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Because the symptoms of diabetes can be so subtle and you can
have diabetes for years without knowing it, your doctor will
probably schedule you to have a diabetic test run for your annual
physical. This is especially true if you have any of the risk
factors or exhibit what may be symptoms. The usual test for diabetes
is simple and painless, your doctor or health care professional may
want you to do a back-up version depending on your results.
The risk factors for diabetes include ethnicity, obesity, age and
sedentary lifestyle. The ethnic backgrounds with a higher risk for
diabetes are Asian, African American, American Indian, Latino,
Hispanic and Pacific Islanders. Family history is another factor as
is a history of high blood pressure or an incidence of gestational
diabetes. If you have any of these apply to you, you should have a
diabetic test at least once a year.
If you have weight loss and haven’t increased your activity or
started dieting, if you have increased thirst and are drinking more
and urinating more often, and still have dry mouth, if you are still
hungry, even after eating and are generally fatigued then you should
get to your doctor or other health care facility and be tested for
diabetes. Your doctor will order a fasting plasma glucose test and
may order an oral glucose tolerance test. The second test takes
longer, but is usually more accurate.
If these tests come back positive for diabetes, you will have to
learn how to test your own blood sugar levels. After your
consultation with a diabetes specialist, you will decide which blood
glucose monitoring system is right for you. Or you may decide that
you will manage your diabetes with diet and exercise and daily
monitoring will not be necessary for you. You may be able to rely on
the quarterly tests your doctor orders, the hemoglobin A1c.
Blood glucose levels need to be tracked in a person with
diabetes, which is why all of these diabetic tests are necessary. If
you know the risk factors, recognize the symptoms and get tested
regularly, you can stay ahead in the fight against diabetes.
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