People find out they have the condition
in different ways. With type 2, the first port of call is usually your
GP, either because you have some or all of the symptoms listed on page
4, or because you are having a general check-up. Some people are advised
to see their doctor by their optician. This is because an eye examination
will pick up the early signs of a condition called diabetic retinopathy – changes
in the blood vessels of the eye which can develop as a complication of
diabetes.
If your symptoms suggest to your doctor that you
may have diabetes, he will want to do a blood test to measure your
glucose level, and will also ask for a urine sample to be tested. The
samples may have to be sent off to the lab for analysis, although many
GPs today have blood glucose meters in the surgery, and can give you
the result on the spot.
Above-average readings from either or both of these
tests will probably be sufficient for your doctor to confirm that you
have diabetes and, if it’s type 2, it’s likely that you will
be cared for by your GP rather than having to see a hospital doctor.
Many GP practices run regular diabetes clinics, but if yours doesn’t
or you feel you need more support, you can ask to be referred to a hospital
diabetes clinic.
As mentioned above, type 1 can often come on quite
suddenly, and this may mean the person being admitted to hospital while
the diagnosis is made and the condition stabilised. People with this
form of diabetes will probably continue to be under the care of the specialist
team at a hospital.
Nowadays, many type 1 and type 2 patients have shared
care between the hospital and the GP.
Although, for most people, the diagnosis is straightforward
and quite clear cut, a few may need an extra test because their blood
glucose level is borderline. In this case, you may be asked to go to
the hospital outpatients clinic for what’s called an oral glucose
tolerance test. After an overnight fast, your blood glucose level will
be measured on arrival, then you’ll be given a drink containing
a measured amount of glucose. Your blood will then be retested at half-hourly
intervals for two hours to see how your body is dealing with the glucose
you’ve absorbed. You may also be asked to pass a urine sample at
the start and at hourly intervals.
| ORAL
GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST |
There are three possible
outcomes, depending on the
results of your test:
- Your blood glucose may be within the normal range, so you
don’t have diabetes.
- Your level may be higher than average, although not high
enough to mean you have diabetes. This condition is called
impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and your medical advisers
will want to keep an eye on you because there is a possibility
of developing diabetes in the future. In the meantime you
will be given advice on diet, although you don’t have
diabetes and don’t need any other specific treatment.
- Your blood glucose level may be sufficiently raised to
indicate that you do have diabetes. If so, you will need
to see your doctor to discuss what treatment you need.
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KEY POINTS
- Diabetes is usually diagnosed from a simple urine
or blood test in patients who have symptoms
- A small number of patients need to have a more
formal test called an oral glucose tolerance test
- Early diagnosis is very important and patients
with symptoms are recommended to attend their GP’s surgery for
a test
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