Suspicious diabetes test

Hi, drew 80809,

In all likelihood, my friend, the test was legitimate.

Who actually carried out the test?  Was it a doctor?  A nurse?  Receptionist?

I ask this as SOME people have a very different idea of what the CORRECT blood glucose level range is.

Currently, the CORRECT blood glucose ranges are as follows:

For a non-diabetic, the fasting (after not eating overnight) blood sugar level should fall in the range 70 to 99 mg/dL (milligrams per deciLiter) [that's 3.9 to 5.5 mmol/l (millimoles per litre) if you're in a country that uses the International Standard for blood glucose measurement.]  (Some laboratories now accept 65 mg/dL [3.6 mmol/l] as being the lower accepted level.)

Two hours post prandial (after eating) a non-diabetic's blood sugar level would not normally rise above 140 mg/dL [7.8 mmol/l].  I say normally as there are occasions when blood sugar levels could rise higher than this figure, such as if the person being tested had an infection at the time of testing (infection can cause blood sugar levels to rise0; if the person being tested was taking certain types of medication(s) which are known to cause a rise in blood sugar levels (these would include, but are not limited to, various types of steroids, such as the types used in the treatment of asthma); if the person being tested already suffers with a comorbid medical condition (there are a number of different medical conditions that can cause a rise in blood sugar levels, but some of the more common ones include PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome (sometimes called Syndrome-X).

A fasting blood sugar level of between 100 and 125 mg/dL [5.6 and 6.9 mmol/l] could indicate pre-diabetes, but these levels would need to be confirmed on several different occasions.

A fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL [7.0 mmol/l] on two or more occasions indicates diabetes.

Two hours post prandial a blood sugar level of between 141 and 200 mg/dL [7.8 and 11.1 mmol/l] indicates the possibility of pre-diabetes.

A two hours post prandial or a random blood sugar test level of 200 mg/dL [11.1 mmol/l] or higher is sufficient evidence for a doctor to diagnose diabetes.

A HbA1c blood sugar test checks the overall blood sugar control over the previous 3 months, with a slight emphasis on the latter 6 to 8 weeks of that time. A non-diabetic's HbA1c level would be 5.6% or lower [that's 38 mmol/mol if you're in a country that uses the newer IFCC (International Federation of Clinical Chemistry) levels].

A HbA1c level of between 5.7% and 6.4% [39 and 46 mmol/mol] indicates pre-diabetes.

A HbA1c level of 6.5% [48 mmol/mol] indicates diabetes.

Were you told what level your blood glucose level was?  If so, you can compare it against the above figures.

I wish you well, drew 80809.

Lots of Love and Light.

 Mick

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P.S. Please don't be offended, or alarmed, at the 'x's'.  It's merely a logo, of sorts, that I've used for some 40 years now.

Thank you for expanding a little on your original question, drew 80809.

There are many blood glucose meters that can give a reading within the time that you say had elapsed, my friend.  Mine gives a reading after just 5 seconds ... that's once the blood had been applied to the test strip, of course.  It MAY take a few seconds more to extract the test strip from it's original container (some are individually wrapped in aluminium [aluminum, if you are, in fact, one of my American cousins], and getting all of the equipment together.

One thing that MAY have given a 'false' result is that you fasted for a very long time.  This causes your liver to 'give up' some of its reserves of glycogen, which is the way that it stores glucose.  It does this, beliving that you are going through a period of starvation.  (Our body needs glucose in order for it to function correctly.)

You mentioned, drew 80809, that you were concerned over your health.  Do you have any suspicion that diabetes might be the cause of your concerns? i.e. is it some particular symptom that's worrying you, such as urinating (peeing) frequently?  Feeling tired and/or lethargic?  Do you have slow healing wounds?  Are you either losing weight, or putting on weight, unexprectedly?  Is your vision blurred?  Are you drinking more than you would normally expect to?  Are you African-American?  Native American?  Inuit?  Pacific Islander?  Asian?  Latino?  Are you eating more than you would normally eat?  Do you have a dry mouth and/or itchy skin?  Do you have frequent infections ... usually of the groin?

Although all of the above are symptoms of diabetes, they can also be indicators of many other medical conditions.  The ONLY way to know definitively is by having your blood tested for its glucose concentration.  (Apart from a simple fingerstick test, many doctors, if they feel it's warranted would also carry out a HbA1c (you MAY know this as an A1c test if you are one of my American cousins) test, as this gives an 'average' of what your blood glucose level has been like over the previous 3 months.)

Your doctor MAY also have been looking for other things apart from glucose when testing your blood.  Things such as anaemia [anemia], which is a low level of iron in your blood, thyroid indicators, cholesterol levels, etc. etc.

Hopefully, drew 80809, your worries will soon dissipate and you will find that you are, in fact, 'fine'.

Be well, my friend.

Lots of Love and Light.

 Mick

x x x x

 x x x

I think you need to get to the bottom of why you are worried for your health. What made you think it could be diabetes, is it in the family?

I would guess that your test was genuine.

I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes last year.

I think I had 2 tests that were both over the 7.00 and as Mick says that was the diagnoses.

Try not to worry too much.

Take care and keep in touch

Sarah