If you have pre-diabetes does that mean I will not necessarily get diabetes?

I was wondering what does it really mean to have pre-diabetes? I know it is when your H1bAc is between 6-6.5%, but does it mean I can still have a chance not to get diabetes? Thanks for your responses.

Hi Jenny,

I've had "pre-diabetes" for the last 3 years now and my a1c has been unchanged at 6.0-6.2. I'm not sure how long it will stay like this but it is my understating that it will eventually progress. How fast I don't know, everyone is different. I'm currently on low carb and exercise a lot so I'm sure this has helped keep my a1c the same.

P.S. I just consider myself "Diabetic" managing with Metformin, low carb and exercise.

Paul

As a 64+ old goat with 30+ years driving this T2 nastiness, my best answer would be to carefully keep eye on at all times and watch a1c for any further increases.

I do not want to be a bad news bear BUT:

Pre-diabetes is showing that your body is wandering out of control slightly of the glucose due to probably increased liver leakage as well as slight fall off of pancreatic basil and bolus control.

In my case things were fine for a while but as I got older after 50, this mess got real worse with liver being a pain and am dawn effects of 238 to 240.

I do not think there is enough reliable data out there on type 2 diabetes properly logged that gives any clear cut indication on progression of type 2 but generally it is considered it will get worse and need to keep control and adapting.

As the present control stratagies of today were not followed 30 years back, it is unclear how it will progress if one keeps it under control.

In a pre diabetes situation, my sense is that diet/carbs control and sufficient hearty exercise help bring the body back into trim relatively easy. If liver acting up, metformin would normally be recommended today.

Good luck with your health and hopefully the experts chime in here on this. Excellent question.

Pre-diabetes is a funny diagnosis - like the diagnosis of a little bit pregnant. The only way to "prevent diabetes" with an A1c over 6 is to manage your blood sugar as if you were given a diagnosis of diabetes and work hard at either trying to bring it down or at least not having it go up. Most studies show that with an A1c of 6 your risk for diabetic complications is higher than for people with normal blood sugar.

Were you given a prescription for a meter and test strips? That's the most important tool for maintaining good blood sugar control.

Good luck!

Maurie

Whether it can lead to a complete remission or not, a diagnosis of pre-diabetes is definitely an opportunity to make some changes in your life. Weight loss, if you need it as well as dietary changes and regular exercise can make an enormous difference. My brother was diagnosed with pre-diabetes a couple years ago, lost some extra weight he'd gained and has been in the normal range ever since. When I periodically ask about it he seems to think it's in the past, and I don't dissuade him of that. #1 - I don't think they really know longterm, maybe it is and #2 he is doing what he needs to do to maintain his blood sugar.

That would be my advice: Consider it a wake-up call and make some changes and then make them a part of your life. You'll be healthier in the long run no matter what the eventual outcome with Diabetes! Oh, btw, to my understanding the definition of pre-diabetes is 5.7 to 6.4 and diabetes 6.5 and over. What's ironic, about those oh so holy numbers is that many of us, even Type 1's maintain in the "pre-diabetes" range, and some even in the "normal" range. I always love when my labs come back saying I'm "at risk for developing Diabetes"!