Join Our Community!
Share
Conditions and Diseases > Diabetes Forum > Am I Suffering From Diabetes?
What is diabetes and what causes diabetes? Start here for basic facts about type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. ...
Do you know the signs of the onset of diabetes? Read here to find out more about diabetes symptoms and when you need to seek help....
Avatar
Q: Am I Suffering From Diabetes?
asked by: santiagom on October 23rd, 2007
New User
I am a 55 years old male. I have a history of type 2 diabetes running in my family. My weight is under control and I exercise regularly. Four years ago my blood sugar was 6.5 mg/dl and now I have brought it down to 6.2 mg/dl. Indian doctors do not consider me diabetic but a French doctor says I have type 2 diabetes. Can you tell me which out of this is correct? What precautions should I take, other than avoiding sugar? Is it possible to correct my sugar level through diet and exercise?
Did you find this post useful?
|
Replies(1)
Avatar
Venn
replied on October 23rd, 2007
New User
I think you mean 6.5 mmol/l. That's 117 mg/dl. mmol/l (millimoles per liter) is used outside the USA, where milligrams per deciliter is used.

6.5 mmol/l (117 mg/dl) is below the diagnostic criteria for diabetes, which is 126 mg/dl.

Are you taking these readings after not eating for 10 hours? That's what's called a fasting test.

If you're getting 6.5 mmol/l after fasting, you don't technically have diabetes, but you're very close. You have to understanding the role of numbers, as these run on a continuum. It's not like you wake up one day and "have" diabetes just because you hit a magic number. The medical community however had to decide on a number, and they made it 126 mg/dl or 7.0 mmol/l. Some doctors believe it should be 7.5 mmol/l, and others believe it should be 6.0 mmol/l! Indeed, before 1997, the diagnostic criteria for diabetes was 140 mg/dl or 7.8 mmol/l, but it was lowered. Further, your fasting numbers will vary naturally over time just due stress and other factors.

However, for your situation, you probably do have a degraded metabolism. A truly healthy fasting reading is at or under 99 mg/dl or 5.5 mmol/l. You should try to decrease your carbohydrate intake some. Normal weight is not enough-- you need to not have belly fat! Belly fat is the problem, not overall body weight.

Whatever your situation is, you are not too far over a healthy number, so keep researching and testing. Many people don't realize that they have a problem until their number is 10 or 12 mmol/l! You are very lucky.
Did you find this post useful?
|
Quick Reply
Search