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Some advice please

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Dan80

New Member
I went to my Dr yesterday for a fasting blood test as I have been feeling very unwell for 4-6 weeks now, symptoms include - Extreme hunger mid afternoon and late evening, tiredness to the point of not wanting to do anything at all, feeling dizzy ( at one point I blacked out for a second and fell downstairs) extreme thirst, blurred vision, headaches.

I have had fasting blood tests before and been told that I am "borderline" whatever that means and asked to have the test repeated in 12 months.
I called today for my results and the receptionist told me I needed to repeat the test but she didnt know why, after nearly 8 years of being messed around I am starting to get quite angry.

So my question is this, is there anything that I can do before my next test ( next week) to ensure that I get some help? I cant bare the thought of being told im "borderline" again and having to repeat this whole thing again for 12 months, especially considering how unwell I feel at present.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you may be able to offer me I really appreciate it.
 
If it's a fasting blood test and it is considered borderline/pre-diabetes/impaired glucose tolerence/or whatever we are calling it this week. then I would ask for further tests, namely HbA1c- which is like an avereage of blood sugars over the past 2-3 months, and a Glucose tolerence test- which is a fasting test and then a test 2 hours after drinking a sugary drink. It may be that a diagnosis can't be made on the fasting result but the GTT result may be high enough.

If your results are normal then I would be pushing for your GP to look into other causes of your symptoms. You obviously can't carry on feeling unwell as you are so they need to try and get to the bottom of it, even if it isn't diabetes.

best of luck to you
 
Hi Dan, welcome! There do seem to be fairly strict guidelines that they follow before making a positive diagnosis of diabetes, but whatever the outcome the doctor should be giving you some support in trying to treat your symptoms as clearly you are not feeling healthy. Have you been offered any advice regarding diet and a possible exercise regime that might improve your general well-being? You certainly do seem to be exhibiting the 'classic' symptoms of elevated blood sugar, but it may be that your fasting levels are just not high enough to warrant a firm diagnosis. There is another test that can be performed, called the Glucose Tolerance test, which involves testing your blood, you drink some lucazade, then they test your blood again to see how high your levels have gone. This page explains it in detail and may give you a better understanding of what might be going on so you can be prepared with questions:

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001588/

Best wishes, I hope that they can sort something out for you soon🙂

p.s. I see Nikki beat me to it!
 
Dan80 said:
I went to my Dr yesterday for a fasting blood test as I have been feeling very unwell for 4-6 weeks now, symptoms include - Extreme hunger mid afternoon and late evening, tiredness to the point of not wanting to do anything at all, feeling dizzy ( at one point I blacked out for a second and fell downstairs) extreme thirst, blurred vision, headaches.

I have had fasting blood tests before and been told that I am "borderline" whatever that means and asked to have the test repeated in 12 months.
I called today for my results and the receptionist told me I needed to repeat the test but she didnt know why, after nearly 8 years of being messed around I am starting to get quite angry.

So my question is this, is there anything that I can do before my next test ( next week) to ensure that I get some help? I cant bare the thought of being told im "borderline" again and having to repeat this whole thing again for 12 months, especially considering how unwell I feel at present.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you may be able to offer me I really appreciate it.
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Hi Dan
The only thing i would do is go to your local chemist & ask for a diabetes check, its just a tiny finger prick & you get your blood glucose levels there n then it only takes 5 seconds see what they say.
I know my chemist does it here.
Hope you get sorted very soon.
Let us know how you get on.
 
Sorry wanted to say welcome & ask as many questions as you like no matter how silly they sound, someone will always reply🙂
 
When I ws diagonsed, I had to repeat the blood test, so they could be sure.

So maybe you're not borderline and they want to make sure before they confirm your believes that you are diabetic.

How mad would you be if they said yes you were diabetic, but you weren't!?

Do you know what your levels were last time. I was told anything above 11 after fasting with symptons is a basic diagnosis.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon.
 
Sorry I didnt explain very well, I have not been told after this test that im borderline, I have been told today that they need to repeat the test but the woman I spoke to didnt know why it had to be redone, she speculated that the test may have been contaminated ( its test I have had over the last 8 or so years where they have told me im borderline)

In reply to earlier posters none of the Dr's I have seen have offered me any advice about diet or exercise, If my test next friday doesnt provide any firm answers I will be asking about the test that you suggested.

I also forgot to ask when these tests are done are they looking for me to have low or high blood sugar? sorry for my ignorance but I dont know anything about diabetes.

Once everybody for the help and suggestions.
 
hi dan , ive just seen your post , hello and welcome to the forum , i would think that the doctors would be testing for high blood sugar levels .
So it seems you have been messed about for a while now then? have you anyone in the family with diabetes ?
 
Dan80 said:
...I also forgot to ask when these tests are done are they looking for me to have low or high blood sugar? sorry for my ignorance but I dont know anything about diabetes.

Once everybody for the help and suggestions.
Click to expand...

Hi Dan, they are looking for higher than normal blood sugars. For a fasting test, this will be one that is above 7.0 mmol/l, and for a random non-fasting test, if it is above 11.0 mmol/l. Normal range for non-diabetics is between 4.0 -7.0 mmol/l fasting. Blood sugar will rise after eating carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, sugar etc.), but in a non-diabetic it will not normally go above 11.0 mmol/l.
 
As far as im aware nobody in my family suffers with diabetes, I must admit I have not asked though because I dont want my family to be worried about me.
 
Hi, ive been in the exact same situation, it was about 7 years ago, went to dr's they told me i was glucose intolorant and to be monitored. Moved to Stoke on Trent, they sent me packing saying there is no such thing as glucose intolorant, you either are diabetic or not.
so after having lots of symptoms that have got worse and worse until i HAD to get into my van at work for a mid day sleep after lunch i went back. Luckily (or not) i have just had an abnormal smear test back ( non cancerious so not to worry) but the dr decided to do tests and my fasting test was 9.5 so was diagnosed diabetic and have finally been heard
However today i had lots of phoblems when i went for a 2nd test and ended up having the test at 11.30ish having not eaten from 6 last night and my bloods had dropped to 6.4 so am seeing the dr next week and don't know if he will tell me to go away again.

I don't want to be diabetic but i do want to feel well again and get the help needed and if that is being diabetis so be it.

Sorry this is all about ME but thought you migt like to know that you are not alone and i fully understand what you are going through and a diagnosis is needed to help you.

Do you know any diabetics? if so you could do a finger prick test first thing in the morning.. or go to boots and buy a kit, accu chek are half price at the moment, the aviva nano is the one i have.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Julie xx
 
hi dan as most of the folks on here have said it may be that you need to have the test done again to confirm the results. try not to let it get to you and also try talking to your family as they will be even more worried as to why you didnt tell them what was up.

if you need any advice then feel free to ask :D

mike
 
Dan80 said:
As far as im aware nobody in my family suffers with diabetes, I must admit I have not asked though because I dont want my family to be worried about me.
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sorry about that , i wasnt thinking . well we are all here and have been through the same worries so if you need to chat or have a moan feel free , anything you want to know we will try and help as much as possible.
 
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