Got diagnosed with T2 diabetes today - Help

[Jinx]

Hi. Would someone be able to advise me please. I'm literally confused.

I was taken to hospital this morning. Due my time there they pricked my finger and took a sugar level which then they also took my blood. While waiting for for my bloods I asked the doctor if my sugar level was fine, he checked and said it's fine. A bit later another doctor called me in and said my HbA1c - IFCC came back as 51 and that I have diabeties and put me on Metformin hydrochloride 500mg twice a day (so quickly without letting me reduce my weight myself?) also don't they check blood twice over a period to actually confirm diabeties?

I didn't eat all night and didn't eat in the morning. So any test they did was a fasting one. If at first instance they said my FBS was fine but now they are saying I am diabetic? I have my own blood glucose machines at home and am thinking if I should just fast again and take a reading myself.

I know HbA1c is your average glucose levels over a 2-3 period and I will admit I have been drinking a lot of sugary drinks over this period way more then usually and believe this has impacted my HbA1c, should I wait 2-3 months and then ask my GP to do another HbA1c test? Or should I do a FBS at home and see if it comes in over 7 (diabeties) or in 6 (pre diabeties) or below 5.4 which would be normal? Should I take the Metformin? All help appreciated please. I'm literally so confused.

 

[saffron15]

Welcome to the forum. Were you at the hospital with something that could be connected with diabetis eg excessive thirst? You say taken to hospital which to me suggests friend or family taking you to hospital or even ambulance.
You will eventually be seen by your GP. I asked for a diabetes test I'd been peeing a lot and it was 69. I wasn't thirsty etc. However I was told I needed a second test even though I was sure at that stage I was diabetic given i had been peeing a lot, for formal diagnosis

The best thing you can do is stop panicking, reduce with a view to stopping your sugary drinks and start tackling your weight.You are in your thirties and I'm sure you would hope to reduce the numbers until you are not classed as diabetic. Diabetes UK has lots of info and I have previously posted a link to a website which has loads of information including bottom left hand corner websites like Freshwell and Caldesi that have info about diet. I have found low carb helpful though I am eating at least 130 gms of carbs. Many people choose to go lower. I don't know if you have other health conditions, if you do check with your surgery if low carb is good.

As far as medication, metformin is effective and cheap. I was on 1 first week til taking 4 after 4 weeks but my medication was changed and I was reduced to two. It is better with food. I take slow release which is said to be better on stomach.
You could choose to just take one or none but you do need to treat the diagnosis seriously and change your diet and move more. Contact your surgery to see if or when they intend to test you again. They may want a confirmatory blood test or may suggest you have one in 3 months.

I have decided not to post the link to the main website of the New Forest health site instead this piece from the site may be appropriate for you

https://newforestpcn.co.uk/network-services/diabetes-metabolic-health/t2day

There is of course the possibility that you are type 1 but that is not something I can comment on.
Good luck. Do keep asking questions.

 

[Lucyr]

If at first instance they said my FBS was fine but now they are saying I am diabetic?

Fasting blood sugar just tells you your BG right there and then. BG changes constantly and can be normal at times even if hba1c was high.

t I have been drinking a lot of sugary drinks over this period way more then usually and believe this has impacted my HbA1c

If you weren’t diabetic your body would have dealt with the extra glucose by producing and using more insulin so whilst sugary drinks might have increased your a1c as a diabetic, it won’t cause a false diagnosis.

don't they check blood twice over a period to actually confirm diabeties?

What were you taken to hospital for? Only needs one a1c if you have symptoms.

put me on Metformin hydrochloride 500mg twice a day (so quickly without letting me reduce my weight myself?)

Also related to why you were taken to hospital. If the diabetes is related to the reason things are affecting you enough to end up in hospital then you need the treatment

 

[lordburnside]

Hi,

A reading of 51 isn't a disaster in my book. I was 55 then got down to 51 in 3 months with some effort! I am now 45-47 because I have not kept my eye on the ball!

I dont take Metformin I am just eating properlly most of the time. I have a weakness for alcohol that I am sorting out - I like a Twix with my whiskey!
I would say if you gave up bread potatoes rice and pasta and did some walking you would be lower 40's in 3 months time.
Maybe learn to make interesting salads!

 

[Quill]

Hi. Would someone be able to advise me please. I'm literally confused.

I was taken to hospital this morning. Due my time there they pricked my finger and took a sugar level which then they also took my blood. While waiting for for my bloods I asked the doctor if my sugar level was fine, he checked and said it's fine. A bit later another doctor called me in and said my HbA1c - IFCC came back as 51 and that I have diabeties and put me on Metformin hydrochloride 500mg twice a day (so quickly without letting me reduce my weight myself?) also don't they check blood twice over a period to actually confirm diabeties?

I didn't eat all night and didn't eat in the morning. So any test they did was a fasting one. If at first instance they said my FBS was fine but now they are saying I am diabetic? I have my own blood glucose machines at home and am thinking if I should just fast again and take a reading myself.

I know HbA1c is your average glucose levels over a 2-3 period and I will admit I have been drinking a lot of sugary drinks over this period way more then usually and believe this has impacted my HbA1c, should I wait 2-3 months and then ask my GP to do another HbA1c test? Or should I do a FBS at home and see if it comes in over 7 (diabeties) or in 6 (pre diabeties) or below 5.4 which would be normal? Should I take the Metformin? All help appreciated please. I'm literally so confused.

Hey and welcome to the forum!
I was given a HbA1c result of 51 on Christmas Eve but my GP has treated it as pre-diabetes with it only being just over the threshold (48)
I wasn’t offered any Metformin or anything, just advised to make lifestyle changes.

I’ve been doing low carb since December 27th, sticking to between 30-50g carbs (you can go up to 130g with low carb)
I’ve lost 10lbs since and I have my repeat bloods on the 27th.

I’d have a chat with your GP first and see what they say, what options they give you and if they’ll give you the chance to make changes before repeat bloods instead of slapping you with a diagnosis and thrown in with a Diabetes Nurse.

 

[lordburnside]

Correction I should have put down to 41 not 51 in 3 months. Staying down requires sticking to the rules most of the time!

 

[Leadinglights]

The answer to your questions are it all depends.
The diagnostic threshold for a diabetes diagnosis is anything over 47mmol/mol and the test represents basically the average blood glucose over the previous 3 months so at 51mmol/mol then yes it is in the diabetic zone but only just and really if it was a diagnosis by tests at the GP you would hopefully be given opportunity to make some dietary changes before being prescribed medication.
The finger prick readings are just a moment in time and if you had had nothing to eat for a period of time then it could well have shown an OK level as you HbA1C was not desperately high.
I think it unlikely that the reason for being in hospital would influence your HbA1C.
In any event metformin would usually be introduced gradually 1 per day for a couple of weeks then increasing to 2.
I would be inclined to talk to my GP before starting on medication but again it all depends on how committed you would be to making dietary changes, it sounds as it you will be as you have already got a monitor.
Do have a look at this link as it has good explanation and some menu ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com

 

[Jinx]

Welcome to the forum. Were you at the hospital with something that could be connected with diabetis eg excessive thirst? You say taken to hospital which to me suggests friend or family taking you to hospital or even ambulance.
You will eventually be seen by your GP. I asked for a diabetes test I'd been peeing a lot and it was 69. I wasn't thirsty etc. However I was told I needed a second test even though I was sure at that stage I was diabetic given i had been peeing a lot, for formal diagnosis

The best thing you can do is stop panicking, reduce with a view to stopping your sugary drinks and start tackling your weight.You are in your thirties and I'm sure you would hope to reduce the numbers until you are not classed as diabetic. Diabetes UK has lots of info and I have previously posted a link to a website which has loads of information including bottom left hand corner websites like Freshwell and Caldesi that have info about diet. I have found low carb helpful though I am eating at least 130 gms of carbs. Many people choose to go lower. I don't know if you have other health conditions, if you do check with your surgery if low carb is good.

As far as medication, metformin is effective and cheap. I was on 1 first week til taking 4 after 4 weeks but my medication was changed and I was reduced to two. It is better with food. I take slow release which is said to be better on stomach.
You could choose to just take one or none but you do need to treat the diagnosis seriously and change your diet and move more. Contact your surgery to see if or when they intend to test you again. They may want a confirmatory blood test or may suggest you have one in 3 months.

I have decided not to post the link to the main website of the New Forest health site instead this piece from the site may be appropriate for you

https://newforestpcn.co.uk/network-services/diabetes-metabolic-health/t2day

There is of course the possibility that you are type 1 but that is not something I can comment on.
Good luck. Do keep asking questions.

Hi. Thanks for your reply. Nah I used the wrong wording, not taken hospital was just told to go by gp due to very high bp and to get it down as was having headaches etc. I wouldn't say I am peeing alot, or am thirsty alot. Nothing has really changed for me except I am more sleepy during the day however I would attribute this to having a disrupted/less sleep per week due to my new work. I am not even hitting 6hours sleep most days.

Yes you're right. I wanna first understand everything and I don't want to go on tablets without the opportunity to use my own will power to defeat this as I am aware it can be reversed by losing weight. On my discharge papers it says I couldn't make lifestyle changes myself. I feel as though they just wanted to give me tablets and put diabeties tag on me without allowing me a chance to sort this myself. I feel as though losing weight is very achievable for me as long as I keep focused. I knew this would happen sooner or later that my health would catch up on me.

I was thinking on going on a 1000cal diet with pretty much next to 0 carbs and do some exercise every morning. I've done something similar before and lost tons of weight to below 100kg. It's just staying with it cause I love fizzy drinks I ain't gonna lie. Food wise I eat mostly grilled meat anyway which has 0 carbs so this has all come as a surprise to me. I think it's the 3-4litres of fizzy drink and energy drinks I been consuming for the past 1-2yrs a day that has now caused this.

I feel like if I go on Metformin now then when I lose weight and get a good a1c in a few months they will say it's down to Metformin that my number is normal and not the weight loss? Hence wanna first like be given x amount of months and show that I am losing weight every month in return should lower my a1c?

 

[Jinx]

Fasting blood sugar just tells you your BG right there and then. BG changes constantly and can be normal at times even if hba1c was high.


If you weren’t diabetic your body would have dealt with the extra glucose by producing and using more insulin so whilst sugary drinks might have increased your a1c as a diabetic, it won’t cause a false diagnosis.


What were you taken to hospital for? Only needs one a1c if you have symptoms.


Also related to why you were taken to hospital. If the diabetes is related to the reason things are affecting you enough to end up in hospital then you need the treatment

Hi thanks for reply. I understand what you're saying. But sugary drinks could have increased my a1c from normal though no?

Went to hospital due to very high bp.

 

[Jinx]

Hi,

A reading of 51 isn't a disaster in my book. I was 55 then got down to 51 in 3 months with some effort! I am now 45-47 because I have not kept my eye on the ball!

I dont take Metformin I am just eating properlly most of the time. I have a weakness for alcohol that I am sorting out - I like a Twix with my whiskey!
I would say if you gave up bread potatoes rice and pasta and did some walking you would be lower 40's in 3 months time.
Maybe learn to make interesting salads!

Hi thanks for reply. So if you got down to 41 did the GP tell you that your diabetes is in reversal stage and that you're in the pre diabeties area? Or they still class you as diabetic?

Yeah I eat salads with everything tbh hence surprised my a1c is 51. It's gotta be the 3-4litres of fizzy drink I have per day. Cause I eat salads greek salad most my food is grilled meat. If my a1c was under 40 in 3 months would they it's not longer diabeties or would they say I still have it or they need to continue to check for further months before saying it's in reversal?

 

[Jinx]

Hey and welcome to the forum!
I was given a HbA1c result of 51 on Christmas Eve but my GP has treated it as pre-diabetes with it only being just over the threshold (48)
I wasn’t offered any Metformin or anything, just advised to make lifestyle changes.

I’ve been doing low carb since December 27th, sticking to between 30-50g carbs (you can go up to 130g with low carb)
I’ve lost 10lbs since and I have my repeat bloods on the 27th.

I’d have a chat with your GP first and see what they say, what options they give you and if they’ll give you the chance to make changes before repeat bloods instead of slapping you with a diagnosis and thrown in with a Diabetes Nurse.

Hi I thanks for reply. That's interesting. So why doctor put me on Metformin without letting me talk to GP and write on letter that lifestyle changes didn't work for me? Hence Metformin?

Congrats on the 10lbs. So if you get lower then 51 like lower 40s or hopefully in 30s will they say your diabetes is in reversal etc?

Yeah will talk to GP in the coming weeks. Hospital only gave me like a week's worth of Metformin. At this point I do not wanna take I due to the fact I know I can lose weight and wanna be given that chance. Even if they say to take tablets and I lose weight will they start saying my numbers are only good cause of Metformin or will they acknowledge it's due to weight loss and tell me to stop taking metformin?

 

[Jinx]

Hi

The answer to your questions are it all depends.
The diagnostic threshold for a diabetes diagnosis is anything over 47mmol/mol and the test represents basically the average blood glucose over the previous 3 months so at 51mmol/mol then yes it is in the diabetic zone but only just and really if it was a diagnosis by tests at the GP you would hopefully be given opportunity to make some dietary changes before being prescribed medication.
The finger prick readings are just a moment in time and if you had had nothing to eat for a period of time then it could well have shown an OK level as you HbA1C was not desperately high.
I think it unlikely that the reason for being in hospital would influence your HbA1C.
In any event metformin would usually be introduced gradually 1 per day for a couple of weeks then increasing to 2.
I would be inclined to talk to my GP before starting on medication but again it all depends on how committed you would be to making dietary changes, it sounds as it you will be as you have already got a monitor.
Do have a look at this link as it has good explanation and some menu ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com

Hi thanks for reply. Yeah at this point I want them to give me a chance to lose weight. I'll need to speak with GP in the coming weeks and discuss the options. If finger readings are showing ok what I don't get is how is it diabeties then? And if they are telling you as a diabetic you should aim to have normal readings and you get normal readings all the time how can it diabeties?

 

[Quill]

Hi I thanks for reply. That's interesting. So why doctor put me on Metformin without letting me talk to GP and write on letter that lifestyle changes didn't work for me? Hence Metformin?

Congrats on the 10lbs. So if you get lower then 51 like lower 40s or hopefully in 30s will they say your diabetes is in reversal etc?

Yeah will talk to GP in the coming weeks. Hospital only gave me like a week's worth of Metformin. At this point I do not wanna take I due to the fact I know I can lose weight and wanna be given that chance. Even if they say to take tablets and I lose weight will they start saying my numbers are only good cause of Metformin or will they acknowledge it's due to weight loss and tell me to stop taking metformin?

Hoping that will be the case but I’ve been lazy the last couple of weeks for various reasons.
I’ll be happy with lower than 42 if I can swing it and then work harder.

I’ve noticed a few times now with some other posts (here and elsewhere) that the second a HbA1c result is over 48, BAM, they throw Metformin at you and leave you to it.

Personally I’d have been ok with that as I’ve had untreated PCOS since I was 15, and my cholesterol is on the high side last we checked but when you know - like you do, that you can get it down easily with diet and exercise, I think you should.
Maybe don’t take the Metformin, get on it with diet and exercise, get an appointment with your GP for repeat bloods and show them you can do it yourself without meds.

🙂

 

[Lucyr]

But sugary drinks could have increased my a1c from normal though no?

The sugary drinks haven’t caused a misdiagnosis, you’re diabetic as the hba1c is 51. When non diabetics drink sugary drinks they have a normal hba1c. Their body deals with the sugar. When an undiagnosed or diagnosed diabetic drinks sugary drinks their body can’t deal with it and the hba1c could be increased depending on how much they are drinking and other factors.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi


Hi thanks for reply. Yeah at this point I want them to give me a chance to lose weight. I'll need to speak with GP in the coming weeks and discuss the options. If finger readings are showing ok what I don't get is how is it diabeties then? And if they are telling you as a diabetic you should aim to have normal readings and you get normal readings all the time how can it diabeties?

You may have what appear to be normal reading when fasting but the factor that will increase your HbA1C is what your level is after food and does that level return to normal in a timely manner. The longer your blood glucose remains high then the excess glucose sticks to your red blood cells and it is how much is attached (broadly speaking) that the test measures.
People who are able to keep their before meal and fasting test in the 4-7 range and a 2 hour post meal to less than 8mmol/l the majority of the time for the 3 months prior to the HbA1C test would expect a result in the normal range of below 42mmol/mol.
Finger prick tests and HbA1C measure something different and cannot be directly related other than to say the higher finger prick tests are the higher HbA1C is likely to be. There is a chart somewhere showing a possible relationship.

 

[Drummer]

@Jinx Your eating seems ideal - but that much sugar water each and every day - well at least it gives you a simple easy target, and there are lots of low or non at all options these days so I recon that if you swap to sugar free drinks you'll be back in normal HbA1c very quickly. I'd put money on it and I don't gamble.
If you decide to take the Metformin you'd be wise to start it when you can stay at home and/or close to a loo until you find out how you cope with it. Metformin gave me the most miserable few weeks of my life - how I lasted over a month I do not know. My memory of that time is hazy, but I did get a professional level carpet and upholstery cleaner out of the experience.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

It is up to you whether you take the Metformin or not. If you decide to take it, I am not sure what you have been told but you start on a low dose, usually 1x500mg tablet a day and build it up over 4 weeks to the full dose of 4 or whatever is prescribed. It is best taken mid meal with a substantial amount of food to reduce the risk of side effects (most commonly stomach upset) Some people don't suffer any side effects, some get minor digestive disruption and some get more serious side effects.
If you decide not to take them, then it would be wise to monitor your levels so that you can review that decision if BG levels start to rise suddenly rather than remain steady or hopefully reduce slightly.
Don't get too hung up on fasting readings, especially as regards inferring anything about your diabetes diagnosis. It can vary according to many factors including how well or poorly you slept, so it is not useful as a diagnosis guide. If you feel that it will be relatively easy to cut down on or completely avoid the sugary drinks then that may well help your levels to drop back down into the normal range. If you don't see any improvement in HbA1c by the time your doctor does another test then you can reconsider the metformin.
Generally speaking at that level (HbA1c of 51) you would not expect to experience symptoms of diabetes and a second confirmatory test would be done before giving you a proper diagnosis. Lab errors can happen and other factors like anaemia can inflate the HbA1c result so a single reading at that level is not in it's own an ideal way to diagnose diabetes and you could argue that point with your GP or nurse when you eventually see them, but if reducing your intake of sugary drinks lowers that level then I think you likely have diabetes but are managing it well enough to bring it down to being well managed rather than say you don't have it. Once you have diabetes you need to take steps to manage it for the rest of your life. That might be losing weight by whatever means and keeping it off, or never drinking sugary drinks again or not eating bread and pasta and rice and potatoes to achieve those lower levels but you are essentially managing it by doing whatever needs doing to hopefully keep it in remission.... ie. You can't just go back to the way you used to live/eat once you get it into remission, or the HbA1c will rise again.

 

[pjgtech]

Hi and welcome, all good advice above, so I'll not repeat it.
I would say that even a diabetic still needs to eat some carbs, your body does need carbs, just not too much!
A low carb diet is generally considered around 120g of carbs per day or less. Aiming for 0 carbs is not sustainable!
Also, whatever changes you make now, also need to be sustainable, eg: reducing or stopping very sugary drinks. Its no good giving them up juts to reduce the numbers, but then starting drinking them again afterwards. You need to reduce them permanently or find alternatives.
Bear in mind also that its not just sugars, but all carbs that you need to keep a check on, potato, pasta, rice, bread, baked goods, sweets, cakes, etc, etc. Also beware of fruit, some are also high in carbs, eg: pineapple, bananas, exotic fruits, etc. Berries are generally ok.
Once a diabetic, unfortunately you are then always a diabetic, even if you go into remission and get the numbers down, you will always be at an increased risk of the numbers rising again. So you need to manage things going forward.
Good luck with it, hope you find a solution that suits you.

 

[Martin.A]

should I do a FBS at home and see if it comes in over 7 (diabeties) or in 6 (pre diabeties) or below 5.4 which would be normal?

Are those DCCT numbers, ie percentages?

 

[Pollyanna]

Hi. Would someone be able to advise me please. I'm literally confused.

I was taken to hospital this morning. Due my time there they pricked my finger and took a sugar level which then they also took my blood. While waiting for for my bloods I asked the doctor if my sugar level was fine, he checked and said it's fine. A bit later another doctor called me in and said my HbA1c - IFCC came back as 51 and that I have diabeties and put me on Metformin hydrochloride 500mg twice a day (so quickly without letting me reduce my weight myself?) also don't they check blood twice over a period to actually confirm diabeties?

I didn't eat all night and didn't eat in the morning. So any test they did was a fasting one. If at first instance they said my FBS was fine but now they are saying I am diabetic? I have my own blood glucose machines at home and am thinking if I should just fast again and take a reading myself.

I know HbA1c is your average glucose levels over a 2-3 period and I will admit I have been drinking a lot of sugary drinks over this period way more then usually and believe this has impacted my HbA1c, should I wait 2-3 months and then ask my GP to do another HbA1c test? Or should I do a FBS at home and see if it comes in over 7 (diabeties) or in 6 (pre diabeties) or below 5.4 which would be normal? Should I take the Metformin? All help appreciated please. I'm literally so confused.