Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not make efficient use of it. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert food into glucose, a sugar that the body uses for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose can accumulate in the blood, and can cause serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes and organ damage...

1,054 Members
5,485 Posts
0 Online
Endocrine System
/ Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

Am i really diabetic?

renee1979
renee1979
Hi, i am very confused and would like some advice. I have always normal blood sugar readings. Just about 3-4 months ago had blood work done and sugar was 74 (not fasting). Friday i had routine labs done and i got a call from the nurse who informed me my Cholesterol was 230. This shocked me because my Cholesterol has always been good and i am also on a very healthy eating plan and have been exercising more that ever. I do struggle with weight issues but have recently lost weight due to my eating and exercise routine. Well okay i can deal with this but then the BIG shocker my fasting blood glucose came back 242.Nurse tells me i am Diabetic!! So i freak out , go buy a glucose checker and check my sugar 3 times yesterday the first time about 2 1/2 hours after breakfast sugar was 96. I re checked 1 1/2 hour after lunch and came in at 93. I then tested exactly an hour after dinner (when i was told that sugar peaks) i came in at 102. This morning after fasting all night my sugar was 98. An hour after eating a semi sugary bowl of cereal sugar was 105. I have friend who is a nurse and a diabetic and she is telling me i need to request further blood work including the A1C which i don't think was done. I am wondering could there have been a lab error or something else going on.? Or has anyone who is Diabetic tested high in the Lab and then good at Home? I don't know to much about Diabetes but something seems fishy to me about this. By the way I am 32 ,female no family history of Diabetes, I am on birth control and was recently taken off blood pressure meds because i am doing so well with my diet and exercise. High Blood Pressure does run on my Father side. Thanks
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi Renee, I agree with your friend. I think that your doctor should be getting your blood tested again specifically for your A1C. To me, your numbers don't appear to indicate that you are diabetic. What changes did you make once you got the news and was it the lab tech or your doctor who told you that you were diabetic? Renee, I hope this was helpful but I would definitely talk to your doctor and see what he has to say about your other tests. Did you check your meter with control solution? Also, did you make sure that your test strips had not expired. The first step though is to make sure you actually have diabetes.

Take care!

HUGS,

lary
renee1979
renee1979
Hi Lary, Yes i used new test strips. I did not check my meter with Control solution. Why do i need to that? The first check when i got the 96 i checked it with a family member's meter. After that i bought one. Thanks!
deleted_user
deleted_user
The control solution is a good way to see how accurate the meter is. I was just throwing out everything I could think of but I think that you were quite careful in terms of taking your measurements. The ONLY thing that I can say is that the after eating test should happen at 2 hours after you eat. My understanding is that before the two hour mark the blood glucose will tend to be relatively unstable. Nonetheless,I still think that you need to talk to your doctor and ask about the A1C. The test that they took, since it measured the units in mg/dL, is a standard random glucose level while the A1C is truly a better measurement to see how your blood has been running over the last 23 months. The standard units of the A1C will be in %.

Okay, that is all I can think of for now.

Let us know how things work out.

lary
grannie
grannie
If you can get a 2d opinion and another blood test. That is just my opinion.
mzizgayle
mzizgayle
Ask your doctor for a glucose tolerance test, that will tell you for sure if you have diabetes. Basically you will drink a sugary drink of various amounts of sugar and they will monitor your numbers
deleted_user
deleted_user
Sounds like it could have been a lab screw up, especially since your cholesterol was also something that you found odd. Have them repeat it.
renee1979
renee1979
Thanks I have had alot of Anxiety because of this. I tested exactly 2 hours after dinner and got 89. I think it was a lab screw up too.
deleted_user
deleted_user
she cant just base it on one number and say you are!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
There are home A1C test kits at pharmacy's. Cost around $25-$30 for TWO test. I have one but never used it. I wanted to test right before I go to my next lab test just to see how accurate it might be.
If you are restless that might be an option.
deleted_user
deleted_user
No one should diagnosis you with diabetes from one reading! A repeat fasting glucose and an A1c blood test is should be done to recheck your levels.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I agree with the others. Two ramdom high readings is a concern, but you should ask you dov for either an A1C (which is now considered definitive, since they have been standardized) or an oral goucose tolerance test whick will tell for sure as thye draw your blood over a period of 2-3 hours to see how high it spikes and how fast it recovers. I had normal fasting BS when I was diagnosed, about four month after an acute attck of pancreattis. I was watching because my mom and grandfather were both daibetic so I was expecting it and it was caught very early.
Sassipeanutsmom
Sassipeanutsmom
My Dr. told me I was diabetic after one fasting blood test that came back at 7.1. I never had anymore tests done, just took her word for it, maybe I shouldn't have.
mzizgayle
mzizgayle
Many things can cause an A1C be in a range of pre-diabetes, etc...so always request the glucose tolerance test. All an A1C does is to show how in control you are if you have diabetes .

I had a heck of a time convincing my doctors there was something wrong with me, I did not have the normal diabetic symptoms nor fit the norm....each time I questioned, all I got was "your yearly A1C (done with a physical) is normal, you are fine......until I showed up with numbers in the 1000's and then still they had nerve to question me....loved firing those idiots

So if all they have done is an A1C as part of a normal physical, etc and nothing else, then request the glucose tolerance or find another doctor who will listen to you.
renee1979
renee1979
I bought the A1C home kit today after seeing several normal blood glucose readings on the meter i bought. It came back back with 4.8 reading. That is very consistent with the readings i have been getting at home. I go Friday for repeat testing. I am pretty reassured at this point that i got a lab error of some kind. Thanks for all your advice.