I am 54 years old and had a blood glucose of 136 mg/dl [7.6 mmol/L] (fasting) and 244 mg/dl [13.6 mmol/L] (about an hour after eating supper) on my friend’s monitor. My mother and grandmother both had diabetes. Is this anything to be concerned about? The doctor who did the test said everything was fine. Maybe there isn’t anything to worry about.

I am very glad you have asked this question because the answer could be very important to your long term health. As you well know, you are genetically at high risk of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has stated that anyone at risk should be tested at least yearly for diabetes. A fasting blood sugar of 126 mg/dl [7 mmol/L]or higher, on two occasions, is diagnostic of diabetes. A random blood sugar of 200 mg/dl [11.1 mmol/L] or greater is also diagnostic. That challenge is that most people do not feel sick at these levels so no one takes it for as being important or serious — it is.

I would highly recommend you discuss this immediately with your physician and have the fasting blood sugar repeated. There are many new treatments for diabetes that can help you keep your blood sugar in normal range. Waiting until you feel sick from high blood sugar is not the way to go and would be cause for worry. Finding diabetes early and keeping your blood sugar as close to normal as possible would have the opposite effect — decreasing your worry from diabetes.

I wish you success in discussing this with your physician and taking a proactive approach.

KS