Confused as usual

[snowball12]

I have read about people having high Hba1c scores and they feel unwell. I have had scores of 90, 80, 67 and now 72 in the last 10 months. I feel just fine. I never get any symptoms. Is this odd? Just wondering

 

[Vonny]

I had no idea I was diabetic when my hba1c was 76. I didn't feel ill, although I did have to get up once a night for a wee which I no longer do. But as some of my friends call me TB (tiny bladder) I thought that was just normal!
I only had bloods done because I'd had a chest infection earlier in the year and they told me it was years since I'd had any bloods so they wanted to check all was ok. So a complete surprise to me.
I'm glad you're not feeling ill though @snowball12, and hope your GP can help you get those pesky figures down x

 

[helen56]

The only symptom I had had was about 2-3 months ago when I felt thirsty all the time. It lasted for a couple weeks and then it stopped and I didn't think anything of it.
I decided to check my blood sugar level last month when I noticed some discoloration on the lower part of my legs and remembered a friend of mine who's had diabetes for years (he's on insulin) and his legs are like that (much much worse though).
That's when I checked and I found out my Hba1c was 75.

 

[rebrascora]

I remember the night my diabetes symptoms started as clear as day and it was very sudden. One moment I was enjoying a nice meal in a pub and the next I was developing a ranging thirst which pint after pint of water throughout the night and subsequent days and nights did nothing to slake and consequent frequent toilet visits of 5-6 times every night as well as needing to drink more water after each visit. After 2 weeks I was like a walking zombie from lack of sleep as much as anything.
I think perhaps if diabetes creeps on gradually and your levels rise slowly, then you maybe don't get obvious symptoms. My HbA1c was 114 2 weeks after my symptoms developed when I gave in and sought medical advice. Interestingly I had already started cutting down on carbs and by 6 weeks later my BG levels were coming down into range but my HbA1c had gone higher to 116 although the thirst and weeing had reduced dramatically, so I think the body does get used to it.
I won't ever forget that raging thirst though. It was absolutely unquenchable!

 

[harbottle]

I have read about people having high Hba1c scores and they feel unwell. I have had scores of 90, 80, 67 and now 72 in the last 10 months. I feel just fine. I never get any symptoms. Is this odd? Just wondering

I just had a leg pain that I contacted the GP about. They fobbed me off with some nonsense about 'wear and tear' but wanted up to date bloods.
That was when they told me my hba1c was 83.
Although my eyesight had changed - not unusual as I wear glasses and it does change over the years.

 

[grovesy]

I did not have any symptoms.

 

[snowball12]

I forgot to say my Hba1c before Covid last August ( which I caught from hospital visiting!! ) was always in the low 50's. I can't remember was it was at diagnosis but it was discovered after a blood test when I was anaemic due to another problem 13 years ago. I had no symptoms then either! I see by all your replies that I am not alone. I wonder how many people are walking around with Diabetes completely unaware! Thanks everyone for your comments 🙂

 

[snowball12]

I had no idea I was diabetic when my hba1c was 76. I didn't feel ill, although I did have to get up once a night for a wee which I no longer do. But as some of my friends call me TB (tiny bladder) I thought that was just normal!
I only had bloods done because I'd had a chest infection earlier in the year and they told me it was years since I'd had any bloods so they wanted to check all was ok. So a complete surprise to me.
I'm glad you're not feeling ill though @snowball12, and hope your GP can help you get those pesky figures down x

Thanks @Vonny you and me both

 

[helli]

I think there is a difference between Type 1 and type 2. Type 1 tends to come on more suddenly so our bodies have no time to acclimatise to the BG rise. Whereas, type 2 is a gradual rise so our bodies have a chance to get used to it and you don’t get as obvious symptoms.
Like @rebrascora , I remember when my main symptoms started. It was on Boxing Day at my sister-in-laws. I didn’t notice the thirst but my bladder shrunk to the size of a pea and I was up every 30 minutes throughout the night trying to avoid the cat’s litter tray outside the bathroom without turning on the landing light in a house I didn’t know. When I was finally diagnosed (the first GP i saw told me I had a uti), I realised there were other symptoms starting earlier which I had just put down to being run down like lack of energy, loss of weight and thrush with the occasional blurred vision.
If I remember correctly (it was 20 years ago) my HbA1C was 75.