How big of a deal is pre-diabetes?

I'm afraid I don't know about the statistics, but I can share my experience. I am diabetic, not pre-diabetic, but this information should still apply. When you have your test, ask about a nutritional course or plan-- many hospitals and health systems have them ongoing. That will help clarify what is required and recommended for you nutritionally as a pre-diabetic/diabetic. Honestly, the recommendations simply make good sense for anyone, blood sugar issues or not. They are sensible and fairly simple. This is what my class taught me, other folks may have received variations on this:

15g= 1 serving of carb. There should be around 12 servings of carb per day, maximum, 3 servings for each meal, plus three 15g snacks, for example, but there should be no more that 45g at a time. I tend to eat less than 45g during breakfast and lunch, around 45g at dinner. It is always better to make better nutritional choices, of course, fruits in moderation, vegetables, and whole grains, but it is possible to allow yourself a serving of chips (around 15 chips, usually) or white bread now and then. For example, my lunch today will be 1 cup low sodium tomato soup and 3/4 cup cottage cheese. That's 23g, or one and a half servings. Try to avoid too much fat, especially the bad fats, but a little fat is recommended with each meal.

I remained D&E only for 8 years this way, and I have lost 100 pounds (120 total, but I gained some back, that is why I am on here-- to see what errors I am making and where). Eventually, since this is a progressive disease, I had to add Metformin to the plan because though my daytime/evening numbers were great, my waking numbers were higher than I wanted (around 124) . For a while I was upset and considered it a failure on my part, but I realized that I had done what I was supposed to do and I accepted it. I am still on the right road, and I am very pleased with my numbers.

I wish you luck on this journey-- I hope your test shows you are not pre-diabetic, but if it does, it really is very manageable with a little effort, education and common sense!

Namaste, Cari

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

I don't know any numbers or percentages. As an earlier poster stated I can only talk about myself. I always been overweight from the age of 12 and up. Never cared about losing weight or being healthy until I found out I had diabetes type II in Dec. 2009. I did a 180 on my lifestyle. I quit soda pop cold turkey and slowly weaned myself off fast food.

I became more active and track my food intake. Following my doctors advice I avoided all white breads and sugars while following a Atkins light type of a diet. I think I restricted myself to 200 grams of crabs a day. Over time my sugar level numbers kept improving and my doctor began lowering the dosage on the meds I was taking . After losing a little over 100 lbs. in Jan 2011 I was no longer diabetic. In the follow ups I've had I show no signs of ever having diabetes in the first place.

Besides the obvious change in lifestyle and eating habits, my doctor says I am young and didn't have the diabetes for very long. He believes under 6 months. Plus when he did diagnosed me with it my AC1 was in the mid 7's. Henche why I was able to reverse it. Everyones different some people can change and get rid of diabetes while others will have to take meds/diet for the rest of their lives.

... but got frustrated when I had GD and people made comments about it, implying that because I was on insulin I wasn't following the diet plan that I was given, which wasn't true.

I know exactly what you mean. I stuck to the diet, and I still had to take pills and then shots and then more shots. The doctor also said I had to stop gaining weight. It was water. My proof is that I lost it all pretty quickly after I had the baby. Good luck. I could be in the same boat eventually.

I'm in a very similar position. I had gestational diabetes with my latest pregnancy (she's 7 months) and my 3 hr results with the first pregnancy were acceptable but my OB should have educated me - I would have changed my diet but I didn't know anything about how diabetes could effect the unborn child (he was born with low blood sugar). Currently my fasting count is in the low-mid 90s but I still follow a similar diet (& excercise regularyly) to make sure pre-diabetes and diabetes stay away for good! (and I'd like to see my count drop lower)

I'm thankful that GD was diagnosed with this pregnancy because it made me so much more aware of my diet and that excercise is so important for helping insulin process the sugar. I read Pre-diabetes for Dummies and would suggest you check to see what your library has on the subject (regardless of whether or not your are diagnosed with pre-diabetes). Good luck!

I so agree with this statement a previous poster wrote:

"Prevent before it happens, you still have the power to not even have to deal with it. Good luck! "

My parents were diabetics. My dad has been gone for over 20 years, but his health wasn't great. My mom? She has lived with me for the past 1.5 years due to having 2 strokes because she didn't take care of herself. She didn't eat healthy and failed to see "diabetes" as an issue. She drank pop and ate greasy pizza.

Me? well, if you look at my profile pic, you will see how I looked before her strokes, I wasn't eating totally wrong, but I wasn't taking care of myself either. Today I am 50lbs lighter and a whole lot healthier.......with a sugar level of 94 ) I am "preventing it before it happens" I am very subject to getting the disease and after what I have been through with my mom, I didn't want my daughter to have to do the same with me.

My daughter and I now run 5k's (she is 17, I am 42) I go to the gym 3 times for 2 hours each time, and do a lot of walking/jogging on the other days. I stock HEALTHY foods in my kitchen and rarely eat out.

My advice? Educate yourself, don't let "diabetes, stroke, heart attack" or any other scary word be "something that happens to others" it can hit too close to home, and when it does, it is often too late.

good luck )

I don't have it, but I have seen several studies that suggest ST can help a lot. It seems that the more lean muscle mass you have, the greater control over you insulin which could help regulate. Sorry I can't be more helpful but something to consider when you try to get everything back in order.


http://diabetes.webmd.com/strength-training-diabetes

I got GD as well and that was one of the reasons I joined this site to lose weight. Three months post-partum, my fasting number was 101, which is about 3 higher than my doctor wanted to see. I know different doctors have different cut off points. She encouraged me to lose weight and check again in a few months. I had also developed hypertension which continued post-partum as well. Prior to pregnancy, despite being overweight, my blood sugar was lower than normal as was my blood pressure. I go back for a blood pressure check in a month or so. I attribute a little to my age (35 when I had my baby, who is 4 and a half months old now). I have lost close to 12 lbs so far and I am thinking I will get out my meter from my pregnancy and check my fasting tomorrow. I know when pregnant that mornings were the worst and for me, I could have 0 carbs for breakfast. I now either do a high fiber oatmeal or egg whites with low fat cheese.

Not sure of any stats but from personal experience-both me & hubby were diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Out md used the A1C measure as our fasting blood sugars were within the normal ranges. My A1c was 6 & hubby's was 7-8. Basically our doc told us to cut out sugars, desserts, sweets, chocolate, oranges and orange juice. ( I though ti was going to die without my chocolate and oranges and I will still have some now and then but not daily like before-I used to have a hot chocolate almost eveyday-like some people have coffee)
We both started walking and did what he recommended. Both our A1C levels are now within normal range or under 5 which is where he wanted it. We also try to look for products with less than 7 Gm of sugar (like breakfast cereal or packaged foods. If you can find anything with 5 G or less that's even better. Good luck to you!

My husband was just over the border of having diabetes. Through the MFP and exercise he has lowered it to normal. He did not want to take medicine. We are happy about his progress. He has lost 20 lbs in the last 3 mo. on MFP.

Shared just to pass on info ('cause 'data' is always good, right?): There's a researcher in my lab that specializes in obesity and diabetes. According to her, much of the 'damage' done to our tissues because of obesity occurs before we even began having symptoms. Pre-diabetes is the beginnings of symptoms caused by obesity... so while you won't feel sick necessarily, pre-diabetes IS a big deal. It's a warning that damage has already been done. You can reverse that damage... but the longer you wait the worse it becomes.

Good luck!

I think Pre-diabetes is WAY bigger of a deal than most people think it is. Pre-diabetes is still not good. Damage is being done even if it's not full blown diabetes.

I am reading this book called "The Blood Sugar Solution" by Dr. Mark Hymen and it's a great read (I usually can't read books of this nature, they bore me) but he's a great writer and he's got some excellent points in this book. He dub's this generation as the Diabesity generation and talks about Pre-diabetes and what it does to our bodies and simple solutions to take control back and get out of pre-diabetes.

If you are a reader and have the chance to read it, I highly suggest it. It's a really good, informative read and you will definitely see life in a much different light after reading it. He makes it motivating to make the changes.

My dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when he was 50. They gave him medication, he took it once, and said he wasn't going on it. He has controlled his diabetes through diet and exercise since then, so it can most defiantly be done.

I'm type one and have been since i was 10.

Up until a few months ago, i didn't really look after it. eating whatever, and taking more and more insulin to cover it. using this fantastic method i managed to not only have a normal feeling blood sugar or about 12 (not sure what that converts to in the other system - between 5 and 7 is normal) but i gained 40 kg over 9 years. awesome.

signing up to mfp has changed all that, i have it on my phone, laptop and ipad, and before i eat anything i enter it in to see the carb and sugar level and then only take the insulin i need to. in just over a month iv lost nearly 10 kg and halved my insulin and got off metformin.

luckily for me the only complication i have had from living in such a crappy way is a bit of fluid leak in my eyes. seeing some of it is near the area that will affect my vision im going to have this dried up by laser, i was told to be thankful it has only happened now because a few years back it would have been the beginning of the end for my sight.