If you have not been diagnosed with diabetes yet, here are the tests that you can expect your doctor to preform to determine if you are in fact diabetic:
If you have severe symptoms of unexplained weight loss, increased thirst, increased hunger, frequent urination, or tingling in your feet and hands. There are tests your doctor can run to check for diabetes.
Today there are around 29 million adults and children, or around 9% of the total population that have diabetes, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are millions of unaware Americans that have no idea since there is no warning sign. Your doctor can confirm a diagnosis of the type 2 diabetes by ordering a casual plasma glucose or fasting plasma glucose test. Fasting Glucose Test For Checking Diabetes The method that is preferred to diagnose diabetes is the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) with its convenience and how easy with less expense over other tests. This is according to the American Diabetes Association. Preparing for a Blood Glucose Test Before the blood glucose test, you will not be able to eat anything for eight hours. You will also be limited in the amount of water you can drink between the time you are to stop eating and the time that the test is performed. During a Blood Glucose Test Blood will be draw and sent to the laboratory. There, tests will be performed to determine whether your body is able to process the sugar that you ingest. Results of the Blood Glucose Test A normal fasting blood sugar is between 70 and 100 mg/dL. Those who do not have problems with their blood sugar will have a fasting blood sugar around this range. The diagnosis of diabetes is made when two separate blood tests show your blood glucose level is higher than 125 mg/dL If you have a normal fasting blood sugar, but are considered at risk for developing diabetes, or have symptoms of diabetes, your doctor may complete a glucose tolerance test to ensure that you do not have diabetes. Some people have a typical fasting blood sugar reading, but their blood sugar rises dangerously fast after they eat food. People who have these symptoms can reach blood sugar levels that are high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Casual Plasma Glucose Test The causal plasma glucose test is a different method of testing for diabetes. …show more content…
During this test, blood sugar is tested regardless of the last time the person ate. They are not required to abstain from ingesting food or drink during this time.
A glucose level that is greater than 200 mg/dL could indicate that the person had diabetes. This is especially true if the test is repeated and receives similar results.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
An oral glucose tolerance test is another method of detecting diabetes. Typically this test is done during pregnancy to determine whether the woman has, or is at risk for developing gestational diabetes. It is also performed if the woman is thought to have type II diabetes but has a fasting glucose level that is considered normal. It is also used to see if someone has prediabetes.
Hemoglobin A1c Test
The hemoglobin A1c test is an extremely important blood test that is used to determine how well a diabetic’s blood sugar is being controlled. This test provides an average of your blood sugar over a six to twelve week period. It is typically used in conjunction with testing your blood sugar at home. Typically the test is used to determine whether adjustments need to be made to your current diabetes medication. The HbA1C level can also be used to diagnose diabetes if a value is found that is greater than 6.5%. Other Tests for Diabetes For those who are already determined to be diabetic, it is important to have an eye dilation exam yearly as part of your eye examination. This can detect the early signs of retinopathy, which typically has no symptoms at first.