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Blood sugar level test

Do you have a family member who is diabetic? Do you have diabetes that runs in your family or a past medical history of diabetes? If this sounds like you then chances are you have been faced with the dreaded blood sugar level test.

The blood sugar level test can be given in various different ways such as drinking pure glucose. A lot of times your doctor will have you come into the office fasting and then ask you to drink a small bottle of pure glucose which is basically sugar water within a certain period of time and then you will be asked to either give a urine sample or a blood sample so that they can test your blood glucose level in order to see if you are a diabetic or not.

For most people hearing those dreaded words that they need to come in for a blood sugar level test is a hard thing to stomach but it has to be done in order to keep them safe, healthy and happy as well as to be able to live a long and healthy lifestyle. Diabetes is caused by insufficient insulin production or lack of responsiveness to insulin, resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels). There are 2 primary types of diabetes mellitus, type I (insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset), which may be caused by an autoimmune response, and type II (non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset).

When my grandmother was first diagnosed with diabetes many years ago, it was just a simple life changing habit of changing up some foods and diet and then knowing that she needed to monitor her sugar several times a day. When I have asked her about her trials and tribulations that she has gone through she said that the worst news she got was having her come in for a blood sugar level test which would let her know if she was a full blown diabetic or not.

Who discovered diabetes?

Who discovered diabetes? Historical records show that diabetes has been recognized by the Egyptians way back to 1500 B.C. The ancient Greek physician named Aretaeus of Cappadocia coined the term ‘diabetes.’ Sometime in the 1600s, the urine of patients who suffered from this particular type of disease was described as sweet. Later on, the term ‘mellitus’ was added by English doctor Thomas Willis in 1675. German scientist Oskar Minkowski and German physician Joseph von Mering successfully described the connection between the pancreas and diabetes.

When it comes to diabetes it has been said that diabetes has been dated back even into the Ice age or caveman time. Diabetes, which is referred to as diabetes mellitus, is a medical condition that affects millions of people from all parts of the world. Common symptoms of this disease include increased thirst as well as frequent urination. Diabetes affects many million each and every year and even though we often spend so much time learning about how to treat diabetes, the side effects, symptoms and what the disease is and how to treat it we often forget to learn about who discovered diabetes?

Who discovered diabetes and who discovered other diseases, cures and everything else about it can be very important to knowledge to know. A lot of times we know what the disease or illness is about and how to treat it or keep it maintained but we often times don’t know why it was called what it was or who first discovered it which can also be very important knowledge.

Diabetes can cause many other diseases as well if left untreated such as peripheral neuropathy, vascular diseases and problems, kidney failure, serious infections, strokes and even lead to death. So the next time you think that you know all there is to know about a disease, learn who discovered it such as who discovered diabetes you may be surprised!

Blood test for diabetes

What we all hear is the dreaded words from our doctor asking us to come in for a diabetes test or to come in and have a blood test for diabetes? A blood test for diabetes is the best way to determine if someone is a full blown diabetic.

If you are feeling side effects such as frequent urination, can’t stay hydrated, painful intercourse, weakness and lack of energy to just name a few then you may have developed diabetes. Diabetes is can easily be diagnosed generally through a blood test for diabetes or a fasting blood glucose test which is generally tested through a urine sample.

What generally happens if you are experiencing symptoms of diabetes the doctor will have you come in and drink a bottle of glucose or a drink that has high amounts of sugar in it then after you drink it you will be required to wait for a certain amount of time and then they will either perform a blood test for diabetes or take a urine sample and test for high amounts of blood glucose. If your blood glucose levels are a certain amount then the doctor will put you on a combination of diet and exercise in order to first maintain your diabetes or he or she will go ahead and put you on amounts of insulin so that your blood glucose level can be regulated and maintained.

A blood test for diabetes is the easiest way to find out if you are a diabetic or not. Diabetes is not anything to mess with because if the side effects or symptoms go misdiagnosed or left untreated then more medical problems can arise and even lead to death. So, if your doctor asks you to come in for a blood test for diabetes don’t hesitate and do what’s best for your health.

What are the Early Symptoms of Diabetes?

So how do I tell if I have Diabetes?

Have you been having to go to the bathroom more frequently than normal? Can you not keep yourself hydrated? Did you know that these may be signs and symptoms of diabetes?

Symptoms of diabetes can vary from person to person but most of the time the signs and symptoms are going to be the quite similar. Type 2 diabetes usually tends to start as quite a silent disease – you can certainly not even be aware that you have it! Quite often, the early symptoms of diabetes like

fatigue,
poor vision
reduced libido
lethargy
going to the bathroom more frequently,

tend to be just put down to “getting older” or some other reasons. Quite often a person that is diagnosed with diabetes has more than likely had the disease for five to ten years, but not know about it.

Most younger age people in their early 20’s and even younger, will notice themselves wanting drink more often and feeling like that they can’t get enough to drink, while others may feel like they are staying in the bathroom all the time with frequent urination.

What do I do If I notice These Early Symptoms of Diabetes?

Once you start to notice the symptoms of diabetes, or things that you think may be diabetes such as frequent urination or constant drinking of fluids when you normally don’t, then you may want to consult with your doctor or physician and let them know what is going on so that you can be tested for diabetes as early as possible.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Often times when you have contacted your doctor about having signs and symptoms of diabetes, he or she will have you come in and get a fasting blood glucose test (Known as an OGTT) Oral glucose tolerance test. This involves an initial blood test and then you will be given a large amount of glucose to drink – followed by a second blood test a couple of hours later.

This will determine the rate that the glucose is cleared from your blood and you return to normal. A fasting blood glucose test is painless and very simple to have.

The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test is normally of a morning after you have been fasting over night. Drinking water beforehand is permitted, but no tea, coffee or juice.

Healthy Persons Results : The blood sugar level from the second test, should be below 7.8mM

Indication of Prediabetes : The blood sugar level from the second test would read between 7.8mM and 11.1mM

Diabetes : The Blood sugar level from the second test would be higher than 11.1mM

If you were to have 2 random blood sugar level results coming back at higher thatn 11.1mM, OR a fasting glucose test result higher than 7.8mM on 2 separate occasions, this would certainly confirm you have diabetes mellitus.

Symptoms of diabetes are generally the same for all ages but may just be seen at various times rather than all at once. For older people it may take longer to show symptoms of diabetes while younger people may experience them all at once. Most important, is once you do recognize the symptoms, you need to get help!

Is Depression a Symptom of Diabetes?

It’s not surprising that people who have been diagnosed with diabetes would also become depressed or anxious about what is happening to them and also about developing the complications that come with diabetes.

Diabetics really need to try and stay as motivated and positive as possible in order to be able to fight their disease. Depression is something that can and will interfere with your motivating forces, so if you are feeling anxious and depressed, see your heath care professional and have it addressed.

What other Symptoms of Diabetes should I watch for?

Losing appetite
Feeling anxious and often teary
Lack of interest in your hobbies or regular activities
Lack on interest in relationships
Feeling pessimistic and sad on a regular basis
You have difficulty sleeping, or you wake very early in the morning
Having little energy and feeling constantly lethargic.

Read here for the recent advances in diabetes research!

How to test for diabetes

How to test for diabetes can occur in several different ways, the most popular is by a fasting blood glucose test that can be performed in your doctor’s office.

How to test for diabetes can be done for a variety of reasons such as if a person is expecting a baby and is experiencing signs and symptoms of diabetes or pre-diabetes then a doctor or OBGYN may request that the mother is tested for diabetes.

Other reasons that a pregnant lady could be tested for diabetes is because they are over the age of 40 and/or has a strong family history of diabetes.

How to test for diabetes can also be done through a urine sample. A fasting blood glucose test can be done by taking a urine sample to see if your glucose level falls into the category of diabetes or pre-diabetes.

If a person is diagnosed as having pre-diabetes it can often times be treated through diet and exercise. Often times by changing up a person’s diet and lowering the amount of sugar that they ingest will take care of any pre-diabetic symptoms.

If a person is diagnosed as having full blown diabetes then generally they will be asked to monitor their blood glucose level for a few days to a few weeks often times more than once a day, once in the morning fasting and once in the evening after meals have been eaten and then they will be called back into the doctors’ office for proper insulin level adjustment and medication adjustment.

How to test for diabetes is often times tested through a fasting glucose test which is performed in the doctor’s office where the patient will be required to come in fasting and then asked to drink a bottle of sugar water and then after waiting a short period of time the urine or blood will be tested for glucose levels to determine if a person is diabetic or not.

how to test for diabetes