battle to get a correct diagnosis. I hope your GP/diabetes nurse are open to reviewing your diagnosis. It can be tricky suggesting the possibility that a doctor might be wrong in their assessment or understanding of a condition..... sadly many GPs still believe that Type 1 only exhibits in children and young adults, so if you are a mature adult, IT MUST BE Type 2. 🙄
As your daughter is t1 are you able to check your ketones? Having high ketones would lean towards t1 (though isn’t a definitive diagnosis) and would suggest different treatment than if you have low ketones
Thank you all for your replies, I will question my GP on Friday. With regards ketones, the highest they have gone is 0.8, they have been 0.3 to other times I have checked.
Hi, all I can add is that it is not that uncommon for someone 50 or over to have Type1 if that’s what you have. A friend of mine last year aged 54 was diagnosed type 1 and is on insulin.
Whilst I understand the "of a certain age" part, I was surprised that a GP is more likely to diagnose type 2 because you are male. Has there been any research into this?
Hi, all I can add is that it is not that uncommon for someone 50 or over to have Type1 if that’s what you have. A friend of mine last year aged 54 was diagnosed type 1 and is on insulin.
I was going to suggest checking ketones until more definitive tests/results but you’ve done that and they are atypically high unless you are deliberately on a very low carb diet. If you’re consuming carbs as per normal western diet then it does point more to T1D. Normally your keytones would be near 0.
Monitor your keytones and inform your doc about it if they’re high. During a period of fasting it might rise but after eating carbs it should be near 0.
Btw I was 46 when diagnosed last year, I’ve learnt that it’s not as unusual as what the doctors said it was to be this age when diagnosed.
I hope it’s something simpler to resolve.
