Diabetes is a serious medical condition. If it is well controlled you can successfully manage this condition and prevent complications. The goal is to start treatment as early as possible. Diabetes can be challenging to treat because in the early stages the symptoms may be so general that they are not automatically associated with a serious condition. If you suspect you have diabetes or are at risk for developing this condition, it is important to see your doctor. He or she can perform tests for diabetes and help you form a plan to manage it.
Physical Exam & Risk Factors
If your doctor suspects you have diabetes, he or she will need to know about any symptoms you are having. According to the American Diabetes Association, frequent urination, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, unexplained weight loss, numbness or tingling sensations in the body, irritability and fatigue can all be warning signs. You may also experience trouble with your vision and cuts and sores that heal slowly or not at all.
In addition to assessing your symptoms, your physician will review your risk factors. The National Diabetes Education Program suggests that being overweight, being sedentary, having a family history, or giving birth to a baby weighing more then nine pounds can all increase your risk. If you have symptoms or risk factors, there are a variety of blood tests your doctor can do to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes.
Random Plasma Glucose Test
After a meal your digestive system converts the food you ate into glucose that your body can then use for energy. The hormone insulin helps your body to do this. If you have diabetes it means that your body does not produce enough insulin or is unable to use insulin to convert the food into fuel. This allows glucose or blood sugar levels to build in your blood. The blood tests that are done give results in numerical form and tell you how may milligrams of glucose there are in every deciliter of blood. The simplest test is the random plasma glucose test, which can be done at anytime. You do not fast or prepare for it in any way. It can be used as a screening tool to detect diabetes. With this test, if you have symptoms or risk factors suggestive of diabetes and your results are 200 mg/dL or higher, you may have diabetes and need further testing.
Fasting Plasma Glucose Test
The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse states that your doctor can also perform a fasting plasma glucose test to check your levels of blood sugar. You need to refrain from eating for at least eight hours. Then a blood test is done to detect the level of glucose in your blood. A reading of 100 to 125 mg/dL means that you have pre-diabetes. This serves as a warning sign that you are at risk for developing diabetes but you do not actually have it yet. If your test comes back with a reading of 126 mg/dL or higher, then you may have diabetes. Your doctor may want you to do further testing. This test is inexpensive and quick; however, it is not considered the most reliable. Your physician may use this test as a screening tool but then order additional tests if needed.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
According to the World Health Organization, if other tests come back positive for diabetes the oral glucose tolerance test, or OGTT, can be used to confirm the diagnosis. The OGTT is considered more accurate than the fasting plasma glucose test. It is also sensitive enough to detect diabetes before symptoms occur. With an OGTT test, you need to fast for at least eight hours and avoid sugary drinks for two hours before your test. You will then drink a water and glucose mixture and be tested two hours later. If your reading is 140 to 199 mg/dL two hours after drinking the mixture, you may have pre-diabetes. If your reading is 200 mg/dL or higher on two separate days, you may be diagnosed with diabetes.
