Brand new and overwhelmed

3372 Views 10 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Terrie, Jun 12, 2009

rusalka

Discussion Starter · Jun 11, 2009

Hi,

My dr. told me that my test results are on the border, but she's going to treat me as a diabetic. Here're results of GTT:

fasting 96
1 hr 200
2 hrs 124

A1C result: 6.0 H

She's sending me to a nutritionist and putting me on Metformin as well as cholesterol and blood pressure drugs. She gave me a choice of starting to monitor BS now or not.

My question is: am I pre-diabetic or diabetic? Should I start monitoring BS? If yes, what's the best system. Are headaches common with BS issues? I seem to have a slight headache most of the time these days.

I'm female, 47, very active, slightly overweight, eat healthy, but overindulge sometimes.

Thank you!

Marina

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Richard157

· #2 · Jun 12, 2009

Hello Marina, welcome to our community! Your fasting number is good and the other numbers are not bad considering you had a GTT. It is too early to say that you are diabetic. Are you seeing an endocrinologist (diabetes specialist)? Your doctor may be very good but a specialist might be more appropriate for being sure of a correct diagnosis. If you are diagnosed as diabetic you may be given a C-peptide test to see if you are Type 1 or Type 2. That is very important because the treatment prescribed depends on the type. If I were you I would test my blood sugar before breakfast and two hours after eating to see what effect the Metformin is having. Let us know the results if you decide to do this. Good luck to you.

Richard

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rusalka

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 12, 2009

Thanks and more q's

Richard, thank you very much for your reply. I asked my dr for an endo referral, but she didn't think it was necessary. I didn't think that you can develop Type 1 at my age. Is that possible? There are so many BG monitors on the market. Can I get a recommendation, especially since I don't think my insurance will cover them.

Marina

Richard157 said:
Hello Marina, welcome to our community! Your fasting number is good and the other numbers are not bad considering you had a GTT. It is too early to say that you are diabetic. Are you seeing an endocrinologist (diabetes specialist)? Your doctor may be very good but a specialist might be more appropriate for being sure of a correct diagnosis. If you are diagnosed as diabetic you may be given a C-peptide test to see if you are Type 1 or Type 2. That is very important because the treatment prescribed depends on the type. If I were you I would test my blood sugar before breakfast and two hours after eating to see what effect the Metformin is having. Let us know the results if you decide to do this. Good luck to you.

Richard

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Richard157

· #4 · Jun 12, 2009

Type 1 can be diagnosed at any age. I have read of people in their 80's being diagnosed with Type 1. Anything that causes your pancreas to stop producing insulin can result in Type 1. That can happen at any age.

If you want to test your blood sugar and you have to pay for it then I recommend Walmart's meter. The Relion Ultima meter cost me about $9 a few years ago. A box of test strips is more expensive though. They come in boxes of 50 or 100. Each strip costs about 42 cents so a box of 50 would be about $21. If you buy strips for the name brand meters like the Free Style meter they can cost more than a dollar apiece. I think the Relion meter is quite good.

I just noticed you are from NY. I live in Kingston, NY. That is 50 miles south of Albany.

Richard

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Terrie

· #5 · Jun 12, 2009

Hello Marina:

Nice to see you. I'm Glad to hear that you are eating healthy and are actice. Since your A1c is on the high side of normal your a step away from Diabetes. Exercise, eating healthy and the metformin will help to keep your sugars lower.

Testing your blood sugars and logging the results and what you've eaten are a Good idea also. I use the One Touch Ultra 2 and the I also have the Ultra Mini but don't use it much. I prefer to use one meter instead of switching back and forth.

I hear that the Relion is pretty decent and the price. It wouldn't hurt to ask your Insurance company if they would pay for you meter and strips. Probably not since you are not diagnosed yet. But it never hurts to ask.

Headaches can happen when a Person has a low blood sugar or a high blood sugar

Most Diabetics overindulge "cheat" occasionally. Medications usually stop the blood sugar from rising too high. If you get a meter, check your blood glucose number before your meal. Then check it an hour later(peak) and then 2 hours later for your "cheat" meal. Just to see. After that you should check it in the mornings before a meal and after and at bedtime..

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rusalka

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 12, 2009

Thank you both for your replies! Richard, I live in NYC and know where Kingston is (I think). Near Woodstock?

Terrie, just to clarify, you're recommending checking BG 5 times a day, right? Calling my insurance company and looking into BG monitors is on my to-do list today. As well as starting a walking program. I normally bike a lot and go to the gym, but with not feeling well and a lot of drs' appointments lately, I've fallen out of an exercise routine. Last night at an outdoors music concert, I got all sweaty and dizzy after just a few minutes of dancing, which was pretty scary. I don't know which of my symptoms are Diabetes/Pre-D related. I'm also going through last stage of menopause.

Terrie said:
Hello Marina:

Nice to see you. I'm Glad to hear that you are eating healthy and are actice. Since your A1c is on the high side of normal your a step away from Diabetes. Exercise, eating healthy and the metformin will help to keep your sugars lower.

Testing your blood sugars and logging the results and what you've eaten are a Good idea also. I use the One Touch Ultra 2 and the I also have the Ultra Mini but don't use it much. I prefer to use one meter instead of switching back and forth.

I hear that the Relion is pretty decent and the price. It wouldn't hurt to ask your Insurance company if they would pay for you meter and strips. Probably not since you are not diagnosed yet. But it never hurts to ask.

Headaches can happen when a Person has a low blood sugar or a high blood sugar

Most Diabetics overindulge "cheat" occasionally. Medications usually stop the blood sugar from rising too high. If you get a meter, check your blood glucose number before your meal. Then check it an hour later(peak) and then 2 hours later for your "cheat" meal. Just to see. After that you should check it in the mornings before a meal and after and at bedtime..

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Terrie

· #7 · Jun 12, 2009

Hi:

That's a lot you're going through lately. I would go nuts without a meter. You should always eat something with protein like meat, cheese, nuts, peanutbutter on a slice of low carb brown bread, etc. A juicebox is usually easy to take with you or Glucotabs if you prefer. Make sure that it says juice not punch or drink.

Yes, 5 times a day or 8, so that you can tell how much, food and exercise affects you. Also to see if you have Dawn Phenomenom when you awaken. If you feel shaky or Really tired too, is a Good time to test. After you learn how things affect you, then you could drop the tests to less like 4. Stress raises some People's blood sugar also. You're Welcome!!

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rusalka

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 12, 2009

Good news! My insurance covers a BG meter. I ordered the OneTouch Ultra 2, since that's what my dr. wrote and that what you, Terrie, use. And there's some kind of NY mandate that will allow me to get meters, etc. for $20 co-pay, even though I don't have prescription drug benefits.

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Terrie

· #9 · Jun 12, 2009

Good for you Rusalka. That's not bad and it is I think the top brand name. Like I said they also have the mini and I think they are coming out with another one. Does that include strips? That is Good news either way. When will you have it? At least you will be able to check your sugars. The strips aren't cheap. My Hubby's group Insurance covers mine.

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rusalka

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 12, 2009

My medical insurance rep said they're sending me a whole kit, which includes a few strips, I think. For what I understand, I can get more strips and lancets with a $20 co-pay. That's much better than I thought, so I'm happy.

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Terrie

· #11 · Jun 12, 2009

rusalka said:
My medical insurance rep said they're sending me a whole kit, which includes a few strips, I think. For what I understand, I can get more strips and lancets with a $20 co-pay. That's much better than I thought, so I'm happy.

The kit may have 10 or 25 strips. Cool! $20. for strips. I hope that they mean 100 stripes. My Endo wrote me a script for 300 strips a month. But I'm a Type 1. I test between 7-9 times a day usually. If you are a Type 2, then after you figure out how foods, etc., affect your blood sugars, then you can use less strips if you want to.

You can perhaps ask your Dr. and your Insurance for more if you don't feel that you have enough. Hmmm...if you only get 100. That means that you can only test 3 times a day for the month. Assuming that you don't waste strips by putting the blood on too late(meters only stay on for a certain amount of time). Or if you don't put enough blood on the strip. It will just say err or something and then you have to use another strip. Just be careful and read the instructions carefully. At least you will have one. :clap2:

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