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Diabetes - Adult Type II (Expert Forum)
Am I Really Diabetic?
Answered by
Anita Ramsetty, MD - GeneralEndocrinology, Diabetes Type 1, Diabetes Type 2, Thyroid Disorders, AdrenalInsufficiency, CF-Related Diabetes
Endocrine Care Group
Questions in the Adult Type II Diabetes forum are answered by Dr. Anita Ramsetty. Topics covered include Type 2 Diabetes, blood glucose monitoring, diabetes and heart disease, diabetes and pneumonia, diabetes and pregnancy,
diabetes and vision problems, diabetes and wound healing, diabetic complications, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and insulin.
Am I Really Diabetic?
by RainyDaisy, Jun 26, 2008 03:18PM
Hello, I was diagnosed while in the hospital for surgery recently. While I am not in denial or anything, I am really confused if I am really diabetic or not. At the time, I was experiencing considerable pain and stress and taking narcotic pain medications and muscle relaxers, plus had a very serious infection. I have since learned that all of these things can raise blood sugar levels.
Since then my blood sugar testing has been between 90-105 in the morning fasting, between 120 and 140 one hour after meals and between 110 - 120 or less two hours after meals. I am eating no sugar, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and only vegetables or low glycemic fruit for carbohydrates. No bread, pasta, rice, "white stuff," etc. It's not what the nutritionist in the hospital taught me but I gained weight on the diabetic diet in the hospital!
I do plan on eating this same way forever no matter what because I believe it is a very healthy way even if not diabetic. I also need to lose quite a bit of weight. I just would like to know for sure. In a few weeks I am having an HbA1c so I'll know how I'm doing then. I guess my real question is if my levels are "normal", does that mean I am diabetic and controlling it through diet only, or could I be not diabetic at all? It worries me to have this in my medical record if not true. COuld it affect my insurance coverage or ability to get future insurance? Btw, I am a 34 yr old female.
Thank you for any advice!!
Since then my blood sugar testing has been between 90-105 in the morning fasting, between 120 and 140 one hour after meals and between 110 - 120 or less two hours after meals. I am eating no sugar, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and only vegetables or low glycemic fruit for carbohydrates. No bread, pasta, rice, "white stuff," etc. It's not what the nutritionist in the hospital taught me but I gained weight on the diabetic diet in the hospital!
I do plan on eating this same way forever no matter what because I believe it is a very healthy way even if not diabetic. I also need to lose quite a bit of weight. I just would like to know for sure. In a few weeks I am having an HbA1c so I'll know how I'm doing then. I guess my real question is if my levels are "normal", does that mean I am diabetic and controlling it through diet only, or could I be not diabetic at all? It worries me to have this in my medical record if not true. COuld it affect my insurance coverage or ability to get future insurance? Btw, I am a 34 yr old female.
Thank you for any advice!!
Doctor's Answer
by Anita Ramsetty, MD, Jun 27, 2008 02:15PM
, Jun 27, 2008 02:15PM
HI,
It is indeed true that stress and medications can alter the way your body processes glucose and even "cause" diabetes. Unfortunately the diagnosis is based on numbers and not the situation, although some people make attempts to clarify, for example steroid induced diabetes is a term used when people have high blood sugar during the time after receiving steroids. So if your numbers were high in the hospital, then the diagnosis itself is correct.
Now that you are home and on a different diet, healing etc, the numbers are getting better. So that is a good question: do you still have diabetes but controlled, or do you no longer have it? A formal 2-hour glucose challenge is one of the best ways to have a diagnosis confirmed--so I suggest this as a path to finding your final answer. My guess is that you do have some impaired glucose processing, even if not full-blown diabetes. So you are doing the right thing by changing your diet and trying to lose some weight.
I am afraid that some insurances change their premiums based on these conditions so you will need to be aware of this in future.
Hope this helps, take care of yourself
It is indeed true that stress and medications can alter the way your body processes glucose and even "cause" diabetes. Unfortunately the diagnosis is based on numbers and not the situation, although some people make attempts to clarify, for example steroid induced diabetes is a term used when people have high blood sugar during the time after receiving steroids. So if your numbers were high in the hospital, then the diagnosis itself is correct.
Now that you are home and on a different diet, healing etc, the numbers are getting better. So that is a good question: do you still have diabetes but controlled, or do you no longer have it? A formal 2-hour glucose challenge is one of the best ways to have a diagnosis confirmed--so I suggest this as a path to finding your final answer. My guess is that you do have some impaired glucose processing, even if not full-blown diabetes. So you are doing the right thing by changing your diet and trying to lose some weight.
I am afraid that some insurances change their premiums based on these conditions so you will need to be aware of this in future.
Hope this helps, take care of yourself
