Question from Birmigham, Alabama, USA:

I turned 30 in July and about two months ago at a required health fair for my employer, I had a blood sugar of 287 mg/dl [15.9 mmol/L] after half of a bagel and a coffee (with Splenda). I haven’t noticed symptoms, but was told to see my doctor. I did, and turned out in my fasting level there was 157 mg/dl [8.7 mmol/L]. I have high amylase enzymes, but now we know, not through the pancreas. He thought I was developing type 1 diabetes, because I’m 5 feet, 4 inches and weigh 105 pounds. I’m a vegetarian, a runner posting at least 30 miles a week. I have low blood pressure, no family history of type 1 or 2, and slightly elevated cholesterol, but my good cholesterol is very high. I do eat candy, though. Anyway, he tested for antibodies and C-Peptide. I was negative for type 1 markers, and my C-Peptide was low, but in the normal range (He didn’t do glucose level at the same time. I didn’t think he was going to be taking blood and I just came from a large meal at IHOP. Would that even make a difference?)

My doctor said I am diabetic and in denial, although he doesn’t know what kind of diabetic I am. I bought a cheap home meter and had some normal levels of 115 mg/dl [6.4 mmol/L] to 130 mg/dl [7.2 mmol/L] and a lot of 260s mg/dl [14.4 mmol/L] and up. Yesterday, I was the highest I’ve seen, 420 mg/dl [23.3 mmol/L]. I tested again and got 433 mg/dl [24.1 mmol/L]. Later, it was back down to 186 mg/dl [10.3 mmol/L]. I know now I’m, thankfully, not type 1, but how could I be type 2? I have absolutely no risk factors, not even ethnicity and I’m on no drugs. What else could cause those glucose numbers? Am I really diabetic, or is it just temporary?