Well I’ve had my blood test done and all of my results were normal/satisfactory so I was buzzing as it’s been 3 years since it’s been normal so was finally happy and then I get a phone call from drs yesterday to say I need to speak to the nurse because my haemoglobin (however it’s spelt) is abnormal so now my health anxiety is through the roof does this mean type 2 diabetes or borderline I’m so petrified I’ve been up all night panicking about it my face keeps burning up with fright I associate diabetes with pancreas’s and my mum died of pancreatic cancer I’m absolutely beside myself can’t seem to calm down I’m so worried
Nat
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Natsteveo
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Ok, if you do have Diabetes it's Not the end of the world, you'll have to change your lifestyle and if it's Prediabetes? That can be reversed. For me unfortunately was diagnosed a couple of years ago, do there's No going back is what I've been told. Do your self a favor if you do have it? See a diabetic doctor,. Regular doctors don't have a Clue. Ive been given lots of Wrong information, making myself Crazy trying to figure things out
I am sorry for assuming it when you live it it’s because I lost my mum to pancreatic cancer so I assumed diabetes with pancreas so my head went into a spin I have such bad health anxiety my head goes into a spin and I assume the worst
Nothing to do with diabetes.. it’s iron levels and oxygen in the blood .. stop .. until you speak to the doctor.. it will be ok , if it was serious they’d of had you back asap .
Hi babes yes I am you know what I’m like though with my health anxiety I can’t seem to let it ride till I’ve been seen had a terrible restless night last night I’m not at the nurse until Monday it was next Friday so gonna try to whine down a bit
Hemoglobin has to do with your red blood cells, not your pancreas or diabetes. If your hemoglobin is low, you may be anemic, which is totally treatable by taking Iron pills. I know it's hard, but try to think positively. If it was something emergent that your doctor was worried about, he/she would have requested you come in right away.
Thanks for your reply I’m such a massive health anxiety worrier so everything I experience I automatically think I’m dying of it it’s ridiculous I know but it’s horrible
I am the absolute same way. I struggle immensely with heath anxiety, as well! I hope that whatever the test results showed, that it is minor and easily treated. Please keep us updated!
💜 Ash
Bless you, try not to worry (easier said than done). Deep breaths and relaxation. If you are out and about, take yourself somewhere quiet and focus on the air filling up your lungs, always helps me, just take 5 mins to yourself to concentrate on your breathing. Work can wait
Hi,in my view,if it was something serious I’m not sure that the nurse is the one to discuss it with you,it’s definitely a doctor that would be speaking to you!! I have had blood tests before and once when my red blood count was abnormal,my GP requested to have a phone consultation with me, and he told me when we spoke that my red blood count normal level was supposed to be at a top normal limit of 167 and mine was just 1 number above this at 168,he told me this is absolutely nothing to worry about but as it was just over,he had to tell me it was higher. So that is my point that if it was serious or even like me,a rather insignificant issue,you would be asked to see your GP. Hope this helps, and your anxiety eases soon. John.
That’s so true thanks for that I never thought of it like that makes sense I haven’t got to see my nurse till next Friday so it can’t be that important can it then thank you for that
Hey girl... Your anxious nurse friend here! Hemoglobin (how we spell it in the US) is a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout our body. It is the prime blood test we run to see if someone is anemic (low on red blood cells). If your hemoglobin is low, it means you are simply anemic, something that is fairly common in women in their 40s. What you're thinking of is a blood test called a hemoglobin A1C (abbreviated to HgA1c). This is an entirely different test. A HgA1c is a blood test that gives you a good picture of how your blood sugar has been running over the past 2-3 months, and it tests glycohemoglobin, which is a molecule that carries blood sugar throughout the body. So I want to stress to you that HEMOGLOBIN and a HEMOGLOBIN A1C are two entirely different and unrelated blood tests. If you were prediabetic or diabetic, your hemoglobin A1C would be very ELEVATED, not low. You having a low hemoglobin level is in absolutely zero way indicative of anything to do with your pancreas or diabetes. I promise! A low hemoglobin level simply means you have fewer red blood cells circulating in your body (what is called anemia in the medical field). Chances are you can get your hemoglobin redrawn a week later and it will be back to normal, unless you were severely anemic. Do you know what the actual number was? In the US our labs use parameters of 12-16 as a normal range of hemoglobin for women. I want to stress to you there is NO reason to panic. There are millions of people walking around with anemia and they have no idea. Sometimes people just run a little low on their red blood cells and it's truly nothing to be concerned about 99% of the time especially if you're not symptomatic! Symptoms of severe anemia would be terrible shortness of breath, bruising extremely easily, dizziness, lightheadedness, heart palpitations. Now let's also address these are prime symptoms of ANXIETY as well! So do not panic as that alone will send you into dizzy spells and heart pounding spells and all the symptoms I talked about. Talk to the nurse. Find out what your level was and get back to me. I am telling you that you are FINE but I know you're going to panic about it until you learn more. Just know that more than half of my patients end up having low hemoglobin every single time I draw their blood... Not a big deal. You're going to be Ok! Your pancreas is fine. You do not have diabetes. Breathe.
I so look forward to your messages I’ve sent you a private message with my readings xxx thanks so much with all these lovely messages I’ve been reassured xxx
Hi Nat. Please try not to worry. If you had diabetes your Dr would have ordered you in straight away as urgency. It may be that your red cell count is low and you may need iron tablets. Have you been eating well? Try and keep your mind on something else over the weekend. It’s unfair that you have been left with little advice, but like I said Nat if you had diabetes your Doc/Nurse would have hauled you in ASAP. Sending you a hug.
Thanks my love means a lot that you have replied I’m on slimming world diet and I’ve lot half a stone since August but lately I’ve been skipping meals just having one meal xxx
Thank you for replying Nat. I would have a guess that as you may be low in iron. Well done with your weight loss, but you really do need to not skip meals as skipping meals leads to sugar lows and back to snacking when then ruins all of your hard work. Get your meal planning back on track Nat and look for iron rich foods and plenty of veggies to include in your new plan. you will soon be feeling back in control and healthier too. grab a pen and start your meal plans for next week today to keep your mind focused on something positive that you can do this weekend. xxx
Hey Nat Re: being on a meal plan You may have heard the saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” by well-known American author and nutritionist Adelle Davis. This popular quotation gives much weight to breakfast, which literally means “breaking the fast of the night”. So keep that saying in your mind as breakfast is the most important meal of the day. xxx
Hi Nat, that's great news that you have now sorted your meal plan for next week now be kind to yourself and stay on track. Plan a pamper day for tomorrow and start a box set to keep your mind free. Have you tried guided meditation? I feel like it puts my feet back on the ground and centres me.
We are all here with you Nat always remember this. Tomorrow anyone of us may be needing your good advice. xx
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I hope that whatever the test results showed, that it is minor and easily treated. Please keep us updated! 
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