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What Do My Sugar Levels Indicate?

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Posted on Mon, 22 Dec 2014
Question: Dear Sir.

I am checking my sugar level from few months. These are coming in range of

Fasting : 120~125
Two hours After food : 170 ~ 180
Night time : 200~210

There is no other problem except I feel tired many a times.
I am currently not taking any medication. My doc is saying you can take amaryl 1 mg. Kindly advise your view on this
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Diabetes

Detailed Answer:
I understand your question.

The answer is very scientific and precise.

When I see someone like you in my practice, I request them to undergo the following two tests along with some general tests.

The two diabetes specific tests are called

1 HbA1c (also called by two other names: Glycohemoglobin and Glycosylated hemoglobin)

Normal range: less than 5.6 %
Pre diabetes: 5.7% to 6.4%
Diabetes : more than or equal to 6.5%

This test does not require fasting and can be done at anytime of day or night.

Along with this I tend to order:

CBC
Electrolytes
Calcium
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
TSH
Lipid profile (cholesterol panel): new studies are showing fasting is not absolutely necessary for even a cholesterol test

2 Oral Glucose Tolerance test (OGTT0 using 75 grams of glucose

I suggest you do this test as well. However this test will require 8 to 14 hours of fasting. Once the morning fasting blood sample is taken, the lab will ask you to drink 75 grams of glucose in water. You are then expected to be seated for 2 hours without eating/drinking/smoking and another blood sample will be taken at exactly 120 minutes after your first blood draw. There is no role of any urine testing during this.
If this is inconvenient to you, then the HbA1c test will suffice to give you a fair idea whether you have diabetes or prediabetes or neither.

Interpretation of OGTT

Fasting:
Normal 65 to 99 mg/dl
Pre diabetes : 100 to 125
Diabetes: 126 and above

Furthermore, regarding the 2 hour glucose reading:
Normal: less than 140
Pre diabetes: 140 to 199
Diabetes : 200 or more



Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (14 hours later)
Sir

I have HbAc also the resust was 6.2. And cholestrol level were with in limits CBC also all markers were in limit.

Kindly advise in view of above.. should I take Diabetes medicine or continue with precautions.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (15 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Pre diabetes

Detailed Answer:
You do not have diabetes as per the HbA1c criterion. You have Pre diabetes which is a risk factor for the development of diabetes in future.

In general, I advise patients with pre diabetes to eat healthier, increase physical activity and loose 5 to 7% body weight (if they are overweight/obese).

I suggest they try this for 3 to 6 months and see if their A1c /OGTT improves. If not, I consider medication such as metformin. This medication must be prescribed only by a licensed medical doctor, preferably an endocrinologist after thorough in-person examination and appropriate blood tests.
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Shehzad Topiwala

Endocrinologist

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 1663 Questions

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What Do My Sugar Levels Indicate?

Brief Answer: Diabetes Detailed Answer: I understand your question. The answer is very scientific and precise. When I see someone like you in my practice, I request them to undergo the following two tests along with some general tests. The two diabetes specific tests are called 1 HbA1c (also called by two other names: Glycohemoglobin and Glycosylated hemoglobin) Normal range: less than 5.6 % Pre diabetes: 5.7% to 6.4% Diabetes : more than or equal to 6.5% This test does not require fasting and can be done at anytime of day or night. Along with this I tend to order: CBC Electrolytes Calcium Liver function tests Kidney function tests TSH Lipid profile (cholesterol panel): new studies are showing fasting is not absolutely necessary for even a cholesterol test 2 Oral Glucose Tolerance test (OGTT0 using 75 grams of glucose I suggest you do this test as well. However this test will require 8 to 14 hours of fasting. Once the morning fasting blood sample is taken, the lab will ask you to drink 75 grams of glucose in water. You are then expected to be seated for 2 hours without eating/drinking/smoking and another blood sample will be taken at exactly 120 minutes after your first blood draw. There is no role of any urine testing during this. If this is inconvenient to you, then the HbA1c test will suffice to give you a fair idea whether you have diabetes or prediabetes or neither. Interpretation of OGTT Fasting: Normal 65 to 99 mg/dl Pre diabetes : 100 to 125 Diabetes: 126 and above Furthermore, regarding the 2 hour glucose reading: Normal: less than 140 Pre diabetes: 140 to 199 Diabetes : 200 or more