Anyone Here Have Diabetes?

Retrogamer

I was just wondering the above, and was wanting to find out how people discovered they had diabetes.

It's common on my father's side of the family (type 2) although he has never suffered from it. No history in my mum's side.

My died has always been terrible and the last few years my lifestyle has been poor as well. I'm overweight, and do 11 hour shifts in an office environment so high risk.

I've had cataracts for about 15+ years and had regular blood tests when i was in the doctors for other issues up until around 8 years ago and no sign of anything abnormal. I've not really had a reason to go to the doctors since.

I've noticed over the summer though my eyes becoming more sensitive to light and my optician told me my cataracts may be developing. (new optician so no reference to the size shape previously)

I've had some other symptoms of diabetes as far as i understand it as well (re-occurring thrush and for the last 4 days my mouth is really really dry with a funny sensation on my tongue, even though i've been drinking lots of water.

The reason i'm asking is my doctors surgery have approx a 3 week waiting list for appointments and i was what i could do (if anything) to identify if i'm becoming diabetic before my appointment date.

Retrogamer

I'm not off until Friday so i plan to go into the local Boots to see if they can do any tests.
Doctor appointment booked but soonest i could get in was 05-12.

I hate mentioning any potential health issues as i don't want to come across as a hypochondriac

sweaty_betty

The right thing to do is make the dr appointment so that they can do the right tests (at the right time). They will do a fasting blood test and probably also a HBA1C which is an average (of sorts) of your blood sugar readings over the past 3 months.

In the meantime, you could buy a blood glucose monitor and test yourself, but your readings could depend on a whole number of things - time of day, what you've eaten recently, etc. It will only give you a snapshot in time rather than anything diagnostic.

Other options could be a pharmacy - I'm sure I've seen diabetes testing being offered (for a fee) at boots and other such places. But these may also be snapshot type tests and will just refer you back to your GP if blood sugar looks high.

You could inquire about private testing, but chances are by the time you've organised an appointment etc, you may not be much further on than if you wait to see your GP.

I would look at cutting down on foods which can raise blood sugar (sweet foods (including fruit), processed food, carbohydrates) and see if that makes the difference to you, while you're waiting to see the GP (as someone with diabetes I really notice the difference). If you find you do have diabetes they may well get you to control it via diet at first (if type 2 and your sugar levels aren't too high) before offering medication, and this way you'll have a head start.


Good luck

Mista_C

I spent a few months working long hours and guzzling water. I started needing the bathroom during the night and I would wake with leg cramps.
I assumed it was down to the work I had been doing until I eventually had a pain in my right side and collapsed. My OH knew it wasn't good because I usually have a very high pain tolerance and, for the pain to make me pass out, she knew I had to go to hospital.

By ignoring the signs I had put extra work on my pancreas and caused an infection which spread through my kidneys and liver. The hospital said I was in such a bad state I was lucky to be alive.

Please don't ignore any symptoms, try the Boots thing and lay off any excess sugary content, at least until you've been to the Doc's.

mum2one

Most chemists do the finger test, as the other poster said they will likely do 2 blood tests one will be a 12 hr fasting and the other a normal blood test where they assess the last 3 mths.

With my mum they did the 12 hr fasting then she had to eat a sugar loaded bun and be re tested.

With type 2, theres 3 basis ways of managing the condition
Diet- cut out sugar, eat healthily
Tablet- this can be one or two sets of medication
Injections - this is injections into your tum

It's def worth keeping ur appointment and see what they suggest

It might be worth having a look at the diabetics website for advice on healthy eating etc xx

Retrogamer

Thanks for the advise, it's something i don't have a lot of knowledge on.

I found a member of the team in my work who has Diabetes type 1 and he was good enough to let me use his Glucose machine and have a chat with me about it. He said the really dry mouth with sweet taste on the tongue is concerning as are the nippy / sore eyes.

I've had a banana and an apple so far today and my blood sugar is 6.1 and he said that's idea.
He said he'll check it again with me about 2 hours after my lunch break so going to go with something with some carbs in it to see if it levels out again

pogofish

Mine was picked-up by a cardiologist during investigations after I had a severe reaction to a dental anaesthetic. Thankfully my heart was undamaged but my blood sugar levels were rather high and it turned-out that some of the symptoms I'd previously attributed to the painkillers/tooth treatment were likely first-signs of diabetic problems.

The diabetic clinic then confirmed it was a form of type-2, resulting from surgery/damage to my pancreas in my late teens but over the years it has gone-on to full-on type-1, although taking steps with diet/excercise helped delay this for much longer than expected.