Just been told by the doctor my sugar level is 9.5 and i have to have a fasting test in 2 weeks does this mean i have type 2 diabetis and will i have to go on medication The last blood test that showed this was not a fasting test so i am not sure about anything I am almost 70 years old but noticed i have lost a lot of weight and my hair is going thin any advice would be grateful thanks
Hello Barbara.
Do you have any other symptoms indicative of diabetes such as terrible thirst,frequent and copious urination,plus rapid weight loss,blurry eyesight,increasing fatigue etc.
Do you know anyone with a glucose monitor?
Some people can get their levels under control with diet,others need diet and medication.
In the meantime you could cut out sugar in drinks,especially fruit juices and cut down on the carbohydrates.
Hope this helps
Hello Barbara,
I have recently been diagnosed with prediabetes so am working very hard at reducing my blood sugar levels.
I, too, was suspicious of the result as I had not had a fasting blood test. However, I've subsequently learnt that there are two tests to determine high blood sugar and this one is called HbA1c which is what I suspect you had.
Please don't be scared. Easier said than done, I know. Go back to your doctor and also research as much on the internet as you can about reducing carbohydrates. It's quite a learning curve and one which the NHS seems light years behind in adopting.
Hi barbara26695
A fasting test is to indicate the glucose/sugar levels in your blood to determine if medication is needed as well as to determine whether you have type 1 or 2 diabetes. I would not worry at this time.
Thanls for the reply I dont have a thirst nor do i urinate more thn usual Maybe i should buy a glucose monitor
I have another blood test in 10 days from now thought it was in 2 weeks but its in 10 days do i guess a few days for the results of that i have to wait for
She thinks its going to be type 2 i have no idea why I cant exercise to help either as i havve COPD so thats not helping at all Its the first time i have had a high sugar level and looing on the internet 9.5 seems to be quite high
There's no maybe! They are a huge help in determing how you react to certain foods.
Have been using one for two weeks and it has been so useful.
An A1c of 9.5 is high and probably indicates you have diabetes. The A1c test tells you what your blood sugar was over the past three months. An A1c of 9.5 means your blood sugar was an average of 226 mg/dl (US) or 12.6/mmol. You will probably have to go on medication, but not necessarily. There are also several pills available before you go on insulin. Some help your body produce insulin and others slow the rate at which carbs are released into your system.
Since you have to wait two weeks for your fastiing test, you could cut back on carbs. It's the total carbs that count, not just sugars. You might be able to control it with diet alone, if you have been eating a lot of carbs, like more than 20g per meal. Start looking at the nutrition content of the foods you eat, and you will be surprised at how many foods are 40, 60, or more carbs per serving! Most bread and pasta is super high in carbs, but the low carb bread has fiber and low net carbs and some pastas are a better choice than others. You do need to have fiber in your diet, but soluble fiber has a lot of carbs and non soluble fiber passes through your body without adding carbs ("in a nutshell"
. Also, when something is exceptionally high in fibers, you can usually deduct some of the carbs for a certain percentage of the fibers.
Of course, try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, but remember that veggies like corn and white potatoes are high in carbs and are best avoided or limited. Green beans, broccoli, asparagus, and sweet potatoes are better choices.
Fruits have nutritional value, but have natural sugars, which are carbs. Some fruits release their sugars into the body at a lower rate than others. This is called the glycemic index. For example, blueberries are good. Watermelon is bad.
I just read new research that said diabetics who ate 6 eggs a week did not have their cholesterol go up and felt fuller and lost weight. Eggs have no carbs. Milk has carbs but there is a low carb milk available if you can find it where you live, and I think it tastes good. Check the carbs on whole wheat products-they usually add more sugar which raises the total carbs of the product.
Have you had a thorough dilated eye exam by an opthamologist? Did you have lab tests to detect protein in your urine and how well your kidneys are doing? Do you feel any numbness in your toes? Do you have high blood pressure? Blood pressure pills have a protective effect on the kidneys and are often prescribed to diabetics for that purpose alone. Do you feel tired?
Often there are free blood sugar monitor offers at the pharmacy, but if not, you could get one of the generic or store brands at a reasonable price with cheaper test strips. It would be a good idea to test before you eat and two hours after.
I have had a normal eye test for new glasses 2 months ago Doctor has done no other tests at the moment apart from a full blood test i dont have high blood pressure my toes feel fine yes i feel tired a lot but that i think maybe due to my lung condition
Hi mark357,
I'm afraid, sir, that your response to barbara26695 is a little misleading. A fasting blood glucose test will NOT determine whether someone has type 1 or type 2. It would, if this is the second ir more fasting blood glucose test that's higher than 5.5 mmol/l (millimoles per litre) [that's 126 mg/dL (milligrams per deciLiter) for our American members] indicate that someone is diabetic, but further testing would need to be carried out to determine which type of diabetes it is. (C-peptide and/or GABA (Glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies) are the two most likely to be used.)
As far as I'm aware, no-one of barbara26695's age, anywhere in the World has been diagnosed as suffering with type 1 diabetes, so she would, in all likelihood, be diagnosed as prediabetic or type 2 diabetic.
Hi, barbara26695,
The reason your doctor is requesting you to undergo a fasting blood glucose (sugar) test is so that s/he can determine whether you're actually glucose intolerant or type 2 diabetic. (Glucose intolerance is a prelude to the onset of type 2 diabetes, but MAY be able to 'defer' or put off the development of full blown type 2.)
You say that you've "lost a lot of weight", but you don't say over how long a period it's been, nor do you say whether you are one of our larger ladies or not.
It MAY be that your doctor feels that you can control your blood sugar (glucose) levels by moderating your diet and taking exercise, if you are able to. S/he MAY suggest this as the first course of action to see whether your blood sugar levels do actually improve. If dietary control and exercise doesn't work, or doesn't work enough, s/he MAY suggest oral medications. (There are different types of oral medications, and some of them work in very different ways.)
When I speak of exercise, no-one is going to suggest you get a gym membership or anything like that. Walking is a very effective exercise, but we don't know whether that's an option that's available for you.
Please don't be scared, my friend, there really isn't much to worry about. In fact, if you have developed diabetes it's better to find out sooner rather than later. This way, steps can be taken to ensure that you don't go on to develop diabetic complications. I won't go into details about the sorts of complications that can affect someone who's blood sugar levels are higher than they should be except to say that some can be a real pain ... literally; some can prove embarrassing; and some COULD prove lethal, though this latter one is extremely rarely met with these days.
I wish you the very best of luck in two weeks time. Please don't go 'out of your way' to try and affect the results. It really is better, if you do have diabetes, to find out now and start treatment.
Be well, barbara26695.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
x x x x
x x x
P.S. Please don't be offended or alarmed at the "x's". It's simply a logo, of sorts, that I've used for some 30-odd years now.
Hi, fancygoldfish,
If barbara26695 had had an A1c test, 9.5% is DEFINITELY diabetes. (A HbA1c level of anything above 6.5% is sufficient for a doctor to diagnose diabetes.)
I'm not sure where you obtained your figures from, my friend, but an A1c level of 9.5% indicates that the 'average' blood glucose level is equivalent to 14.5 mmol/l [261 mg/dL for our American members].
I agree with MOST of the other information that you offer barbara26695, though it's extremely unlikely that she would have been seen by an ophthalmologist yet as she hasn't yet been diagnosed as diabetic.
Be well, fancygoldfish.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
x x x x
x x x
P.S. Please don't be offended or alarmed at the "x's". It's simply a logo, of sorts, that I've used for some 30-odd years now.
Hi, fancygoldfish,
If barbara26695 had had an A1c test, 9.5% is DEFINITELY diabetes. (A HbA1c level of anything above 6.5% is sufficient for a doctor to diagnose diabetes.)
I'm not sure where you obtained your figures from, my friend, but an A1c level of 9.5% indicates that the 'average' blood glucose level is equivalent to 14.5 mmol/l [261 mg/dL for our American members].
I agree with MOST of the other information that you offer barbara26695, though it's extremely unlikely that she would have been seen by an ophthalmologist yet as she hasn't yet been diagnosed as diabetic.
Be well, fancygoldfish.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
x x x x
x x x
P.S. Please don't be offended or alarmed at the "x's". It's simply a logo, of sorts, that I've used for some 30-odd years now.
Hi, fancygoldfish,
If barbara26695 had had an A1c test, 9.5% is DEFINITELY diabetes. (A HbA1c level of anything above 6.5% is sufficient for a doctor to diagnose diabetes.)
I'm not sure where you obtained your figures from, my friend, but an A1c level of 9.5% indicates that the 'average' blood glucose level is equivalent to 14.5 mmol/l [261 mg/dL for our American members].
I agree with MOST of the other information that you offer barbara26695, though it's extremely unlikely that she would have been seen by an ophthalmologist yet as she hasn't yet been diagnosed as diabetic.
Be well, fancygoldfish.
Lots of Love and Light.
Mick
x x x x
x x x
P.S. Please don't be offended or alarmed at the "x's". It's simply a logo, of sorts, that I've used for some 30-odd years now.
I have never been overweight i am normally about 7stone 9 lbs but in the last month i seen to have lost weight i now weigh 7 stone
I can do some walking providing its on a flat surface and not a hill as with my lung condition i cant manage to walk uphill
I was wondering if anyone could tell me what fruit i could eat and what fruit would be bad for me thank you all for your replies it help to talk to others about this
Barbara, you need to buy that monitor! Everyone reacts so differently to fruit and veg.
I was shocked that more than half an apple had such an effect, so get testing.
OK thanks will get one on monday
Recommend the SD Codefree from Amazon. Testing before and after every meal you'll be getting through a lot of strips/lancets and this meter is fairly economical.