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Borderline or Pre Diabetes, What is it exactly?

J

John J

Active Member
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35
Location
Scotland
I wonder about such definitions and descriptions and feel that such terms are possibly unhelpful.
:?

Can anyone confirm that there is such such a condition as this which will go away if you take the correct steps in terms of diet, weight loss, and treatment? Or will it always return if you revert to old habits etc?

Surely, one either has it(Diabetes) or not? I do realise that it may be controlled very well... and many people can live as healthily as a non diabetic with a few lifestyle changes but would I be correct in assuming that the propensity to develop full diabetes and/or a progressively condition will always be present? Or can the "Pre-diabetic" condition be completely reversed and never return?

I'm a recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetic and don't apparently fall into the pre diabetic category although I've been very good at controlling things so far. However, I realise that some conscious effort in doing this will always be necessary(The methods, of course, are always open to debate).
Does this also apply to "Pre diabetics" too?

Sorry if all this sounds a bit long winded and confusing but I hope you got the jist of it.
 
Hi John

Hope this helps,

Pre-diabetes is almost always a precursor to the development of type 2 diabetes. It is characterised by the presence of higher than normal blood glucose levels that are yet to reach diabetic levels. The scale of the problem is enormous and growing, as Western society and diet becomes more pervasive.

I know this sound bad! But both my parents are type 1! Two aunties are type 1!
I am luckly a type 2! Diagnoised this year! I am 34 years old! Yes overweight but working at losing the extra work and been working hard at losing the extra weight!

I never had pre diabeties, as far as anyone can see! I just started drinking like a fish and weeing alot and craving alot of sugar and sleeping! had a blood test and then i got told that i am type 2!

If i would of had the warning but never did then i think that i would of gone into the whole cut all white stuff out etc! By this i mean, Bread,rice,pasta,potatoes,Sugar,cakes,biscuits! and anything like that! But i never had the chance to be able to take control!
I am lucky in the sense that i am still on no tablets and have full control! My bloods are rarely above 9 now!Unless i have had some rice that it very rare!
I hope this has helped you!
Sandy
 
The terms are both very valid and it is well to understand them. Here is a link to this sites information about the subject. The more you know the better you would be able to stop developing full blown Diabetes in the future if you were borderline or pre-diabetic. Prevention is far better in my book.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/pre-diabetes.html
 
Thanks for the responses.

I had actually read that article and one or two others but wasn't sure if this was a "definitely" recognised medical condition..

Quote from article:
"people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range."

From what I've learned so far many Type 2 diabetics can also do this although they still actually have the condition. So, is the main difference that Pre diabetics can reverse their condition completely? Then be able to relax and not worry so much as the full blown diabetics? That would seem a bit foolish to me....

As I say, I definitely have the real thing but don't feel any worse off(After the initial shock has worn off) than I would probably would have if I was a "pre-diabetic". Both groups seem to have been advised to follow the same advice but the long term risks for full blown Type 2s are obviously much greater.
 
Hi John,

I have not read alot on the condition as i grew up around diabetics! I found out alot of info as a kid! Always having to watch parents alot!
If i had known there was a big chance that i would develop type 2 then yes i would of changed the way i behaved!
My worst bit is that i gained alot of weight after going on the contraceptive pill! Plus being in a unhappy marriage! I am now free of that marriage!
But i think that if i had known i was at risk then i would of made changes!
I don't think that it can be reversed! But i think it can be delayed from turning from pre diabetic to type 2! Some people i belive spend years in the pre stage before coming diabetic! But i am unsure!
I am new to all this myself! it gets very confusing after a while!
 
It does seem that T2 diabetes may be reversible in the early stages. It's my belief that it's actually diabetes, but not totally established. cCareful blood sugar control at this stage may reverse it, before the changes in metabolism have settled.
I Don't know how much work has been done on this condition, but it's worth a try at keeping that blood glucose down in the 4s and low 5s.
T2 diabetes appears to be a continuum of metabolic changes.
Tight blood glucose control is probably desirable in nearly every adult.
Hana
 
Neither borderline nor pre diabetes are 'officia'l terms (pre diabetes is used in the US.)
There are two conditions on testing impaired glucose tolerance
(7.8 to 11.0 mmol on the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test) and impaired fasting glucose( 5.6 to 6.9 mmol per L)
Of the two impaired glucose tolerance is a greater risk of progressing to diabetes and is itself a risk for cardiovascular disease nevertheless there are people with these levels that will never progress to Type 2. Where it is associated with other factors, being overweight, high ldl levels, low hdl levels, high blood pressure etc then the risk is much higher.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/119020-overview
Several studies have found that 'lifestyle' interventions reduce the risk for people with impaired glucose tolerance of progression to type 2.
Lots of detail including the advice and studies here
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20040415/1961.html
 
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