My daughter has not been diagnosed as a diabetic. But her doctor was suspecting maybe pre-diabetes so he gave us a meter to check a few times.
I don’t remember what time or what she ate but I do know that these readings were AFTER she ate. Here are some of them: 168, 163, 161, 159, 155 (and several others over 140, but she has had a few normal readings and her fasting reading is normal). She also had a 62 after running around with friends.
So do you think this warrants a trip to an endocronologist? Or do you think her doctor is right calling her pre-diabetic? She is not overweight and eats like a normal kid (not an over amount of sugar but some sweets now and then).
She is under 18 and on the lower end of normal for weight. We took her reading an hour after eating 4 chicken wings today and it was 143. Her doctor told us to check her fasting ever few days and they have been normal. He also told us to check an hour after and 2 hours after because he wants to find how high she spikes.
4 replies on “Does my daughter need to see a endocronologist?”
It takes 6 months to a year to get into see an endo. Go ahead and make the appointment to see one, now. You can always cancel it out later if you decide to.
It will make you feel better if you take her to the Endocrinologist. They do some readings on the blood draws that the regular doctors don’t bother with.
Doctors do not do us any favors with that fictitious diagnosis of prediabetes. Insurance companies will not pay for the testing supplies for “prediabetes”. They should, but won’t. Test strips cost in the neighborhood of $1 each!! This gets very expensive! I have to test 6 to 8 times a day. The insurance says only 4 times is necessary, even for insulin.
Remember how you were a “little bit pregnant”? this is the way it is with diabetes. “a little bit diabetic” must watch the glucose very closely to make sure they are not becoming fully diabetic.
So go see the Endo!
Dear Lacey’s Mom, It makes a big difference how long after she ate you obtained those readings and how long they took to come down. For safety’s sake and peace of mind all around, why not invest in a trip to the endo? It’s a lot cheaper and safer to be sure rather than sorry!
P.S. I am a type 1 diabetic.
It does make a big difference how long after your daughter ate when you’re taking numbers. But those still sound kind of high. I think you should go see an endo, but make sure you find a pediatric endocrinologist. It’s a little different when you’re dealing with kids. And a regular doctor may not know everything that needs to be done.
If you are concerned about diabetes (and you should be, with all those readings about 120), then you should see an endocrinologist.
An endocrinologist is a specialist who has more recent and more advanced training on disease such as diabetes. Their knowledge (and thus their ability to help your daughter) is MUCH better than General Practitioner.
For example: The GP gave you daughter a meter and told your to monitor her blood sugars. the Endocrinologist probably would have doe two or three blood tests, and given you a solid “Yes/No” answer with a few hours. AND — you didn’t say if the GP told you that these readings need to be taken in a FASTING mode — after at least 8 hours of not eating. You also need to take blood tests JUST BEFORE each meal, and just before bed — BUT AT NO OTHER TIMES.
An Endocrinologist would have performed two or three blood tests, and given you a confirmed diagnosis with hour, instead of playing around, making your own (possible false) assumptions with a test meter and poor advice.
The first test the Endo should perform is an A1C test. This test measures the AVERGEA blood sugar readings over 90 days. The great thing about this test is that it is MUCH more accurate than those individual Finger Stick tests. AND, you can not cheat the A1C test by eating correctly 2-3 days before taking the test. ALSO, you do not have to fast before taking the A1C test.
A normal reading for an A1C test is between 5 and 6. if the A1C test is greater than 7 (and, with all those 150+ readings, your daughter’s A1c probably is great than 7) then you ARE diabetic. The doctor might then confirm this with a Glucose Tolerance Test. This test take 3-4 hours, but it is a definite confirmation of diabetes.
The Endo might also perform a Blood Insulin Level test to see of your daughter is insulin resistant or not. This test will determine whet kind of oral medication, if any, your daughter needs.
AND . . .
. . . .The Endocrinologist probably would not use the term “Pre-Diabetes”, because most Endocrinologist say that Pre-Diabetes does not exist. Either you ARE Diabetic, and need to begin treatment NOW, or you are not diabetic and you just need to take the A1C test once a year “just in case”.
You did not mention any more about your daughter, specifically, her age and her weight. These two are CRITICAL in diagnosing the proper kind of diabetes.
If your daughter is young (under 18) and of normal or thin weight, then she is probably Type 1 Diabetic. This indicates pending pancreatic failure, and she MUST see an endocrinologist NOW. Type 1 Diabetes is VERY serious, potentially fatal, and she NEEDDDS PROPER TREATMENT NOW. Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes REQUIRES insulin injections
If your daughter is older than 18, or overweight (even by as much as 10 pounds, and regardless of age) she might be Type 2 Diabetic. this is MUCH easier to treat, as Type 2 Diabetes can often be treated by Diet and exercise, maybe some oral medication, with the goal of controlling the disease without insulin.
But in either case there is NO PRE-DIABETES. Either she IS or she IS NOT. If your daughter IS diabetic, in any form, then she needs to begin treatment now to avoid the serious, even fatal, side effect that can occur later. If she IS NOT diabetic, then she needs to be aware, and have the simple A1C test performed every year to help stave off the disease.
Whatever the reason, your daughter NEEDS to see an Endocrinologist in order to obtain the most accurate diagnosis and the most effective treatment possible.