Confusion

Well, I’m not even sure where to begin as I don’t even know if I have diabetes. I had been having all the symptoms of diabetes - headaches, frequent urination, dry mouth/excessive water consumption, etc. I went to my doctor and she sent me to get bloodwork done. After several days of not hearing anything from my doctor, I decided to call the lab directly. While I was there getting my results, I watched the lab fax my report to my doctor. Long story short, I have a blood glucose level of 252 and my doctor has yet to contact me (the report was faxed to her over 2 weeks ago). I guess she doesn’t think a glucose level that high is a big deal. Since learning my results, I have taken it upon myself to change my diet - I am now consuming less than 50 grams of carbs per meal. After researching many of the foods that I used to consume, I can safely say that this is about 4 times less than what I had been eating. All my symptoms have disappeared. I do, and have always (for about the past 10 years), worked out 4-5 times per week, both cardio and weights, so exercise is not an issue.

So my question is this, since I have a jackass for a doctor, does a glucose level of 252 mean that I definitely have type 2 diabetes? What other tests need to be done? I also would like to know how everyone feels about the recommendations that diabetics watch both carbs AND fats. Generally, most of the fats that I see have very low carb levels and I understand that many include saturated fats, but I feel like as long as you have a good exercise routine, the fats will be taken care of, unlike the carbs. In addition, the “low-fat” and “no-fat” foods have higher carb levels. It just seems like all these nutritionists and diabetes educators want to make it so that we can’t eat anything at all. I don’t have heart disease in my family, but I have 4 diabetic grandparents, 3 diabetic aunts, and a diabetic father. Right now, fats are the least of my problems. And I think my body agrees - since I cut out a lot of my carbs, I feel really good and I am never hungry. Lack of hunger is a first for me in my 38 years of life!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

You are going to get lots of great advice here, Janet. Welcome to our community.

If your blood sugar was 252 when you tested it, you almost certainly have diabetes. Non-diabetics do not usually see even the lower side of the 200s. Did they do a test called the “A1c?” This is a blood test you need to have done, asap.

I will leave it to our members more schooled in Type 2 (I’m a Type 1) to tell you about the other tests you need to demand be run, but I can tell you that you are doing the right thing by first watching your carb intake. Fats, proteins, and carbs make up the food you eat (fats cannot, by definition, have carbs in them). It’s most important that you reduce your carbs. Many low-fat foods have added sugar (and therefore, higher carbs), just as many low-carb foods have added fats. You should watch your SATURATED fats (the general recommendation is that you eat less than 10g of sat fat a day), but there are lots of healthy fats that you can consume. Again, I’ll leave it to other members to give you recommendations on percentages, types, and the effect that fats and carbs have on your blood sugar levels.

Wow, my doctor diagnosed me because my fasting sugar was 140 more than once when he did his tests, and my A1c was 5.9. My 2 hour tests usually run around 170, so far, I have not been over 200. I am wondering if I am even diabetic now too!!! Thanks for the post!!!

Well, I was speaking generally. The rule of thumb is that your fasting sugar should be under 100 and post-meal should not go over 140. They generally diagnose pre-diabetes as a fasting sugar over 100 but below 120ish and type 2 as fasting over 120, so your doc was probably right on.

5.0 is considered “non-diabetic” for an A1c. I am at 6.1.

Yeah, I guess I was reaching there!!! I just hate to accept this, I know it’s a part of my life now, but I am not ready to accept it. Thanks for the input!

S’okay. My blood sugars vacillate from 40-400 on any given day, and even I have wondered before if I was really diabetic. laughs We have a natural distrust of easy diagnosis, I think. We want doctors to tell us with absolute certainty what is wrong and then when they do, we wonder if they know what they’re talking about. I feel for them sometimes. :slight_smile: