checking insulin levels for prediabetes

My integrative GP checked my fasting insulin as I was overweight. Top of range was 10, my fasting insulin was 16. My mum had Type 2 and an aunt and uncle of hers had diabetes, not sure what type. This was end of April last year. Bought myself a metre, hired a dietician and have lost 10kg. After 2 months my fasting insulin dropped down to 9. I had it done just before Christmas when my diet had been bad and it had gone up to 11. I get non diabetic blood sugar readings if I stick to a fairly low carb diet which makes me wonder what would happen if I didn't. The 3 HbAlc readings I've had are always 5.8% despite changing my diet and weight loss which I find a bit weird. I am also Gad positive, which makes me wonder, if I proceed to diabetes, does that automatically make me LADA? Or both?

In answer to your question, can't you just get it done privately at the normal lab if a doctor won't do the request? And do you have diabetes in your family and are you overweight, how old are you etc.? Just trying to ascertain your risk factors.

I know this is an old post but hopefully still useful to answer. I have just been through the same frustration of feeling that i needed to know my fasting insulin levels when the nurses at my GP surgery say it is not necessary. I ended up doing it privately. It frees me from needing a GP's approval to test the things that concern me.

Edited by mod to remove a commercial link.

I know that in the USA there are online sites that will let you order your own labs. The problem is that I was able to get a fasting insulin with my labs, (insulin low-normal with high glucose and HgbA1C), but they don't offer an insulin load with glucose tolerance without a physician's order. This test checks insulin and glucose for each draw of a glucose tolerance test and is what is used in research, pointing out people who are insulin resistant or pre-DT1, but still maintain glucose levels within normal parameters. Since it is used in research, pointing out people 10 or more years before they are diagnosed, health care does not use it. They still see diabetes as a progressive disease requiring tons of money to treat. What would be the cost of treating people for an additional 10 years? When I see my doc, I am going to ask for this test, letting her know I will pay out of pocket for it. Hopefully that will work.

Oh, BTW, if you eat low carb, you need to eat > 120 carbs/day for 3 days before the test or the results won't be accurate. I think it has to do with the slow and fast release of insulin. Would look it up, but get kicked out of place every time I leave to get info.