How to Test for Diabetes Mellitus
Ask your doctor to perform a test to determine whether or not you have diabetes mellitus. Write down any reoccurring symptoms that point to the disesase such as constantly feeling tired after a meal and experiencing intense hunger pangs or lightheaded prior to eating. These signs and more can point to diabetes. It's important to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms before receiving a diabetes diagnosis.
- Know what symptoms to look for before talking to your doctor. Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, bladder infections, skin infections, skin discoloration, rapid weight loss, nausea and fatigue.
- Discuss diabetes with your doctor if you display more than a few of the symptoms that can lead to a diagnosis. Ask your doctor about diabetes screening tests that can determine whether or not you have the disease. He may suggest you go through a fasting blood glucose test. He will order a blood test to determine if you do or don't have diabetes.
- Schedule your diabetes test when you can fast for more than eight hours. You need to fast for eight or more hours before having your blood drawn in order for a doctor to accurately read the results. The blood place will take one sample of blood and send it to a lab to wait for an analysis for the fasting blood glucose test.
- Wait for the doctors office to call you about the test results, if you test positive for diabetes. Search online and look to resources such as other people you know that are diabetics about how to cope with the disease once you know whether or not you have diabetes. They will provide you with a treasure trove of information to help you find you way down this new path.
- Schedule a follow up appointment to discuss alterations you need to make following a diabetic diagnosis. Go over topics relating to your diet, exercise and at home blood sugar testing and discuss what you learned from other people to see how it fits in with your life and your doctor's recommendations.