Blood Sugar

[Dave2014]

Evening,

Im awaiting a blood test to check for diabetes, sadly i cant get an appointment for a month or so.

My only symptoms so far have been very very frequent urination.

i purchased a blood glucose finger prick testing machine yesterday to track my blood for a week or so and just wondered on my post dinner result, so far i have had

Yesterday morning 5.2

Post lunch 5.2

Post Dinner 5.1

This morning 5.2

Post lunch 5.3

Post dinner 7.9

Before each test i waited 2 hours after eating to record my result. The only one i don't get is the 7.9, for dinner i had pasta wrapped with butternut squash and a chilli and cheese sauce with a pint of watered Ribena. Is this to high after 2 hours and something that would be of concern? worrying i did do my partners who was only tested a month ago and hers was 6.9 so still high.

Thanks

Dave

 

[Inka]

@Dave2014 7.9 isn’t very high. I’ve seen non-diabetics get higher after meals. Blood sugar goes up and down within a range. 6.9 is a normal blood sugar too. You’ve done the right thing arranging for a test, but the results you’ve posted above shouldn’t give you cause for concern.

Do you have risk factors for Type 2 diabetes that have made you worried?

 

[Dave2014]

Is 7.9 high exactly two hours after a rich meal? At all other points I have been well within normal levels when not eaten.

Both my Dad & Grandad had Diabetes although Grandad Type 2 and smoked heavily and Dad Type 1 after having Sepsis. I was struggling with fatigue which has past now (had Covid 4 weeks prior) but lately urinating a lot at at least once a night. I am fairly active my diet isn’t amazing though I can’t lie

 

[Leadinglights]

Those results look pretty normal, if diabetic many would expect to get a much higher 2 hour post meal reading after the meal you had. People try to keep a 2 hour post meal reading to below 8.5mmol/l.
Could you possible have a urinary tract infection as that can cause frequent urination though once a night doesn't seem unusual. Do you drink caffeine at night as that can also be a reason.
I know you are perhaps a bit too young but prostate issues could be another reason.

 

[Inka]

Is 7.9 high exactly two hours after a rich meal? At all other points I have been well within normal levels when not eaten.

Both my Dad & Grandad had Diabetes although Grandad Type 2 and smoked heavily and Dad Type 1 after having Sepsis. I was struggling with fatigue which has past now (had Covid 4 weeks prior) but lately urinating a lot at at least once a night. I am fairly active my diet isn’t amazing though I can’t lie

No, it’s not. As I said above, people without diabetes can get a result like that at 2hrs after a meal. I test my friends blood sugar sometimes and I’ve commonly seen results in the 7s and 8s. Occasionally, people without diabetes will go up to 9 or 10. Moreover, the home glucose meters aren’t for diagnostic purposes and they have a margin of error. That’s why the diagnostic test now is the HbA1C test (at the GP’s).

 

[Dave2014]

Those results look pretty normal, if diabetic many would expect to get a much higher 2 hour post meal reading after the meal you had. People try to keep a 2 hour post meal reading to below 8.5mmol/l.
Could you possible have a urinary tract infection as that can cause frequent urination though once a night doesn't seem unusual. Do you drink caffeine at night as that can also be a reason.
I know you are perhaps a bit too young but prostate issues could be another reason.

That’s reassuring to hear, as much as I know what the levels should be when I haven’t eaten wasn’t sure eating wise etc.

Yeah possible it could be that, the fatigue I did have that tied in with urination could have been post Covid lag as last two weeks felt very energetic

 

[Dave2014]

No, it’s not. As I said above, people without diabetes can get a result like that at 2hrs after a meal. I test my friends blood sugar sometimes and I’ve commonly seen results in the 7s and 8s. Occasionally, people without diabetes will go up to 9 or 10. Moreover, the home glucose meters aren’t for diagnostic purposes and they have a margin of error. That’s why the diagnostic test now is the HbA1C test (at the GP’s).

Thanks Inka. Gives me some confidence while I wait for the blood test. I understand the finger pricks are only an isolation result at that time and may be out slightly, but with regular 5.1/5.3 readings should that give me some confidence I don’t have it well until confirmed by the blood test?

 

[Inka]

Thanks Inka. Gives me some confidence while I wait for the blood test. I understand the finger pricks are only an isolation result at that time and may be out slightly, but with regular 5.1/5.3 readings should that give me some confidence I don’t have it well until confirmed by the blood test?

I’m not a medical person @Dave2014 but those results are good. There’s nothing there screaming diabetes. However, it’s very sensible to get a proper test just to be sure, and if it’s not diabetes, then one thing has been ruled out so the doctor can look for other causes of your symptoms.

 

[trophywench]

Well, @Leadinglights makes a fair point about prostate cancer which is far far better for the outcome when diagnosed early on - and because there is also a blood test you can have for that (though it's true it isn't to be relied on on it's own) at least you get to know your PSA level right now so if you ever have any symptoms in future, you can compare the two and hence know whether further attention to that bit of you is necessary. Where I live, very soon a huge clinical trial is going to begin involving all primary care in doing a lot more PSA blood tests, both with and without marked symptoms so hopefully - your GP will agree to include it! I of course hope you have neither - but it's as well to check on such things, same as us ladies have routine checks for breast and cervical cancer until we're ancient.

 

[Docb]

Hi @Dave2014. Can I echo the thoughts of the others? Although a brilliant piece of kit the hand held monitor testing a finger prick blood spot is far from the precise measurement that it appears to be. In interpreting results, patterns are more instructive than individual results and patterns do not begin to appear, if they are going to appear at all, until you have a few weeks worth of results. My advice is always to round the result to the nearest whole number (the decimal point is an illusion) and only even begin to think about consistent differences of greater than two units. Add to that the simple fact that blood glucose levels go up and down naturally for various reasons and you begin to get the picture.

Also agree that best thing to do with regard to your symptoms is to check in with your GP, get some tests done and see what turns up.

 

[rebrascora]

With diabetes the kidneys only start removing glucose through your urine when your levels are consistently above 10 and usually mid teens, so I do not believe your increased urination is due to diabetes, particularly with the normal readings you are getting, so it will be important to have other possible causes investigated when your HbA1c result comes back as nor al which I have every faith it will do, if those readings you have obtained are a true reflection of your overall levels.

 

[Dave2014]

Well, @Leadinglights makes a fair point about prostate cancer which is far far better for the outcome when diagnosed early on - and because there is also a blood test you can have for that (though it's true it isn't to be relied on on it's own) at least you get to know your PSA level right now so if you ever have any symptoms in future, you can compare the two and hence know whether further attention to that bit of you is necessary. Where I live, very soon a huge clinical trial is going to begin involving all primary care in doing a lot more PSA blood tests, both with and without marked symptoms so hopefully - your GP will agree to include it! I of course hope you have neither - but it's as well to check on such things, same as us ladies have routine checks for breast and cervical cancer until we're ancient.

Evening, I did have my PSA tested last year and an examination which thankfully was all normal. I’m sure following my bloods I have a follow up in face appointment and I have no doubt I will have that lovely exam again .

 

[Dave2014]

Hi @Dave2014. Can I echo the thoughts of the others? Although a brilliant piece of kit the hand held monitor testing a finger prick blood spot is far from the precise measurement that it appears to be. In interpreting results, patterns are more instructive than individual results and patterns do not begin to appear, if they are going to appear at all, until you have a few weeks worth of results. My advice is always to round the result to the nearest whole number (the decimal point is an illusion) and only even begin to think about consistent differences of greater than two units. Add to that the simple fact that blood glucose levels go up and down naturally for various reasons and you begin to get the picture.

Also agree that best thing to do with regard to your symptoms is to check in with your GP, get some tests done and see what turns up.

Good evening, I guess in that sense 5 is the nearest whole number. That’s why I tried a few days to just give me an idea and thankfully all were in the lower 5s post food and waking up etc baring the one after a very large meal.I have the blood test in a few weeks to give me the full picture

 

[Dave2014]

With diabetes the kidneys only start removing glucose through your urine when your levels are consistently above 10 and usually mid teens, so I do not believe your increased urination is due to diabetes, particularly with the normal readings you are getting, so it will be important to have other possible causes investigated when your HbA1c result comes back as nor al which I have every faith it will do, if those readings you have obtained are a true reflection of your overall levels.

Yeah once I saw the first few results being in low 5s I didn’t think that would cause frequent urination so hopefully if as you say it’s the bigger picture it rules that out as the main cause. My lilts finger prick experiment does highlight how some foods like pasta & sauce can really affect your blood sugar more than a jacket potato and salad that night before by quite some way

 

[Leadinglights]

Yeah once I saw the first few results being in low 5s I didn’t think that would cause frequent urination so hopefully if as you say it’s the bigger picture it rules that out as the main cause. My lilts finger prick experiment does highlight how some foods like pasta & sauce can really affect your blood sugar more than a jacket potato and salad that night before by quite some way

Do you drink a lot of drinks with caffeine, tea, coffee, coke as some people have a sensitive bladder and those things trigger it or if you are actually drinking a large volume of liquid that may be a reason.

 

[Dave2014]

Do you drink a lot of drinks with caffeine, tea, coffee, coke as some people have a sensitive bladder and those things trigger it or if you are actually drinking a large volume of liquid that may be a reason.

An awful lot of tea it’s my one big vice not smoking or drinking. I didn’t even consider that maybe I’ll give it a break over a few days and see if that makes an improvement thank you

 

[Leadinglights]

An awful lot of tea it’s my one big vice not smoking or drinking. I didn’t even consider that maybe I’ll give it a break over a few days and see if that makes an improvement thank you

My daughter had an embarrassing issue when at Uni and went to see the doctor, he asked her how much she drank and it was usually tea and he said no wonder she was running to the loo all the time. She now has decaff tea most of the time and is fine. You could try that.

 

[Dave2014]

My daughter had an embarrassing issue when at Uni and went to see the doctor, he asked her how much she drank and it was usually tea and he said no wonder she was running to the loo all the time. She now has decaff tea most of the time and is fine. You could try that.

I’m going to do a diary and do that to see where it gets me I think. Thankfully last few nights I have haven’t needed to go but have a few times during the day.

 

[Dave2014]

Measured by blood the last few days and I seem to be averaging around the 5.3 mark although only tested once a day since Tuesday due to work. The only other higher reading I had was today upon waking which was 5.6 my highest reading without eating I have had, I know that’s border line normal but the other morning when I took a waking blood it was 5.2.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Measured by blood the last few days and I seem to be averaging around the 5.3 mark although only tested once a day since Tuesday due to work. The only other higher reading I had was today upon waking which was 5.6 my highest reading without eating I have had, I know that’s border line normal but the other morning when I took a waking blood it was 5.2.

5.2 and 5.6 are the same, within the limits of the accuracy of the meters - have another read of @Docb 's post above!