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Hi everyone!

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Poeni

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Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
I've been worried for a while that I may be prediabetic or actually diabetic, but reluctant to visit my GP due to concerns over Covid-19 and local reports about how chaotic the waiting room is with poor control of social distancing etc. I do know this is not the right place for a diagnosis, but I'm hoping for some clarity, which might encourage me to pluck up the courage and try to make an appointment.
Brief backgound: age 63, chronic back problems mean exercising (other than walking) is impossible, mostly sedentary (I work from home 9am to 2pm every day), probably 3-4 stone overweight. For the last 6-9 months I've been experiencing a major post-lunch slump which usually ends up with me falling asleep for several hours - I eat after finishing work, so if I eat at 2:30pm might fall asleep by 3:30-4:00pm until 6-7pm. Occasionally it makes it hard to sleep at night.
Given all the above, I've just purchased a cheap blood glucose monitor and took my first proper readings this morning. Before breakfast with an empty stomach, my reading was 5.0 mmol/L but an hour after breakfast (porridge and coffee, semi-skimmed milk no sugar) it had risen to 8.5 mmol/L and I was dozing off - it's Saturday so I was allowed!
Does that mean anything, or nothing? Should I be concerned or not?
 
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Welcome to the forum @Poeni

A lot of people on here choose to test even if the strips are not supplied for them by their Practice.
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and 2 hrs after eating to see how food is affecting you as an individual (everyone is different, and it’s important to understand your own tolerances and ‘safe choices’). The numbers themselves dont matter so much at the beginning, it is the difference between them - the ‘meal rise‘ which you want to keep as near to 2-3mmol/L as you can. If you happen to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG, you can experimenting with reducing amounts or swapping types (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). If you are interested in this apporach you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S a helpful framework.

For a bit more background information, the ‘useful links’ thread is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes
 
Perhaps if you use the phone you can get an appointment for a blood test to check your status. I found that there was much better organisation when getting a blood test.
If you can't get anything organised where you'd feel safe, then you might consider changing your diet to exclude heavy carbohydrates, and eat more protein and at - the essential good groups.
I ate low carb from my early 20s to the age of 65 with frequent changes to the 'healthy' way of eating which made me feel so unwell, high carb low fat. I put on so much weight and was shamed and blamed for my failure - but as soon as I went back to my fad diet I felt so much better and I lost weight - but my metabolism took such a hammering.

We can't diagnose for you, but try avoiding carbs and see if you feel better and brighter.

I have had a back with twinges for quite some time - both babies were over 9lb so its no wonder really - but I have found that Nordic walking poles enable me to get around faster and further for the same amount of effort - and they exercise the upper body at the same time. The pavements around here are very uneven, I'm sure I'd have fallen several times if not for the poles.
 
Hi @Poeni, welcome to the forum.

Your numbers are in the normal range though even those who don't have diabetes have spikes. It's worth getting it checked out to put your mind at rest and or begin treatment if necessary.

The readings you get from the blood test will give you a picture of your levels over the last 3 months so is more helpful in providing a diagnosis so do book an appointment.
 
There may be a multitude of things which could be making you tired like anaemia or vitamin deficiency so to get some blood tests done would put your mind at rest rather than imagining all sorts of things. There should be CoVid secure systems in place so you should be safe and you will probably have had your vaccine so that should make you feel more confident to get the tests done.
 
Welcome to the forum @Poeni

Hope you manage to book an appointment and put your mind at rest.

Let us know how things go 🙂
 
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