jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yep - same here.

W9OD Loc: Wisconsin

You can run, but you can’t hide. It is difficult to cheat on a blood test, the only person you are hurting is?

BebuLamar

The discussion is not about photography because this section is General Chit-Chat (non Photography Talk) so we have to talk about things that are not photography.

Real Nikon Lover Loc: Simi Valley, CA

The blood test is only part of the story. Urine test shows how much glucose is being spilled out along with kidney function. Ketones are produced and spill into the urine. Sweet/fruity breath is also a sign of high ketones (or having too many alcoholic drinks btw which are high in carbs/sugar).

Several have mentioned the correlated effects of diabetes such as vision, coronary heart disease/high blood pressure, amputations. The kidneys are a big loser with diabetes and many end up on dialysis which is HORRIBLE. High blood pressure can hammer the kidneys even without diabetes or pre-diabetes (insulin resistance). Your friend should at the very least, have the doctor do the physical exam. Sometimes other things are discovered.

There is a test I took that was rather amazing. It was a calcium score test. A calcium score test is a CT (computed tomography) scan that looks at how much calcium is in your coronary arteries. Calcium in your heart’s arteries can tell you if you have a buildup of a waxy, fatty substance (plaque) that can narrow or block them. This means you could have atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease), which could lead to a heart attack.

My calcium score results were: On a scale of 1-500 with 500 being the worst, I was a 50. Knowing this provides a baseline for treating/preventing further damage caused by genetics, diet, exercise and medication(s).

PREVENTION is the key.

gouldopfl

If they do an A1C this is the average of the past 90 days.

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

Right on! I'm not going in for an A1C test the first week in January, that's for sure. I'd rather enjoy the holidays and keep my head in the sand.

CTTonymm Loc: Connecticut

[quote=jerryc41]Where better to go for medical advice than a photography forum?

Questions like this, I go to AI (Bard.google.com). I'm always amazed at the comprehensive, on-target answers delivered in 3-5 seconds !

gouldopfl

Why? If you are having a issue now, you need to get treatment. That might start with a better diet. I have gone from 345lbs to 173 today. I eat mostly healthy. I do add some carbs between Thanksgiving and Christmas but I try to keep my daily sugar levels in the 90's. I still get the goodies in moderation. I take metformin daily.

gouldopfl

Great advice?!!!

andesbill

The glucose test, if taken after fasting all night will show blood sugar at that time only. Any candy taken the night before will have been digested. So, high blood sugar after a night of fasting is suggestive of diabetes.
A better test is the A1C test which shows blood sugar over 3 months. If his A1C is high, that too is suggestive of diabetes.
If he has diabetes (probably type 2), and he ignores it, he will develop serious problems in other organs as well.

gouldopfl

When I was diagnosed, doctors considered patients with 150 or less. Then it went to 120, then 100 and now 90. I really wonder how much of this is driven by big pharma. Each time they lower it, there are new costly medications available. This time, there is a new class of drugs that also help with weight loss. The problem is most insurance companies do not pay for them. I am fortunate that I get to use the VA and I am on Wagovy. I don't pay anything for prescriptions or anything else there. They want their diabetic vets on these which also help lose weight for the overweight or obese veterans. Getting down to normal weight will also will help people have less medical problems overall. My A1C went from 7.3 to 5.2.
.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

This is pretty much like someone who may have been president at one time not wanting to COVID testing done because he didn’t want us to see bad results.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Vladimir200 Loc: Beaumont, Ca.

My prior internist told me that, if possible, try NOT to have blood tests during and just after the Christmas season. His inference was that the "season" is loaded with parties with lots of sweets, alcohol, and the like. Just last evening, our 55+ community hosted a holiday party with, yes......you guessed it, open bar (which surprised me; that is expensive) and lots of sweets.

scallihan Loc: Tigard, OR

Absolutely. How many people have had to undergo MORE treatment than would have been necessary if they caught whatever early, rather than too late! I nearly passed on my mammogram last year because I had had one the year before. But I said, "why not"? Turned out I had early breast cancer! Simple lumpectomy and removal of two lymph nodes - no metastasis. 16 radiation treatments. Had I waited another year, possibly mastectomy, more radiation, and chemo. BTW, I was pronounced cancer free in May. Because I did not wait.