[SleepyGirly]

Hello..

I found this board and joined when I started testing a little higher than normal on annual checkup and blood glucose levels. My family has a heavy history of diabetes, both Type 1 and 2. Family History of Diabetes on both side of mother and father immediately family. Been testing negative but in high spectrum upper limits for a year, established with new PCP on 4/23/09 and she ran a baseline everything blood test for her records.

In the past two months to a year I have had recurrentRecurrent cystitis problems with lightheadness, dizziness, and some vision changes. I'm 5ft tall 205lbs as of today. Since Jan 2009 I've dropped from 218 to 205 today. Most of the weight loss being in the last two weeks. My vision changes mainly are in my left eye, where things are not so clear as the right eye, but a little blurry and its pretty much constant now. I'm having recurrent problems with UTI's with mainly luekocytes being found in my urine samples and having to go on Cipro for it mutiple times this year already. I've had episodes where what I thought was low blood sugar because I haven't eaten in a few hours (I know my bad.. just forget to eat sometimes), where I would go almost complete blurry, feel sick and nauseated, and have trouble controlling my hands and feet. This scenario has happened about 3-4 times now. The scary part is two of the episodes happened while I was driving home from work. Each time I was able to pull off to the side of the road until my vision and bodily functions returned. I know my family has a heavy history of diabetes on both maternal and fraternal sides of the family, and my immediate family, mom and grandmother both have problems maintaining blood pressure levels to a normal, with my grandmother being on medications for low blood pressure.

Blood tests come back as My FPGT 100mg, HDL at 42mg, Hemoglobin A1C 13.8, on 4/23/09, an earlier test for C-Peptide on 1/17/09 was 2.3ng/mL, OGTT 2hr 147mg on 5/9/09.

I got the results of the OGTT on a internet site that my doctor's medical group uses, before she has called me on it. I've been reading the pocket guide Diabetes for Dummies and figured that it might be Pre-Diabetes. I'm seeing Dr on 5/20/09. I'm hoping she gets them before my appointment, cuz going to the bathroom every 45minutes is driving me crazy!!!

LOL

Happy Mothers Day to those who have children of any kind, animal or human.

Sharon

[Jan B]

Sharon,

An A1c of 13.8 is way past pre-diabetes!!! Are you sure that's your A1c?

[SleepyGirly]

I'm kinda new to this.. pardon me if I use the wrong language...

My blood test say

1/17/09 Hemoglobin (Hgb) 14.2 Range 11-16 g/dL
4/23/09 Hemoglobin (Hgb) 13.8 Range 11-16 g/dL

[fgummett]

We need to be clear on the terminology: the measurement of Hemoglobin -- which is broadly the Oxygen carrying part of the blood -- would be used to determine if you were feeling lightheaded due to, for example: anemia. In this case your readings are both normal range.

In Diabetic circles we are more used to the blood test for Glycosylated or Glycated Hemoglobin known as Hemoglobin A1C, HgbA1C, HbA1c, or simply A1C... which demonstrates an average (mean) of your Blood Glucose (BG) over the last 30 days or so. An A1C of 13.8% is clearly in the Diabetic range (below 6% is considered normal by most Doctors) and equates to an average BG of 413.98 mg/dl.

I suspect that you are giving us an Hemoglobin reading and not an A1C... I doubt any Doctor would mistake an A1C of 13.8%

With your family history, I would take your Fasting BG and 2hr OGTT as a wake up call and start taking action to head off Diabetes now.

[SleepyGirly]

I think I'm mistaking the differences..between the definitions. I apologize.

I am taking note, and reading up on the changes I need to make even before I see the Dr on the 20th. I ready about the exercise, which is going to be a little difficult since she also suspects a tendon tear in my knee, and put me in a removable stabilization brace. I walk, but only get about 20 minutes in before the knee gives out.

I've cut out soda's, and drink only iced tea with artifical sweetner or water. I hardly eat pasta and bread as it is, so cutting out the refined sugar in that area is not hard for me. My main problem, I live alone... its hard to cook for one, and I travel ALOT for my job, so I rely on restaurants alot for my meals. So I have to read up on restaurant best bets... I know its usually a high protein/low carb combo, kinda like atkins but not so severe.

My grandmother on my dad's side lost her leg due to diabetic ulcers, but the dr in her case says she ignored the diabetes diagnosis and ate what she wanted. Including a daily peice of candy. She died 2 years ago of a stroke (again dr suspects diabetes is the cause). My grandfather on my mom's side had diabetes but from what my mom told me he was diet controlled, however he died in 1985 from lung cancer as he was a chain smoker. My mom and I'm not sure but my dad are showing negative blood test results of diabetes, but I suspect my dad is not going to the doctor regularly. He is also sleepy all the time, has a central body mass and BMI greater than 40, and is having chest pain. He's seen a cardiologist for it and is being treated for it. His brother has had 4 heart attacks, so he didn't waste time when he felt the pains.

I'm trying to learn as much as I can, but I am also in FT school through online, and I'm packing to move in two months to a nicer area in Henderson. All that and full time job, doesn't leave much free time to read. I read when I can, plane, appointments, between school breaks...

Any advice you could give would be appreciated.

[Ronin]

Hi Sharon!

Welcome to DF! You may, or may not, be a Pre-Diabetic. A single Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) of 100 does not automatically mean you are a Pre-D.

I've lived the life of a road-warrior and I know all-too-well the difficulties of trying to manage weight while on-the-road. If you are anything like I was, boredom is your worst enemy. Being bored, away from home, eating in restaurants almost always leads to over-eating. It is also very hard to muster the motivation to do any "exercise" when living out of a suitcase in a non-home location, and when you do get home there just never seems to be time.

That being said, try walking. Give yourself a regemen to walk a paticular time each-and-every-day. I'm not saying stroll, really walk. Even if it's a mall-walk in a strange town and even if it's only a half hour it will help your weight, Blood Glucose, and mood.

As far as restaurant eating -- I finally found it necessary to ask for a second plate. As soon as I was served, I'd portion off half (sometimes less than half) of the provided portion -- hand the more-full plate back to the server and ask them to take it away. Once it's not in front of you there is less of a tendency to over-eat. I know most folks don't like wasting food but this was waste versus waist -- choose to waste the food rather than increase your waist.

Keep tabs on what you are doing -- even get a BG monitor and check your BG levels at various times each day and tell us what your readings are. There are lots of us who can help you.

[SleepyGirly]

Just a quick followup.. my 2 hr ogtt came back.. the nurse who called me sounded like it was major deal.. but when i checked the results they were the following....

On 5/9/09
Fasting 91 mg/dL reference range 65-99
1 hour 115 mg/dL reference range 70-195
2 hour 147 mg/dL reference range 70-140

I was also able to get the following when I downloaded the 2 hour OGTT. Online medical records rock!!!
On 4/23/09
FBGT 100 mg/dL reference 65-99
CHOLESTEROL CHOL 128 mg/dl 125-200
TRIGLYCERIDES TRIG 77 mg/dl 0-150
CHOLEST/HDL RATIO.. CHO/H 3.05 0.0-5.00
HDL* HDL 42 mg/dl 46-199
LDL NLDL 71 mg/dl 70-130


On 1/17/09
C-Peptide 2.3ng/mL reference 0.8-3.1 ng/mL
FBGT 91 mg/dL reference 65-99
HDL 44 mg/dL reference 46 -199
LDL 75 mg/dL reference 70-130
Cholesterol 139 mg/dL reference 125-200
Triglycerides 99 mg/dL reference 0-150
Glycohemoglobin (HBG A1C) (F) 5.4 reference range 0.0-5.9% T.HgB

and for whatever reason they ran this extra insulin test...

Insulin, Fasing 10.6 uIU/mL reference 0.0-17.0


I started BG testing when I started losing my vision/getting dizzy, and lightheaded, because I knew it ran in my family. However, I am now aware of when to test... I was testing most of the time, when i felt the dizziness and lightheadedness, and when I woke up, and now realize I need to adjust the times more, once I get more testing strips (ran out this week).

the lowest figure I have had was 59 at about 5pm just before dinner althought I hadn't eaten since late in the evening night before, kinda forgot to eat this day--was traveling all day.

My average is between 69-83 depending on time of day. At about 70, I start feeling the lightheadedness, dizzy and sometimes get the vision problems.

the highest figure I had was 125 at about 7pm just after being dizzy, and losing vision temporarily. My friend says this is too high for a non-diabetic person, and the book I've got says 80-120 is normal.

I've got the light shakes most of the time, and have a light headed feeling occasionally. I've been feeling sick after I eat for about 2 months now.

At first the doctor I was seeing (who lost their medicare license recently and had the cops called on him), said reactive hypoglycemia, and advised me to eat multiple times throughout the day and keep it regular, which my job doesn't afford me to do most days. This I know I have to work on.

Hope this provides some feedback as you requested... I got an appointment on the 20th because of the tests results, and I have some damage to my knee that the xrays are back on. I dont want to have this, and I am fighting with the maybe i'm normal and i was just off that day kinda thinking or that i'm just extra sensative to small changes, but my friends hubby who has type 2 dm says never under estimate what you are feeling and experiencing because it could be something. He's the one who told me about the free glucose meters, and encouraged the daily testing... but I admit to being lazy about it again, the traveling has alot to do with this.

Sharon