Diabetes chat

Read the transcript from Dr Hilary's diabetes web chat

Laura: I'm 22 and love all things sweet. I have, for the past 4-5 weeks, developed an all-over rash: hives to be precise. They burn & itch. I have been told I consume far too much sugar and that my blood sugar levels are probably too high. Can you help? I'm also having great difficulty cutting down on my sweets!!

Dr Hilary: Hi Laura. Your body automatically keeps your blood sugar within a healthy range. This is thanks to insulin. Diabetics produce too little insulin and their blood sugar rises. But too much sugar is bad for teeth as well as your weight, and over the age of 60 overweight people have a greater risk of developing diabetes as a result of eating too many sweet things throughout their life.

Leslee: Dear Hilary, please can you advise me. When I had my last baby (10lb 14oz) I kept getting asked the same question, "Was I diabetic?" All the doctors and nurses were surprised when I said no, but continued to tell me that it was probably a sign that I would in later life! Is this true and if so, how and when do I know if I am? I am always tired now so what would be different?

Dr Hilary: Leslee - diabetic women tend to produce heavier babies. But most women are tested for diabetes during their pregnancy to make sure they are not a "latent diabetic". This means that the pregnancy itself unmasks the diabetes in women who are susceptible to it in the future. A glucose tolerance test (blood test) would prove once and for all whether you are diabetic or not.

Lynne: Doctor, my husband is always tired, very thirsty and does wee a lot. However he is not losing weight. Diabetes also runs in his family. Should he visit the doctor/nurse?

Dr Hilary: Certainly he should. These symptoms are suggestive of diabetes. Initially a simple urine test would give him a idea and if glucose is present in his urine a glucose tolerance test (blood test) would confirm it one way or another.

Jake: Hello. First question, I am a nurse working in heart surgery, specialising in diabetes. I am very interested in the product as shown on GMTV this am for blood monitoring.  I have not seen it advertised in any of the journals. Can you help?

Dr Hilary: It is called the Soft Sense Meter, which gives an accurate blood sugar reading painlessly within 20 seconds. It is new, having been launched last week on World Diabetes Day. It costs £195 and is available through Diabetes UK Careline (the link is on this website, in the Where can I get help? article in the Diabetes section of Dr Hilary's Casebook, which you'll find in Health). The lancets and testing strips should be available on the NHS by February next year.

Benjamin: I have all the symptoms that were described for diabetes, however I was diagnosed with anaemia two years back yet they never found a cause for it.

Dr Hilary: Diabetes would not cause anaemia. Diabetes is a condition where there is insufficicent insulin or your body does not respond normally to normal levels of insulin. If you are worried see your doctor or the practice nurse for a simple test.

Nikipops: I developed glucose intolerance during pregnancy. Can you explain why it suddenly goes, and why I had a low birthweight baby (5lb5oz)?

Dr Hilary: During pregnancy steroid levels in the blood can affect the blood glucose level. After pregnancy steroid levels fall to normal again and blood glucose is restored. This is called "latent diabetes" and may only require treatment during pregnancy.

Dee:  I often find that by 5pm I feel sickly, but if for instance I eat a biscuit I feel better. I assume that this is a blood sugar thing? Should I do anything ?

Dr Hilary: Low blood sugar is not a well-recognised disorder in medical circles. This is because glucose levels remain very steady under automatic control. Even if  we are starving blood glucose levels remain surprisingly static. Hunger itself, however, can make people feel tired, irritable and dizzy, so if eating little and often helps, go for it!

Dawn: My mother is having a toe removed this afternoon due to her diabetes. What do statistics show that she will lose other toes and possibly her foot?

Dr Hilary: Peripheral blood vessel disease is much more common in diabetics because the small arteries become clogged and the circulation slows down. For this reason, careful control of the blood sugar is necessary. Plenty of exercise, the correct diet and adherence to prescribed medication is essential to prevnt further problems in the future.

Kate: My grandad died from diabetes and I have always been aware that I might suffer from it one day. I suffer from anaemia and lately I can't stop falling asleep and needing the toilet. I crave sweet things all the time, but I have not got a constant thirst. I am really worried that I may have this because my grandad was so poorly when he died. Do you think I am at high risk? Even if diabetes runs in the family it does not mean that you will necessarily develop it. However, since you have some unexplained symptoms why not ask your doctor to check them out?

Dr Hilary: There is nothing to fear and early detection of diabetes means early treatment which can prevent all kinds of problems in the fture.

kj424: I am 24 and classed as obese. I have asthma and lately all I eat are sweet things, and I drink a lot. Should I be worried about becoming diabetic?

Dr Hilary: You need advice about ways to get around your sweet tooth. Diabetes does not make you crave sweet things but eating too many sweet things can make you obese, which in turn can increase your risk of devloping diabetes. Ask you doctor for help or for a referral to a dietician or nutritionist.

Morgan: My son is 12, has started going to the toilet a lot and wetting the bed on two occasions. There is diabetes in the family, how quick would it develop.

Dr Hilary: The most likely explanation for your son's bed-wetting is anxiety of some kind, although diabetes can produce symptoms almost overnight in some cases. Your GP can very easily.

Alison: I've been diabetic for 28 yrs, but on July 6th this year I was lucky enough to have a transplant and so far no insulin or anything.

Dr Hilary: I'm pleased your transplant is going well. You must be one of the few people who have been offered a pancreatic transplant as they are still very much a pioneering procedure restrticted to diabetics whose blood sugar control proves very difficult. In the future maybe we'll see more people like you with pancreatic cell implants rather than whole pancreas transplants. Watch this space.

Keith Jones: Our four-year-old grandson has just been diagnosed with diabetes and his mother is worried about feeding him over the Christmas period with two other children to cater for. Any suggestions?

Dr Hilary: Worry not. The diabetic diet is actually a very healthy one which the whole family can enjoy together. With the correct choice of insulin and observation of your grandson's carbohydrate intake, he can still enjoy a completely normal Christmas. Contact Diabetes UK, who publish an excellent range of leaflets on how to manage the dietary side of the condition.

Gill: After watching the show this morning, I wondered if the symptoms I have are diabetes or if they could also be related to the incredible amount of hot flushes I am suffering? Hot flushes are not a recognised symptom of diabetes, but warrant a chat with your GP anyway. I'm sure they're inconvenient and there must be an explanation.

Diane: I was told a long time ago that I had a higher risk of having a disabled baby as I have been diabetic for 20 years. Can you tell me if this is true, and what I can do to prevent this.

Dr Hilary: I think you have been worrying unnecessarily. Diabetics tend to have heavier babies than others, but there is no increased risk of disability in the baby otherwise. I hope that puts your mind at rest.

Melb: Could you please advise on low-cost self testing kits for diabetes. I believe that I have the first signs - thirsty, tiredness.. I saw the product this morning on GMTV, but at £229!! The Diabetes UK site only contains a link for this product. Can you list any low cost and reliable alternatives? Thank you. Mel

Dr Hilary: You can self-test using testing strips which change colour and give you a visual reading without the need for a meter. This is the cheapest option as the testing strips are available on NHS prescription. The meters simply make things easier and encourage you ro test your blood sugar on a much more regular basis.

Jan: My daughter was diagnosed  last year with diabetes at 14 like a lot of teenagers. She's spoken to other diabetics at school and they all seem to get it about the same time. Could BCG injections trigger it?

Dr Hilary: BCG vaccination does not in any way contribute to the onset of diabetes. Nor does any other vaccine, for that matter. Early onset diabetes is probably triggered by a virus, which is as yet unidentified, although other environmental factors could be responsible. Late onset diabetes occurs in overweight people who need to reduce their intake of carbohydrate and sweet things.

Anonymous: I know someone who is a very poorly controlled diabetic. Her BMS, when she does them, are erratic to say the least!  I am concerned about her future health. Is there anything I can do to help because she won't get it sorted out. What can I do? I gave her the number of a diabetic association but she never phoned them.  She is the sort of person who will only listen to a doctor.  Help!

Dr Hilary: I hope she listens to me. My son is diabetic. He leads a completely normal life because he tests his blood sugar on a regular basis and adjusts his insulin according to what he eats. There is no reason your friend can't do the same - it's a question of confidence. The people at Diabetes UK are lovely and really helpful. I really would encourage her to contact them so that she can become an expert in her own diabetic management.

Charlotte: My grandad has had diabetes for about 30 years, and has to inject himself twice a day. Recently, he's become too disillusioned to even get out of bed and so from Sunday to Thursday last week didn't have any injections, hence him now being in hospital. However, I must say, he is now 73, and for the past 20 odd years he has had a very active life and it does prove you can live with diabetes.

Dr Hilary: I expect your grandad may be suffering from some depression rather than anything to do with his diabetes. You're right in saying he has done really well for many years, treating his diabetes himself, and had he kept up the injections he would probably not be in hospital now. It's easy for the elderly to become isolated and depressed, so a hefty dose of support, encouragement and motivation in hospital may soon perk him up again. Good luck.

Barbara: Can stress be a factor for onset in teenagers?

Dr Hilary: Stress in itself is almost certainly not a factor. Many teenagers stress, some severely so, but plenty develop diabetes living in a calm, happy and relaxed environment. The search goes on the find the cause.

DianeR: I was told several years ago that I had elevated sugar levels but was not diabetic. Current symptoms are - excessive thirst, urine, not scalding but burns surrounding skin, always at the same time as thrush which I have had continuously for 10 years, fatigue, body itching, backache and stomache ache. Any suggestions?

Dr Hilary: The diagnosis of diabetes is simple. The glucose tolerance test confirms it. You drink a sugary drink and have several blood samples taken over the next two hours. The results are unequivacle. If you're diabetic it needs to be treated. If not, the symptoms are due to something else.

Anonymous: Do you have the number for Diabetes UK? I'm not convinced she will contact them but it's worth a try I suppose!

Dr Hilary: The number of this excellent charity, of which I am a patron, is 0845 120 2960

Dr Hilary:Thanks everyone for contributing to our chatroom. I wish we had longer. If you're worried about the possibility of diabetes, please don't hesitate to contact your GP for a quick check-up. Join us on Thursday for another chat from Dr Hilary's Casebook.
PS: Do you like my Austin Healy Sprite circa 1963 (2 owners from new?)!!!