• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

I don't know what to do

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.

Ccash

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I have posted a couple of times before and got some really good advice so thankyou all and thanks again in anticipation.

I have a history of gestational diabetes that behaved very unusually. I was on 3 metformin tablets and 70 units of insulin a day by the time my second baby arrived. My blood sugars have never been back to normal since and have been diagnosed as pre diabetic. My Hba1c is generally 47. This changes little but there is definitely an upward trend when I check with a glucose monitor. I'm regularly hitting 12s and have been as high as 14.9 and felt rather sick. This compares to a couple of months ago when it was 9s/10s. My latest Hba1c was 46 so lower than it has been. Im really confused???

I have been to my GP who was very dismissive saying they wouldn't be worried until my blood sugars hit the mid 20's. This can't be right surely?? Is there a ball park figure that If i start getting i should be knocking the GPs door down and demanding more support? (Metaphorically obviously). The diabetes nurse at the GP just told me that chocolate has sugar in it and that if you put sugar in your tea..... it also has sugar in it.
 
I’d be concerned by those numbers so think you were right to bring up with GP. Waiting until they are in the mid twenties seems like madness quite honestly.
When do you test and was there any pattern to those high readings? Were they after a meal or were they fasting levels first thing in the morning?
Of course an HbA1c of 46 shows levels are still in pre-diabetic range and it will be these higher readings that are contributing to that elevated level, even if lower than previously.
You could return to GP with a list of numbers and correlating symptoms to say you aren’t happy. If the higher levels are occurring predominantly after meals you could try adjusting the content of them to see if you can reduce things yourself.
Has your level of activity reduced recently? That could also account for an increase in levels.

Enlightening advice from the diabetes nurse there 🙄
 
I tested recently first thing in the morning and it was 8 something. I generally test 2hrs after eating. The 14.9 reading was about an hour after a pimms with no sugar lemonade and two Maryland type cookies. So bad but not ridiculous. I spoke to the GP sometime ago. It was a telephone appointment she just didn't let me talk :-(. My activity levels are much the same as always. I spend alot of time running about the park with two small children.
 
8 is also a bit high for a fasting reading - I would definitely revisit the GP with the numbers you have been seeing, particularly if you are also feeling unwell, you can‘t just put up with unpleasant symptoms. Is there another GP at the practice you could see?
 
I just wondered if they could offer anything more especially as I have only recently had my Hba1c tested???
 
How often do you have it tested? As the HbA1c covers things for the past 3 months if you have only seen this increase more recently then it won‘t be fully reflected in the most recent HbA1c results And you could request another sooner than you would usually wait.
If a couple of months ago it was more like 10, whereas now it is 12/14 then once it has been that way for longer the HbA1c may reflect that. I say ‘may‘ as the finger prick result is only a momentary reading and can be balanced out by Lower readings at other times you may unaware of.
Did you make any diet/lifestyle changes following the pre-diabetes diagnosis? If not or of there is room for further improvement, then you may find you are able to tackle these rises yourself. There is information about ways in which to reduce your risk in the Learning Zone tab at the top of the page which may be useful.
 
I have been eating less well since lockdown but not anything too silly. I am trying to cut right back now as the highs I have had recently have shook me up. Prior to lock down I was slowly introducing a low carb diet but that stopped when it became more difficult to get food.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top