[swingerofbirche]

Hi, I am a 25 year old male, I've had chronic anxiety problems since I was 14, and have been on a medication called Seroquel for about the last 5 years at 50 mg (at bedtime). This medication is known to raise blood sugar.

I recently asked my psychiatrist to test my blood sugar. I wanted it tested because I've had an uncomfortable fatigue, huge appetite, and huge thirst, plus I bruise pretty easily and they take a long time to heal. I am also very sedentary, sort of as a shut-in. And I often feel weak. When I was a kid, I would have blackouts where I wouldn't be able to see, and I finally made the connection that juice boxes made it go away, so I always carried juice with me. My parents thought I was just weak from being a vegetarian and told me eating meat would solve the problem. Beyond the blackouts, ever since I can remember I've had a very strange visual phenomena of what I called "floating colors," it's almost like a haze of static over my vision. It's hard to describe--the last time I had my eyes checked, which was now maybe four years ago they said they were OK though, but I am very near sighted and know that diabetes can cause eye problems.

Anyhow, my test results came back and the nurse called me yesterday and said everything was fine except that the blood glucose was 5.9. She said that was on the high end of the normal range and that I should start diet and exercise. I had so many questions: what type of diet? Does this mean I have diabetes? And she had answers for none and my psychiatrist has not called me back yet! She suggested I google what type of diet I should eat! So I've been freaking out.

She told me it was the high end of normal, but when I looked it up online, it said it was the equivalent of 117 blood glucose. The time before I had my blood glucose tested it was a 100 (fasting), and the doctor said not to worry about it. (He was a bad psychiatrist who probably didn't know what he was talking about).

I'm really freaking out. I told the nurse to fax the results to my primary care doctor and I made an appt with her, but she can't see me until Feb 4. I'm definitely going to start tapering off the Seroquel (don't worry, it won't be until I see my psychiatrist and talk to him about it).

Today I started a diet and noticed I never had any of that horrible feeling that I've called "uncomfortable fatigue," sort of like a brain fog, although I've felt pretty edgy and extremely hungry. By diet I mean, eating a lot less, and eating mostly protein and vegetables and water.

I have to admit that I eat pretty bad--but if you are non-diabetic shouldn't you be able to eat somewhat large amounts of sugar and still have a normal fasting blood sugar? So basically I'm asking: does having high blood sugar mean that you're diabetic or can it also mean you eat too much sugar?

Now I'm thinking I may have had diabetes all along, and that when I found out a year ago I had a glucose level of 100 I should have acted then, but that doctor told me not to worry, etc. Argg....

Can anyone offer any more insight into what that number means? It's gonna be a good while before I get to see my PCP and when my psychiatrist gets around to calling I kind of doubt he'll know too much about this.

Also, with a level of 5.9 could I have already done irreversible damage to my body? Like nerve damage etc?

BTW, that uncomfortable tired feeling I mentioned has been getting worse, it's hard to describe, I tell people it feels like there's no blood or oxygen in my brain, and I've even said like it's not getting nutrients--it's like a tired, but not the type of tired where you could take a nap. Does that sound familiar to any type of diabetic symptom?

THANK YOU!!!!!!! (especially if you read all that)

[swingerofbirche]

I forgot to add I was first put on Zypexa and gained 50 lbs and they switched me to Seroquel and I lost some weight but not all. And that before the meds my weight was about 185, and since the meds it's been about 215, lately I've gotten it down to 207.

Also if I start dieting now and exercising, when i see the doctor in a couple of weeks will she still be able to accurately do an oral glucose tolerance test? Or will having better sugar levels from diet and exercise mask that I possibly have diabetes?

Also once you have a high level and get it under control do you no longer then have diabetes, or is it an actual disease that you have forever? Meaning that I would never be able to eat like a non-diabetic person?

[swingerofbirche]

Sorry--keep remembering new things--in general I've known for some time that eating sugary things makes me sleepy.

Also I have Tourette's Syndrome-with an unusually late onset, around the same time as anxiety, about age 15ish was when the sounds got loudest, and it's stayed with me.

[xMenace]

A 5.9 is a very very good number for a diabetic. You have little to no worry about complications at that level. With added weight and an apparent need to exercise, you probably are at risk of progressing as a diabetic. Do as they say, start exercising regularly and follow a standard, healthy diet. Continue getting annuals for now.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by swingerofbirche

Also once you have a high level and get it under control do you no longer then have diabetes, or is it an actual disease that you have forever? Meaning that I would never be able to eat like a non-diabetic person?

Great question. There is the disease type called diebetes mellitus or type 1. You do not have that. Then there's the 'condition' or type 2. There is no pat answer for this one. Diet, obesity, old age, genetics, and a host of other causes have been blamed. But the condition is the same. You cannot produce enough insulin to process the sugar in your body. It tends to be progressive, but not always.

There are many avenues of attack. Meds can make the insulin work better, meds can help you produce more insulin at a cost of a shorter beta cell life expectancy and a quicker onset, you can lose lots of weight, improve your diet, try an extreme low carb diet, get plenty of exercise, and some are even convinced supplements work. Check out eBay The correct plan is very personal and depends on your whole health picture. Some of the drugs are simply dangerous when mixed witrh heart disease and other problems. We tend to call our doctors morons for doing such a lousy job, but it's a helluva decision.

For you or anyone else with a 5.9 A1C, lose weight, cut the carbs, and exercise is the best medicine.

[swingerofbirche]

Thanks for all the help!

I am so hungry lol. But better to be hungry than sick.

I think I'll get that oral tolerance test.

I'm still not sure I get all this completely, so let me ask another way:

The test I had tested for the last few months, and I would say I eat quite a lot of sweets, so is it possible that the test is saying "You are a non-diabetic person who ate a lot of sugar, so you had high sugar levels"

OR

Does it always mean "Your body was unable to get rid of the glucose enough so you are pre-diabetic?"

And what is pre-diabetic? Does that mean you will eventually get diabetes even if you get your blood sugar under control?

And what would be the difference between being diabetic on a restricted diet and having good blood sugar levels and a non-diabetic with good blood sugar levels? Are you at any more risk for complications?

[swingerofbirche]

Maybe I should have put my first question more simply:

Does 5.9 mean that my body isn't processing sugar well or could it also mean that I just eat too much sugar and my body processes it fine?

I again apologize for writing so much--I'm kind of obsessed with this right now since it's so new.

[matingara]

is the test you got the 5.9 on an HbA1C test?

-- Joel.

[swingerofbirche]

I'm not sure. The nurse just told me it was 5.9 and that it was the high end of the range, so I just googled 5.9 blood glucose, and it came up with the info about A1C.

[Axiom]

No you have not done any irreversible damage by having a BG of 5.9, yes sugar makes your BG go up ie super sized Mac Meal with biggie fires and Coke will send the normal non diabetic into a range of 7 2 hours later(postprandial) Seroquel maybe Zyprexa Eli Lilly (olanzapine) just paid 4.3 billion to 85,000 plaintiffs in a undisputed class action. Floating colors haven't heard of that one we get floaters little dots that float in front of us your opthamologist says your ok your ok they can see the ruptured capillaries quite easily. The nurse freaked you out relax 5.9 your high normal.Watch what you eat, get some exercise, diabetes isn't the end of the world.

[Ronin]

Swinger, et al.,

First of all, welcome to DF! We all appreciate and understand your anxiety because we have all been where you are today. I looked at your public profie, it is sparse. Since this is an international forum it is important to know what units your blood test is measuring. I have the sense you are not in the USA (where the standard measure is mg/dL) so your 5.9 is probably just standard FBG (Fasting Blood Glucose). However it would be good if you could clarify the measurements.

More often than not, a person of your age and in your condition will benefit from modifications to diet and exercise regimines. You stated that you are already a vegeterian -- that is okay but a lot of vegetarians I know do have a rather active "sweet-tooth" and that can be a problem.

It also sounds like the numbers game is playing into your underlying anxiety condition. The good news is that the same things that help with BG (Blood Glucose) levels also have a positive effect on mood issues, particularly aerobic exercise.

Please tell us where you live and what measurement system is being used for your lab tests.

[Larry H.]

Welcome to the board. Lots of good folks here who have also been where your at. I don't think anyone likes to hear that they are trending towards what can be a serious condition. We all have the "Oh No not Me", moment.. then with a bit of time we come to the conclusion that something needs to be done, and that what we have been doing isn't working very well for us.
I had to take a hard look at what I had been eating most of my life.. Very high in sugars, not just sugar, but all things that contained sugar. I started watching as the ADA recommends that you count the carbs in a meal. That is pretty easy once you get used to it. You just read the label, or you can also google a several carb counting sites where you can enter and item and it will say how many carbs is in say a cup or what ever the measurement is. I try to stay as close as possible to the total allowed for each meal, mostly even under that. If you do that and start to move, not sit or lay around all the time, you will see your weight and most likely your numbers come down.. That won't necessarily mean that your not prone to diabetes, it means you usually can reduce the levels in your system and take the load off the organs that cause trouble. It may be that catching it quickly at a young age you can keep it at bay for a long time, or perhaps completely. But one thing for sure, the idea that we can load up on sugar will give the reverse effect. Unless you come to grips with the fact that your in love with sugar products you will probably not be successful. It doesn't mean absolutely none, it just means finding low or no sugar items you enjoy and eating the correct serving sizes of those. My first doctor to tell me I was headed towards type II guilded me to the Medline site on the internet. It has a site for diabetes information and many groups there have lots of information for beginners on what and how much to eat to reduce your levels.
I think if you look at it like a chance to take control of your life and have a much happier one overall, then making these changes can be beneficial. Eating less, and not so much sugar will make you feel much less tired. Exercise will improve your moods. Your not alone, so stay in touch.

[swingerofbirche]

Hi, yeah sorry I have not filled in the profile yet, I registered in a hurry after getting the news.

I am in the US, and still have not heard back from my doctor so not sure what units they were measuring in.

[swingerofbirche]

OK, an update: the nurse called me back from the psychiatrist's office (I asked for him to call me, but I've never met a psychiatrist who will do that and I've seen quite a few). Anyhow I wanted to ask her if they considered me pre-diabetic, and she said no, that to be diabetic I would have to be 6% or higher.

So it seems according to them that at 5.9% I am not even pre-diabetic, but if I were .1% higher I would be full-blown diabetic?

She also told m that my fasting glucose was 98 mg. So I'm not sure why that score was better than the other one?

Finally the nurse from my primary care doctor called after getting the fax of my results and said that the doctor told her to tell me that I was not diabetic, needed no further testing and so they went ahead and canceled the appt I had scheduled!


Oy!

So I've been dieting for a couple of days now, just did my first work out from the "you on a diet" work-out DVD--as soon as I turned off the DVD, the local news came on, and was about new warnings of the eoidemic of type 2 diabetes--seemed like more than a coincidence!

What neither of the nurse knew who I talked to was: is my AC1 of 5.9 equivalent to a fasting blood glucose of 117, or what my blood glucose happened to be at any point in the day?

Because it seems to me that a blood glucose level of 117 at any one point in the day isn't particularly high, especially given how much and how often I had been eating.

It's so frustrating to get a LITTLE bit of news from a nurse and no hard core information from a doctor. When I hear something like this I want to learn all I can and take action.

[Simon]

OK, if the 5.9 is a % then it's an HbA1c. Normal range is about 4.5% to 6.2% (I'm not sure about that lower level but the upper one I often use as a guide). Anything below 7% is considered very good for a diabetic. Bottom line: you're ok for now but you don't want to let it go much higher hence the diet and exercise. Stress also pushes blood sugar up so try not to worry about it (easier said than done I know). Caffeine also pushes it up so switch to decaff. Caffeine can also make you thirsty and is generally not a good thing to be consuming on a regular basis.

Best of luck!