most definite test for diabetes?

[hopingandwinning]

I have done two separate recent finger prick blood glucose tests on myself, on the 27th and the other yesterday on the 5th Jan. Both done about 1hour 50 mins after eating. My results were 5.4 and 5.9 which I see is in the normal range for a non diabetic.

However I know that the most accurate test for a diagnosis of diabetes is the HbA1c blood test along with a fasting blood sample but my question is how likely would it be that those numbers would be high if my finger prick tests were within the normal range?
Don't the finger prick tests provide a good indication that you may have diabetes?

The symptoms I've been having don't seem to be relenting. I'm still having occasional bouts of frequent urination where I find I'm sometimes peeing more than I drink and still occasionally waking up at night with a slight sensation of wanting to pee. A mild dry mouth too in the night but no thirst, hunger or tiredness. No other symptoms otherwise.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Hi. The HbA1c test is the best diagnoses of Diabetes. Having constant high bloods when finger testing is another. The odd stray high on prick testing is common even in non diabetics. My wife does not have diabetes, but her finger prick tests can go high, particularly an hour after food.

 

[Northerner]

These are the criteria for diagnosing diabetes:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/profess...nitoring/new_diagnostic_criteria_for_diabetes

 

[hopingandwinning]

These are the criteria for diagnosing diabetes:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/profess...nitoring/new_diagnostic_criteria_for_diabetes

So finger prick testing can be used, at least as an indicator for diabetes?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I would suggest visiting your GP and discussion this. They will be able to tell you whether your suspicion that you are urinating more frequently is related to diabetes (from what you have said this seems very unlikely as 10mmol/L is the usual renal threshold where glucose spills into urine to be excreted), is related to something else entirely, or reassure you and out your fears at rest.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

So finger prick testing can be used, at least as an indicator for diabetes?

Historically home monitoring SMBG equipment have not been considered accurate/reliable enough for diagnostic purposes.

 

[hopingandwinning]

I would suggest visiting your GP and discussion this. They will be able to tell you whether your suspicion that you are urinating more frequently is related to diabetes (from what you have said this seems very unlikely as 10mmol/L is the usual renal threshold where glucose spills into urine to be excreted), is related to something else entirely, or reassure you and out your fears at rest.

That's what I thought too and the two times I tested was during one of these bouts of slight increase in urination.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

That's what I thought too and the two times I tested was during one of these bouts of slight increase in urination.

Actually thinking about the current acute strain the health service is under with all the pressures of winter and the flu season, rather than an appointment with your GP I would suggest either

a) Not worrying about it, certainly in the short term. Your BG results seem perfectly normal and it may just be one of those things - measuring your urine seems quite unusual and may be adding to your anxiety. Your body is not a machine and few things about it behave strictly mathematically
b) Calling 111 if you are still concerned later in the Spring
c) Perhaps speaking to a pharmacist about your medications to get their advice

None if this is medical advice, or based on any actual knowledge, of course.

 

[mikeyB]

For what it’s worth, HaW, you can’t really pee more than you drink if your BGs are normal (and remember, all food contains liquids as well) unless your kidneys have given up the ghost and your colon is AWOL. Don’t worry yourself too much about what your body is doing, it all sounds within the bounds of normality.

I agree with Mike, there really isn’t any current need to bother your GP, and even less need to consult Dr Google, who knows nothing about everything.

 

[hopingandwinning]

Thanks mikey and everyday. I did test yesterday morning and I got slightly confusing results -

2 hours after small portion of sweet nutty granola oats with semi skimmed milk and herbal tea- 6.1 - This I wasn't expecting, Although this still falls under the non d PP of 7.7 it seemed a tad bit high for me given that I only had a very small breakfast. So then I tested for lunch
So started at 6.1, for lunch I had a chicken kiev (garlic/herb), some sweetcorn, peas, cucumber, wholegrain pasta and then a small chocolate after (6g carbs).
So after all this was consumed at 12:10, I tested every half an hour from then -

12:45 - 7.8
13:20 - 7.1
13:50 - 6.2
14:20 - 5.7

So this is normal again but then what's the explanation for the slightly high reading of 6.1? I remember a few weeks ago, I had a similar breakfast, 3 weetabixes, oats portion with semi skimmed milk and my reading was 7.0 after all this. So maybe it's the oats or weetabix that's raising my blood sugar level. Of course that 6.1 isn't the fasting level but then seems strange how I went down to 5.7, lower than what I first started with.

I realise that all this worry doesn't help my mental health and probably increases the anxiety

 

[AJLang]

I think you will find that there are a lot of non-diabetic people who find that their blood sugar levels vary during the day but they are definitely not diabetic. From what you've written in this thread and from what others have said you certainly don't appear to me to be diabetic, although this is just my personal opinion. I would love the levels that you are getting on and I am on a lot of insulin.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The explanation is the technology. 5.7 and 6.1 are identical readings. Don’t be fooled by apparent decimal point accuracy - the distribution of enzymes/reagents on different strips in a pot (let alone between pots and batches) could cause that difference.

As people with diabetes we are aiming for 4-9mmol/L - but the permitted variation of strip results means that a lab result of 4 and a lab result of 9 could *almost* overlap on results given by a home BG meter and still fall within acceptable accuracy.

http://www.everydayupsanddowns.co.uk/2012/04/meter-accuracy-narrow-window.html

That was written about the old 20% variation, this has tightened slightly to 15% more recently.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Those are all perfectly normal readings for a non diabetic.