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Hi, i may have Diabetes, so many questions?

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Hi Ella, welcome to the forum....
Looks like you have the classic symptoms & more importantly already have D in the family. One think I would initially suggest (even though the medical community frowns on this) is to get a test meter, will probably have to be self-funded but the SD Codefree from Amazon appears to be the cheapest self-funded option.
 
EllaRose71 said:
we only live once, don't we, so I might as well make the best of it.
Click to expand...
With an attitude like that I'm sure that you will get this under control in no time. Attitude is an critical, yet underplayed, aspect of our daily management.
 
EllaRose71 said:
Hi I think I may be Diabetic. I have been told I was pre-diabetic last year.
I have done the symptoms test on here and I have a few symptoms that I have had a couple of months, thirsty, frequent needing the loo even at night, blurry vision at times, tiredness and itchy skin, and I am also overweight. (the penny has finally dropped that I need to see a Dr).
According to the symptoms test my risk factor comes out high with a probability of being Diabetic. Also my 2 sisters are Diabetic.
I made an appointment with a Dr for tomorrow afternoon.
I know I will have to take a urine sample for testing, and probably a list of my symptoms as I will be sure to forget something.
What can I expect to happen on this appointment? Blood test????
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Welcome EllaRose. I think you're pretty much expecting a diabeties diagnosis but the GP will probably want to do a Hba1c blood test which doesn't need to be fasting. A level over 48 signifies diabetes. If there isn't a phlebotomist at your surgery, you'll probably be sent for a blood test. It's unlikely a urine test would be used unless you suspect a UTI. They sometimes use the dipstix to detect glucose but it has to be over about 10 before it registers so of little use. Sometimes a random finger prick test is done so best to be tested at least 2 hrs after eating. I'd be surprised if it was done this way however. The doc will certainly want to know your symptoms.

You may not get the diagnosis tomorrow but wishing you well and I think you already know what needs to be done and have a positive attitude towards it. Good luck.
 
Welcome to the forum, glad you found us. Take a notebook and pencil with you to your appointment and write down any questions you have. I would ask what tests are being done and write those down - even if they don't make a lot of sense at the time.
Best of luck and let us know how you get on. 🙂
 
Hi Ella Rose, welcome. It's good to hear that you have an appointment with the gp tomorrow, please let us know how you get on.
Yes you'll need to have a blood test done, possibly not tomorrow though.

As you were diagnosed pre diabetic last year, its best to self test your BG (blood glucose) if they won't provide you with a glucose meter, the SD Codefree meter that Martin mentioned is the cheapest one to self fund. It's test strips are around £7 for 50 where high street bands are £15 to £30 , so a huge difference, it's a perfectly good meter , all meters have to conform to certain standards.
It's Available directly from Homehealth or Amazon .you're entitled to claim VAT relief, we use the mmol/l measurement in the uk.
You'll need to buy more test strips and 1 box of lancets as they only provide a few in the starter pack.
Homehealth
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/
Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073WHN...fm-21&linkId=cb802524a5a272370a22a66f9d54406e

Also Have a read of. Test review adjust by Alan S.
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html .

Ask as many questions as you need to ok
 
Welcome to the forum Ella.
 
Hi Ella and welcome to forum. Hope your appointment goes well. We're all here to lend help and support whatever the outcome.
 
Hi Ella
I hope your appointment is helpful. Please come back and tell us how you got on.
 
Welcome and blooming GP. I went to GP last November for 3 things.
  1. Small spot on my neck that had been there a couple of months - I suspected sebaceous cyst.
  2. My daughter told me I had symptoms of diabetes - weeing at night, a lot!!
  3. My BP had previously been on the high side but was told I had white coat syndrome.
So GP looks prods, pulls etc. at lump and confirmed it was a sebaceous cyst , harmless and best left alone as it wasn't noticeable. She rolled her eyes when I said my daughter thought I had symptoms of diabetes but said they would do a blood test and finally took my BP and said it was fine.

Two days later after having blood test same GP rang me to say I was definitely diabetic (I was 117 diabetic level under 48) and there was a prescription waiting for me for Metformin and an appointment on the Monday with diabetic nurse.

Three weeks later the harmless, unnoticeable cyst on my neck came to life. It grew massively and I had to have antibiotics to reduce infection. Two weeks later still growing, still infected (GP measured it this time with a tap measure and was over 2cm) and people politely asking "what's that on your neck":D. Second lot of antibiotics and on Xmas day it burst!! Then in January they cut it out and I now have an inch long scar from the minor op to remove it.

Three month check up after being diagnosed with diabetes blood pressure was excellent not just "fine" so tackling my diabetes helped my BP.

Agree with others and even if you are still pre diabetic, self testing can help you avoid getting a diagnosis of full blown diabetes.

So I'm glad I "bothered" the GP!!!
 
EllaRose71 said:
That sounds like a nightmare situation, glad you bothered the Dr and got it all sorted eventually.
I think this bothering of Dr's is a must when we get instinctive about our body.
Ella
Click to expand...

I think our NHS can be amazing but from experience not overly happy with GP service. Almost 30 years ago my mother was told she had "empty nest syndrome" after repeated visits to GP. We could see something was wrong and in desperation took her to A&E and it took them 30 minutes to establish something was seriously not right and - turned out to be advanced colon cancer, too late for treatment. 25 years later, different surgery and my sister told same thing by her GP when she made repeated visits. It took a locum called out as an emergency to realise something seriously wrong and sadly a month later she died of a brain tumour. On the positive side my first routine screening picked up early and treatable breast cancer.
 
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