How do you find out if you have type 2 diabetes?

What are the early signs of diabetes?

Amanda* was diagnosed with prediabetes in early 2018, but her doctor did not tell her the implications of that diagnosis. So she kept on living her life until she started to feel symptoms like blurry vision and tingly hands and feet.

Eventually, Amanda went to the hospital where her A1C test result showed a number in the tens. In addition to being emotionally overwhelmed, the doctors blamed her for not having taken action sooner.

Do you have any risk factors for diabetes?

If Amanda's doctor had told her what prediabetes meant and how to prevent it from progressing, she would be in a better place today.

Unfortunately, Amanda's story is not an exception. According to the CDC 34.2 million people (that’s 1 in 10 people) have diabetes, and 88 million have pre-diabetes (that’s 1 in 3 people). Even more alarming is that approximately 30% do not know of their diagnosis.

Do you have any of the common risk factors, or does diabetes run in your family? Then a meaningful first step to get clarity is to check your blood glucose on a glucometer, or even better, take an A1C test, which measures the average blood sugar levels over the last 90 days.

Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?

Most people with diabetes don’t experience any symptoms, so it’s a good idea to check your A1c at least yearly if you have any risk factors. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s essential to check your A1c as soon as possible.

• Frequent urination
• Extreme thirst or dry mouth
• Increased hunger or unintended weight loss
• Tingling or numbness in fingers and hands
• Slow-healing wounds
• Frequent infections
• Itchy skin
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue

How to get an A1c test

In the offline world, you would make an appointment with your doctor or lab to take the test and another one to talk through the results. But how about you skip the appointment juggling and waiting room and order your A1c at-home test online and get it delivered right to your door.

Take the test when you are ready

So, whenever you are ready to take the test, you will discover that the test kit comes with all the tools you need: A small finger pricker and sample paper. All you have to do is squeeze a few drops of blood on the sample paper (it won't hurt, promise).

Getting the result

Then you put the sample paper into the pre-labeled envelope, close it and send it back to our certified partner lab. You will see your results inside your 9am.health account within the next few days.

Interpreting the results with a Diabetes Care Specialist

Many of our patients told us that performing the test was easy, but they struggled to understand which actions they should take once they received their results. That's why we decided to offer a free consultation with our Diabetes Care Specialists with every A1c test order to talk about your goals and the next steps of your diabetes therapy.

We encourage you to get tested as early as possible to take the necessary steps needed to live a long and healthy life.

*Name changed to protect privacy.