I have a friend of my sister who has been diagnosed with a blood glucose of 15+++++ . I don't know how that compares as I work on HBA1c levels having reduced mine from 91 to 51, but I know she is going to contact me for advice, I do NOT want to get involved but can anyone tell me how that relates to what I know and understand?? She will go into this in the minutest of details add that to the A F she has, the constant food fixations , portion control..........she is a very old friend BUT!!!!!!!!!!!! She has bought the Carb and Cal book and is in for the biggest of shocks when she sees portion sizes. I just would like to know what 15 relates to. Random blood test followed by a fasting glucose at her GPs in Glasgow. As I said, I don't want to get involved but am sorry as she has had a lot of stress recently which I do believe can contribute to the onset. I just would like to be forewarned........
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Limited advice.
- Thread starter EMcKT
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Leadinglights
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I would suspect that number is 15mmol/l which would be from a finger prick test which may have been the random one or the fasting test but the only test recognised for diagnosis would be an HbA1C which she should be having. The result is likely to be well in the diabetic range of over 47mmol/mol.
I would think it likely she will be offered medication, the first option would be metformin in combination with dietary changes.
Comparing the 15 (mmol/l ) ? with what somebody with well managed Type 2 would be aiming at which is 4-7mmol/l fasting and before meals and no more than 8-8.5 mmol/l 2 hours after meals. A finger prick test just after eating a high carb meal could well be as high as 15mmol/l but should then be coming down after 2 hours.
Perhaps pointing her in the direction of the Freshwell program https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/ would help her without you getting more involved than you want to be.
Proud to be erratic
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Hello @EMcKT, there was a time when HbA1c readings were expressed as percentages and periodically new members pop up with a bare figure (no units) anywhere from 6 to low 20s; which should have been expressed as a %. This was changed to the current unified system using either mmol/mol in Europe or (I can't remember what) in N America.
So if your sister's friend was given a figure of 15%, that would be around 140 mmol/mol - very high but not impossible. I think our 48 threshold for a formal Diabetes diagnosis is 6.5%, for reference.
Thank you both for you replies. That's high but not impossible to fix. She is a large lady with a penchant for food, especially carbs, although a Scottish diet can be high in those without realising what it's all about. I shall tell sister what's been said and leave her to get on with it. Carb and calories will be interesting reading for her.
CliffH
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I'm a Londoner having moved to Scotland and I worry when I see what young people here tend to eat
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Always difficult (and potentially misleading?!) to interpret numbers when they come without units. Especially with diabetes, where two very different results (HbA1c in %, and fingerprick glucose in mmol/L) can be quite similar numbers, but mean very different things.
The other oddity is the inclusion of 5 +s
Most commonly I see + ++ +++ or ++++ being used on their own for urine ketones
Hope you can offer support and encouragement without feeling you are getting in deeper than you feel comfortable with. 🙂
The other oddity is the inclusion of 5 +s
Most commonly I see + ++ +++ or ++++ being used on their own for urine ketones
Hope you can offer support and encouragement without feeling you are getting in deeper than you feel comfortable with. 🙂
Drummer
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Perhaps limit advice to checking blood glucose, the reading at the 2 hour mark after starting a meal was all I needed to use when changing my diet, and it thew up anomalies like my ability to digest legumes far too well, and that resistant starch turned out to be a pushover for my gut.
As we are all different in the ways we digest and absorb foods, the best thing is to try out and check, then adjust as required.
As we are all different in the ways we digest and absorb foods, the best thing is to try out and check, then adjust as required.
Turns out level was 66, so it's straight on Metformin and stains. GP would not let her try diet alone for a while. Seeing nurse on Thurs and GP again in a month. I m out today with a friend .......tha ks for your support everyone.
Drummer
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That isn't a really high level - I started out at 91 and was back in the normal range - just - at 6 months on diet only.
I did take Atorvastatin and Metformin for a few weeks, but it was dreadful. I am just on 8 years from diagnosis and still at the top end of normal.
I started out at 91 as well, but was so shocked that I just took the pills and did not argue. Last shout it was down to 51 which I am pleased about. I'm no spring chicken at 76, so am falling into the mindset that that might just be my level. Seeing the nurse on Monday so we shall see. Avoiding calls from friend.......
Drummer
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I am 73 and 1/2 - not going to grow up if I can help it.
I'm just making some sticks with red bells and gold ribbons for Christmas morris dancing and practicing tunes and carols on my melodeon.
I am also due to see the nurse on Monday to have blood taken, and will be interested to see if I have got below 40 as I have been fasting over 20 hours a day and eating a single small meal plus a slimming shake and a cup of tea or coffee. for over a month now.
A quick update on my sister's friend.......she has lost over a stone in weight, has had three online sessions (not totally sure what about) with more to follow, now is having six weeks FREE at Scottish Slimmers which she could easily have done years ago if she was that keen to loose weight in the first place. She is constantly fixating on what she is or is NOT allowed to eat, and has discovered the world of beige buffets. Her mantra seems to be I'm not allowed that.......without any thought that she might be able to. She has been told not to finger prick........she would go off on an enormous worry slide, so best not. Lunch next week at my sister's will be salmon and broccoli in a cream sauce with gnocchi. Sister will make a separate portion sans the gnocchi and there will be fruits of the forest with cream for her and the others are having Pavlova........sister has been talking to me. Then she cannot have salads as she cannot eat tomato, does not like salad dressing..........I'm glad I'm not having Christmas dinner there, but would love to be a fly on the wall. Bit naughty of me.
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