(no subject)

[winterbadger]

OK, that I really didn't need.

Call from the quack following up on yesterday's bloodtests. My cholesterol is still too high--he's recommending statins for that. And he thinks I'm showing signs of diabetes: my fasting glucose level is very high, and my A1C level (a long-term measure of blood sugar) is right at the limit (he says it's over the recommended limit, but the NIH webpage disagrees). So for that I need to take metaformin. And I seriously need to lose weight.

What a lovely way to start out the new year!

Comments

[azbound.livejournal.com]

So rather than taking a class in dealing with signs of diabetes, he wants you on medication? God I love this country.

[winterbadger]

Well, he wants me to come in and talk to their pet dietitian as well, but of course my insurance doesn't cover that...

[azbound.livejournal.com]

See if your local hospital (or really, any hospital in the area) does a class. My grandfather was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic and his GP was close to putting him on meds. He and my grandmother took the class and with dietary changes, he's never needed them (his blood sugar rarely goes over 120).

But my point was that the hospital might be a cheaper alternative and a classroom setting might be better, as it's other people asking questions/sharing info that others might not have thought of.

[winterbadger]

Thanks for the suggestion! There's a hospital walking distance from me, so I will check it out.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

:0(

oh dear. I'm scared to get mine checked

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Great.. :( *hugs* If you want any tips/thoughts let me know..

[winterbadger]

Thanks! I'm thinking of going to the dietitian even though I have to pay for it, just to confirm that I already know what to do, it's just that I need to actually do it. Which is to so, pretty much stop eating any sweets--since I eat very few now--cut back considerably on alcohol; and get LOTS more exercise. I already use olive oil (sparingly) for most of my cooking, eat a fair amount of fruit and veg, eat mostly lean meat, and eat pretty much exclusively whole grains. Apart from drink, I don't really think there's much to be done with diet (maybe even more veg and less starch). THe big thing I need to do is get lots more exercise.

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Sounds a good plan.. if you already eat healthily its a bit odd your blood sugar's are so high (when I was diagnosed it was pretty obvious what I needed to cut out, pretty much a sugar-addict, without realising it *sigh*) so worth looking at things with a professional. And yeah, exercise is the biggy..

[winterbadger]

TBH, I'm also not reposing 100% confidence in their lab work. They did one test a while back that threw up an odd result, did it again, and then sent the sample out to be tested by a regular testing firm, which came back with a negative. So I don't have great confidence in their in-office testing regimen.

He wants to repeat the test again in 8 weeks to confirm, but I'm not panicking until after that (if then).

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

IME the A1C result is more accurate as it doesn't get affected by odd vagaries in blood sugar due to, say, Xmas, or a bad cold or the myriad things that can cause short-term changes. Not impressed if the results vary that much between labs/tests though, sheesh!

[winterbadger]

Yeah, and he stresses that my A1C is really, really bad. It's 6.8, and he says it has to be under 6 for me to be healthy. Funnily enough, when I go to the National Institutes of Health website, it says under 7 is OK, though under 6 is better.

My BP is always exemplary too, and I don't smoke, so exercise (and some diet change) is really the only thing I can do (other than taking meds) to change anything.

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

For non diabetics it should be 5.5 or less, for diabetics, anything less than 7%. I think its rather too soon to be getting prescribed metformin with that figure for you though, mine was about 15! I think he's right to flag it up, much easier to take a bit more care now than later down the line, if it got worse. Getting fitter is never a bad plan, I hope he's not just seeing the extra poundage and assuming you live on hamburgers and candy though...

[winterbadger]

Yeah, I'd be happier if he asked me any relevant questions or gave me any counsel. I suppose he meas to do that after the next check, but...

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Hopefully he will..