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Question: I am 50 years old, I am always thirsty, I have frequent urination, I crave sugar all day, my vision is poor, I lack energy at times, and I get the feeling of passing out if I go too long without food (sweets help). Because of these symptoms, I went to my primary care doctor who did a fingerstick blood sugar and said it was fine. How accurate is that test? Can I be sure to let it go and I don't have to worry any more about having diabetes? My mother died about 10 years ago of diabetes-related problems, and my father has diabetes and had a stroke. I'm not sure whether to continue questioning my doctor's word that all is well. I do have high blood pressure, I get a lot of headache these days, and I am also very stressed with my line of work. Answer: A fingerstick blood sugar should only be used for screening and not as a diagnostic tool. If you want to know for sure, you should ask your doctor to do fasting and two-hour postprandial ( after a high-carbohydrate meal) blood tests in a laboratory. See Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes. SS [Editor's comment: Testing for diabetes should include blood sugar levels performed by a medical laboratory. The timing of the sample (fasting, random, or postprandial) would influence how high a level is considered abnormal. Occasionally, lab blood sugar testing might be normal in an early case of diabetes, repeat blood sugar testing at the same or a different time, or performing a glucose tolerance test, might be appropriate if there is a high suspicion of diabetes, as in this case, despite normal initial testing. Another test, the glycosylated hemoglobin, might be used to help confirm a suspected diagnosis of diabetes, but the GHB (also called HbA1c or A1c) is not usually considered as appropriate to make an initial diagnosis. Antibody testing is occasionally done as a screening test in high-risk situations, or as confirmatory of type 1A (autoimmune) diabetes, but is not part of routine testing. WWQ] DTQ-ONCEMRM20011214 Original posting 20 Dec 2001 Posted to Diagnosis and Symptoms

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			Jump to a new section --[ Getting Around ]-- Home Page What's New Privacy Policy Search --[ People ]-- Family Support Network Adults with Diabetes Care Photos Chat Rooms Conferences Kids with Diabetes Parents Parent Humor Scholarships and Financial Aid Grandparents Humorous Tidbits Jobs Mailing Lists CWD Forums Poetry and Art Videos Polls Quilt for Life Surveys Blogs --[ Clinic ]-- Ask the Diabetes Team Alternate Site Testing Alternative Treatments Care Suggestions CWD Español Diabetes Basics Diabetes at School 504 Plans Diabetes Camps Diabetes Dictionary Insulin Pumps Nutrition Podcasts Presentations Products Product Marketplace Sports Studies Warning Signs --[ Sources ]-- News and Information Diabetes Advocacy Links to Other Web Sites Press Releases Regional Information Services Support Groups --[ Feedback ]-- About CWD Advertise Awards Contribute Your Experiences Disclaimer Letters to the Editor Logos and Linking Share our Brochures

Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:09:28
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