Call it whatever you would like, it all sounds like a warning shot for taking some changes in your life. For most with prediabetes (I really am not a fan of this medical term either), it is usually a case of when, not if, they will continue to completely develop Type 2.
Change is never fun for anyone, but taking small steps is a great way to see results. Try eating healthy during the week then eat a cheat meal on the weekend. You get to keep the indulgences you love and balance your diet better throughout the week.
Healthfully Yours,
Frank
Diabetic Lifestyle Advocate
What I was trying to point out is that since the doctor himself was hesitant to diagnose pre-diabetes; although he consistently had elevated labs, it gave him the impression that he could reverse it and it was âno big dealâ. Had he told him frankly that he had stage 1 diabetes, I believe it would have been taken more seriously. In my experience, perception is greatly affected by how a message is presented both in terminology and tone.
During an acute medical procedure, about twelve years ago, to stop my immune system from rabidly attacking my intestinal walls, the doctor used huge doses of Prednisone. It seemed like the indicated medical thing to do at the time. It worked, but soon my numbers shot up.
At first, I could control my glucose by jogging and avoiding French Fries, having a salad. I was young (+/-) and had options for burning off numbers. I was empowered by the idea that I really could run off my numbers. But I remember thinking, my numbers were already out of wack, Right from the beginning. Maybe the steroid destroyed by beta cells. I donât know.
Now I am coming up on 58 years old and I cannot jog like I used to. I enjoy life, but I am sliwer now. I shoot two kinds of insulin and eat one pill, just to manage the T2-other that I have.
Pre-diabetes for me lasted a little longer than 45 years.
So, the doctor was hesitant to even give him the prediabetes label. Thatâs too bad. I can see why your husband doesnât think itâs a big deal. You come at it with the full knowledge of whatâs itâs like to live with diabetes. Itâs hard to convey that perspective to someone that seemingly has the doctor on his side. I donât envy your situation. You may gain some if your husband is willing to do some blood sugar checks. Iâm hoping that your husbandâs apparent mild glucose impairment indeed turns out to be nothing of concern. But so many people are receiving diabetes diagnoses that Iâd be worried, too.
Terry- i agree. Saying itâs stage 1 diabetes gives it the punch it needs for that diagnoses. When people say stage 1 cancer, people listen. So maybe if doctors start saying stage 1 diabetes, people will give it the attention it needs. Yes, it is serious, but there is plenty you can do to help that diagnoses. I hate that we keep arguing over what we should call things. The reality to the situation is, it doesnât matter what it is called, it is serious and we as a society need to take whichever "stage 1 " diagnoses you get, itâs serious and we need to act.
Iâm curious to know the thoughts of those whose lives have been profoundly changed by diabetes. The article shows that HALF of the adults in California have âprediabetesâ
A lot of the discussion above has been that prediabetes is diabetes. Do you feel that half of the adult population shares the same health problem that you do? I do not, personally.
@Sam19 Nice post. From a diabetes perspective, I donât think persons with BG levels indicative of prediabetes share the same health challenges as you do for a host of reasons. I like your reasoning though.
For a type 2 metformin is a good starting point, can help with weight loss and blood sugars. I also think getting some depression help might be helpful. Getting our " head" in good shape makes us feel much better. Try doing some pool exercise since you canât run. Great way to exercise and increase those endomorphiness. Nancy
This is exactly what happened to me. I hit a FBG of 100 and an HA1c of 5.9 and was told to watch my weight and exercise more? What? I have a low BMI and have never been over weight. I run, bike, swim, resistance train, and teach water aerobics classes . I also have Thalasseemia which might have invalidated my HA1c result. I had already given up gluten (I have celiac disease) and was not looking forward to modifying my diet again.
I researched. Found the link between TD1 and celiac disease, but knew that TD2 runs in my Dadâs family. My Dad was diagnosed a year earlier with pre-diabetes and in a year crossed the threshold into diabetes. I bought a meter and started tracking and confirmed that I had Insulin resistance. Started a LCHF diet (ate to my meter) and shared the results with my doctor. He agreed about the insulin resistance. We decided not to test my GAD antibodies but to instead just monitor since the treatment at the time was the same â diet. For two years I have kept my blood sugar under control and I suspect that I do not have TD1. I have worked hard not to progress. My gut was severely damaged by celiac disease and taking Metformin or other oral meds might not be the best option for me.
I think a diagnosis of prediabetes (which in my opinion is diabetes) should be taken seriously and should be managed before complications develop.
I think it is important to make a distinction between pre-Type 2 diabetes and pre-Type 1 diabetes. There is a period of time in which Type 1 diabetes is pre-symptomatic. Important to figure out if the situation is insulin resistance (pre-Type 2) or autoimmune (pre-Type 1).
