Diabetes testing?
 

I have to get tested for diabetes in a couple weeks and I'm kinda freaking out. I should have been tested a few years ago for it but I never did. I was wondering if someone could explain what happens?

Re: Diabetes testing?
 

It's really quite simple. Your finger is pricked with a tiny needle called a lancet, you squeeze out a drop of blood, and the dr. uses a monitor to read the concentration of glucose in your blood. Generally, you should fast for a few hours before this, as high carb intake immediately before the test may skew the numbers. I don't know the exact classification for diagnosis, but anything over 150 would seem to suggest you're diabetic.

Do you have any specific reason to believe you have diabetes? Excessive thirst, carb cravings, frequent urination, lethargy, metallic taste in mouth are all common symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
Frankly, there's no way you've had diabetes (Type 1, juvenile onset) for a few years and not been dx'ed -- you would have gone into a DKA coma a long time ago.

I don't know your financial situation, but if it does turn out you have it, FIND A GOOD CLINIC. Treatment techniques vary, and you want to be on intensive insulin therapy at the very least, preferably a pump.

PM me if you have any questions, I'm an expert -- unfortunately :(
-James

Re: Diabetes testing?
 

Re: Diabetes testing?
 

If you're being tested, it may be as simple as an ordinary blood and urine test (urine test could suggest diabetes indirectly but blood test is what you want). They'd measure for different things though, such as A1C level, current blood sugar, ketone presence (want none of them otherwise you're in a real mess) and many others. They'd also ask you about things such as vision changes (increase blood sugar alters visual acuity), thirst and urination, possibly do a throat swab if needed, sugary-like smell and metallic/blood taste in mouth when no blood is there, etc... .

My aunt has diabetes and for the insulin pump, she does not care for it but others like it so look into it and decide.

If you need to administer yourself insulin, it's done in the belly area for a few reasons but the simplest is that it's easiest to access with minimal discomfort. If you know basic neuroanatomy and functional neuroanatomy, think somatosensory homunculus and this will make sense. If this is gibberish to you, then ignore it.

There are 2 systems of measuring, I think one is mmol/L and I'm not sure what the other one is, I think it has dL or something. Anyways, you can convert one to the other and certain meters use one over the other, as do the doctors, so when you test your blood, you'll be given a numerical reading and through trial-and-error, you figure out the base dose for insulin. Depending on your food amount, hunger, carbs/sugars and reading, you adjust the insulin amount accordingly. There are different types of insulin and meds to amplify the effects if need be.

Re: Diabetes testing?
 

^ In the states, most of the meters use mg/dl, where readings below 70 are considered hypoglycemia and over 150 (generally) constitutes hyperglycemia. IMHO, pumps are great, intensive injection therapy not so much...does your aunt have T1 or T2? Ketone presence is pretty much going to be a given unless you catch it really early, in and of itself is not a major issue (insulin and a saline IV takes care of it within a day or so). However, the presence of ketones does basically mean you're developing diabetic ketoacidosis, which is fatal if untreated, so an ER visit is definitely in order.

Re: Diabetes testing?
 

For my diabetic testing at my hospital, they had me first fast (no eating after midnight) go to the doctors early and have my blood drawn right away. Then after that they gave me this "flat orange soda" like thick drink that was gross. I drank that then they drew more blood in about an hour or so later then another after that and sent the results to my doctor. We found out that I am pre-diabetic/glucose intolerant.

Note: Not sure if this is a completely different test but, its what my doctor called it.