Prediabetes Freak Out

If you already exercise and eat well, you should see a dietitian.

I wouldn't freak out. If you can afford a blood sugar monitor and test strips (Cvs sells cheap generic monitors) test for a week. I have morning blood sugar issues but my a1c is normal.

I am a RD and Cert. Diabetes Educator...Prediabetes (otherwise known as "Insulin resistance" or "glucose intolerance") is diagnosed either by a fasting blood sugar between 100 and 125 or an A1C of 6.0-6.4% or by a Glucose Tolerance Test where your blood glocose rises above 140 but not above 199. If you had a random blood sugar test and were NOT fasting then you need to ask for 1 of the above tests to get a definative diagnosis.

If you are prediabetic, you should definately work with a Registered Dietitian to learn how to eat right and control the types and amounts of carbs you are eating to meet your bodies needs. Also increase exercise, focusing on resistence (strength) training. Muscle is very sensitive to the hormone insulin, so building muscle can essentially help reverse insulin resisitance.

Being diagnosed with prediabetes and treating it aggressively with diet and excercise can give you a 75% chance of preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes. Also, side note...There is NO such thing as a "Diabetic Diet". The American Diabetes Assoc. has not promoted a specific macronutrient breakdown or "diet pattern" since 1994. The recommendations are to eat a basically whole foods type diet that supports optimal health for the individual and that vary in composition from person to person greatly.

QFT!

I also tested as a prediabetic. A few times now :frown:.Trying to get my number of 120 down by switching up diet. Maybe I will try switching up my exercise routine and doing HIIT.

I was diagnosed prediabetic in June of this year, after losing 40 lb to get to my goal weight, so I can empathise with you.

I failed a fasting glucose test at my physical, and then was called back in for a follow up glucose tolerance test, which I also failed. My A1C is fine though.

I am slightly confused by the fact that the receptionist was giving you advice - why not the Doctor? Or have you just not met with the Doc yet - I was called back in for a consultation when they got the second result. I also go to a prediabetes education class so I can more fully understand the disease, and what I can do to prevent the onset of type II. See if you can go to one (mine has a dietician there too), and if you can get a prescription for a glucose meter and test strips. The meter is cheap - the supplies, not so much. Learn as much as you can! This is a treatable disease.

I eat pretty much what I want - my diary is open if you want to look! I do try to limit my carbs, and spread them out over the day. No sweet tea or regular soda, or cakes though. And I do eat more veggies now than I used to. My sugar has been mostly OK, but a bit high (102-109) some mornings.

I exercise 5-6 times a week. Strength training 3x per week and cardio on other days.

Feel free to add me as a friend if you want!

If you at all feel this was a fluke, get re-tested. You have a family history of it so you may be prone to it even at a healthy weight. I am insulin resistant too. Its pretty common.

I do a limited carb diet of about 100-120 grams a day that works for me and I seem to doing well but the secret is to get a blood glucose monitor and note your blood 2 times a day on a revolving cylce

Day 1 When you get up - fasting then 2 hours after breakfast
Day 2 Before lunch - 2 hours after lunch
Day 3 before dinner - 2 hours after dinner

Watch for what you eat and how it effects your sugar levels you can see what foods are bad for your sugar (this may not be the same for other people)

I avoid sugar, cakes, pastries, non berry fruits, and white starch, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta but I do eat root veg like carrots and sweet potatoes in small amounts plus whole grains & pluses like barley, quinoa, kasha, lentils etc. Plenty of greens and lean protein - this works well for me - good luck

I would get the test done again. I have hypoglycemia, so I am also concerned with developing diabetes. But if you haven't "worn out" your pancreas or become insulin resistant, the chances are slim you would have diabetes. Did you used to be overweight or did you have a diet high in carbohydrates and sugars previously in your life? This could put you at risk. But yeah, if it were me, I would just have it repeated. Mistakes can be made.

I am a diabetic. First I limit my sugar intake - my numbers got better. Then I limited the number of fruits I ate (use the nutrition guide here to see how much sugar you are inputing from your fruit alone. It is a lot). There are carbs out there that don't hurt you: lettuce, carrots, celery, broccoli to name a few. A good dietitan will have all that information for you. Your doctors office will have it too. My wife is now pre diabetic and we are commited to losing the weight so we will not damage organs (her fasting glucose tolerance test was 199 yikes). You have reached your goal, now just adjust your diet and keep up the excersise. You can do it. Also ask for an A1C test, a glucose tolerance test and a diabetic nutritional consult (nutritionist). take this as seriously as you did getting in shape. It does not have to effect your life drasticly. :happy:

if you reduce your weight by just 5lbs you reduce your risk of diabetes...


why is the receptionist telling you this advice and not your doctor????

I am a RD and Cert. Diabetes Educator...Prediabetes (otherwise known as "Insulin resistance" or "glucose intolerance") is diagnosed either by a fasting blood sugar between 100 and 125 or an A1C of 6.0-6.4% or by a Glucose Tolerance Test where your blood glocose rises above 140 but not above 199. If you had a random blood sugar test and were NOT fasting then you need to ask for 1 of the above tests to get a definative diagnosis.

If you are prediabetic, you should definately work with a Registered Dietitian to learn how to eat right and control the types and amounts of carbs you are eating to meet your bodies needs. Also increase exercise, focusing on resistence (strength) training. Muscle is very sensitive to the hormone insulin, so building muscle can essentially help reverse insulin resisitance.

Being diagnosed with prediabetes and treating it aggressively with diet and excercise can give you a 75% chance of preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes. Also, side note...There is NO such thing as a "Diabetic Diet". The American Diabetes Assoc. has not promoted a specific macronutrient breakdown or "diet pattern" since 1994. The recommendations are to eat a basically whole foods type diet that supports optimal health for the individual and that vary in composition from person to person greatly.

Thanks for this. I have reactive hypoglycemia that my doc says is heading me toward insulin resistance. I appreciate the infromation you've provided. Gives me some goals to shoot for.

You probably have insulin resistance - it's in the genes (me too). But as the only non-obese person in the family, I'm also the only non-diabetic/prediabetic one.

Did they do a regular test or a fasting test? I disagree with the earlier poster. It's not that it's a fluke, it's just that insulin/sugar levels fluctuate a lot. To get a good consistent read, you need to do it under controlled conditions with the fasting. It's not just sugar, it's also CARBS big time.

Finally . . .

I may eventually get diabetes. But staying thin, eating well, and exercising substantially decrease your risk. More importantly - and I hold onto this thought a lot - every year I don't have diabetes is another year I don't have diabetes. Diabetes damages all parts of your body and does so cumulatively over time. The longer you postpone it's onset, the longer you will stay healthy.

Don't freak out. Do take it as a warning. It's what's motivating me.

You need your bloodtests for sure, see exactly what you didn't do good on. It is always a great idea to keep a copy of your medical file at home. Depending on which test they used to classify you, it could have been a fluke. ie if you were not fasting but they marked you as such.

I have been a type II. I was badly diabetic and insulin dependant during my pregnancies, and a metformin dependant when not preggers. Currently I am in remission at a 40 pound weight loss with still 170 or so to lose. I was surprised that such a little percentage of the weight I needed to lose resulted in stopping diabetes already. My last A1C was like 5.3 or 5.4. Definitely non-diabetic. My fasting blood sugar range pre-diabetic, just barely now.

I have found I can not just watch calories. I HAVE to monitor calories AND carbs. I don't mean super low carb, but medium. I keep to around 80-100 most days. I have to be careful at breakfast (if I eat it) as anything very carby will spike my b.s. at that time of day. I still can't do orange juice of a morning. But as a whole watching carbs and calories can help you immensly.

I will say, I can not handle the level of carbs the dietician recommend for me. It was too much. That might change with weight loss, and muscle building, time will tell. But for right now I try to listen to MY body, which is different from others. (I also factor in that I am hypothyroid and my metabolism is not necessarily what someone's elses is. )

I strongly advocate get all of the information you can, but in the end monitor your sugars and your body. Do what you must to make your body maintain a good blood sugar average. Keep good records on what you eat, and if you can, log blood sugars or 'how you feel' right into the notes area of MFP daily. Take note of which foods make you feel good, and bad respectively. You will learn a lot about yourself. I know I did. I wish you well and pray you can kick it if you are boardering on diabetes. It is no fun at all I know that.

I doubt it was a fluke.

You are Insulin Resistant, so yes you will have to be very mindful of the amount of carbs you eat.

Stick with carbs in the following order and you will be able to get those numbers back to a normal state.............

Vegetables first and foremost (especially green leafy vegetables)
Fruit - limit fruit intake to no more than 1 or 2 small servings per day
Legumes and grains - if you can't give them up, then severely limit them to just a serving or 2 per WEEK

If you can adjust to this lifestyle, then you will not develop Diabetes and will actually reverse your numbers back to normal.

Nonsense.

http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20121022/bean-diet-health
Oct. 22, 2012 -- Adding beans and other legumes to the diet appears to help people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar control and lower their risk of heart disease, according to new research.

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/Beans-and-Legumes/
DIABETES-FRIENDLY RECIPES (featuring beans)

http://www.diabetes.org.nz/food_and_nutrition/healthy_food_choices__and__tips/food/legumes
Research indicates legumes may help to reduce cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease, control blood glucose levels in people with diabetes and prevent some cancers.

http://www.dlife.com/diabetes-food-and-fitness/diabetes-superfoods/nuts-and-legumes
Nuts, seeds, and legumes don't often take center stage on the dinner table. But when you take note of how much these mini foods have to give, nutrition-wise, you might change your mind! Nuts and seeds provide healthy fats, protein, and other great nutrients. Legumes like lentils and soy deliver protein, fiber, and much more.