| THIS IS LONG, BUT HOPEFULLY MIGHT HELP THOSE WHOSE BLOOD GLUCOSE NUMBERS SHOW IN THE NORMAL RANGE.
Hey, this is all new to me, also. The things said in here are really helping me be informed. I'd like to agree with Mike, and add that I wish I'd have known to do the blood glucose meter testing. i DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD GET A METER AND DO YOUR OWN TESTING. The reason? Even though my results 2 weeks ago showed 7.6 and 150, I think I've had this for a number of years. I had been telling the doc "I"M SO TIRED". I asked, could I have Chronic Fatigue or ADD or something, because I felt fatigued as hardly being able to raise my arms at times, or get up to walk to another room, and at many times feeling like I was about to faint. We tried various meds, and he did try to search with me. Meanwhile, over this past 3 years, a number of things started happening. My eyes would be nearly glued together of the morning, so I got new glasses, and my eyes were still blurred, so I also got computer glasses, but still experienced blurriness. Then my face broke out with little pimple type sores that wouldn't seem to heal. Strange, since I'd had maybe 10 pimples in my lifetime. Next, I began having yeast infections which caused terrible ulcerated inflammations. The doctor was as unsure what was going on as I was. The only thing my numbers showed was high liver numbers. He did a sonogram on my thyroid in case that was the reason I was exhausted, which showed a small cyst, but the numbers were in line. I'd seen a family doctor, podiatrist, neurologist, rheumatoligist (feet tingling). I just gave up. Then, I had bloodwork again showing A1C 7.9 and 150 after 8 hrs fasting. So, this tells me why so many things were happening, as they are all diabetes related. Then I ask - why didn't this show up sooner. Consider this!!! I was having all these symptoms 3 years ago, but when I had a previous annual check up, I'd just lost 30 pounds, and was doing aqua exercising. I think that probably made the bloodwork not show the problem, even though most of the problems still continued even during the weight loss. I gained the 30 lbs back, but we were still referring to the previous bloodwork, taken about 1-1/2 years previous. I think even my recent (above) numbers are a bit skewed because I'd again tried to diet, thus the A1C of 7.9 has a lot of good living in it, averaged with the bad. Since taking my blood numbers I've had several near 300. Thus, I say, if you are worried, but your bloodwork for your annual physical doesn't show anything, then just buy a meter and check your blood glucose for a couple of weeks. Then you'll know for sure in a more defined way. I didn't know you could do it, or believe me I would have, and would have known what was going on a long time ago. You can even get them online free, or at Walgreens for under $20, and that includes the first 10 meter strips for testing.  | 
