Testing for type 2 diabetes

Blood glucose levels?

Sometimes it is hereditary, and although she is making good decisions regarding exercise what is equally important is the decisions she makes regarding her food intake.

If she is pre diabetic then there is lots she can do to prevent diabetes, mainly to do with food.

How was she identified? Whose computer?

Like Rigby I would want to know about the circumstances in which she was identified as being at risk of Type 2 diabetes and why she was considered to be at risk.

If there really is cause for concern the sensible next action is to make an appointment to see her GP.

A 'diagnostic tool' has identified her as possibly being at risk. As I said, she hasn't been to the gp for nearly 4 years, had straight forward pregnancies and has had no health issues at all.

As she hasn't been to the gp for so long, as I said in the op, there's not been the opportunity or reason to have her blood glucose levels checked. Noone in the family has diabetes.

Just shows why diagnostic tools can be a problem used outside of a context where advice and guidance is immediately available

What is a 'diagnostic tool', Was it something she found online, was it part of a health and fitness drive at a sports centre or at work? Who or what organisation drew up the 'DT'? Were they competent to do it? Why had it been drawn up? Was there a commercial organisation behind it? Did they have something to sell, either a test of eating plan/supplements.

There are so many questions that need to be asked before one can offer any advice.

I have sometimes completed some of the NHS online questionnaires where they tell me I am at risk of high blood pressure or high cholesterol, neither of which I currently have. It turns out that my only risk factor is my age! Something I can do nothing about and yes, the older you get the more likely your blood pressure or cholesterol will increase. I now treat these tests as if I read them in the Daily Mail.

Best thing to do really is to go to the GP and have it checked properly.

Some pharmacies will do a finger-prick test for blood glucose which saves time hanging around the GP's waiting room.

No she didn't find it on line! It came, out of the blue, from the GP!

I think the diagnostic tool was formulated by the BDA. The letter said that using this tool she was considered to be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and she needed to get a blood test done at either their local hospital or the GP surgery. She has booked in for that.

I can't check the details of who produced the tool - her message is a WhatsApp on my phone which is flat!!

It's baffling!

Hummmm doesn't sound like the best way to go about it. But it does sound like it might be linked to a funding incentive.......

When DH saw his GP and the GP suspected Type 2 diabetes, he had a knacky little gadget on his desk that pricked his finger and gave an instant reading, which when it showed a high reading was followed by a blood test.

The thing to realise is that while being overweight and leading a generally unhealthy lifestyle makes you more likely to get Type 2 diabetes, they are not a necessary qualifications to get it. I have a number of friends with Type 2 diabetes, who are fit and healthy with a good diet and have always been so.

The same applies to a lot of other problems from heart attacks and strokes to cancer. Certain lifestyles may increase your chances of getting any of these illnesses, but a good lifestyle does not mean you will not get them

I have just been online and done the Type 2 Diabetes risk assessment run by Diabetes UK. I fall in the 'increased risk' category, the second of 4.

As you may guess I am in that category, solely because of my age; I am over 70. There is absolutely nothing I can do about it.

Dd is 36!!

I've just talked to her and we've remembered that she was tested for gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy and was the high end of normal. That's six years ago but she was tested during her second pregnancy and found to be fine.

Hey ho!

The doctor probably had some boxes he had to tick to earn a bit more money.

The gestational diabetes result may well have triggered her risk factor as it does increase the risk of developing Type 2 by quite a lot I think.

MOnica May well be right it sounds like the sort of thing our GP does. All diabetics use those monitors MOnica. D' s partner is T1 and he uses his 3-4 times a day.
H was diagnosed T2 about 8-9 yrs ago (69 now) is fit, eats healthily, works as a gardener and walks at least a mile a day.
I'd be surprised if the blood test shows anything kitty

Hope so, nina!