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Prediabetes? confused???

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suszannah

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Hi looking for some advice, really confused...last week I had a fasting blood glucose test, my doctor says I have impaired glucose tolerance...my reading was 5.6 before and 6.5 after but reading the numbers on here I have less for igt...once I know I can accept it but just need confirmation one way or another...can anybody please clarify this for me??
Cheers susz
 
Sorry I forgot to mention I had 2 previous fasting blood tests at the doctors with readings of 6.1 and 6.3 ..I am on a diet as I need to lose a little weight.

So glad I found this forum and hoping that someone can help me with this ....thank you in advance ...susz
 
Have you had a HbA1c done? This will tell you your average levels over the last couple of months. If you change your diet to eat less carbs (forget low fat) then you may stave off diabetes.
 
Thank you for the reply, no not had a HbA1c test that I am aware of....only the 2 tests at the surgery and the 2 hour glucose drink test at the hospital...no idea what sort of diet I should be on so just calorie counting...I went to the doctors fir a different issue and he suggested that I had the blood test no symptoms that I am aware of would love to know what I am supposed to eat .....really confused :(
 
As far as I'm aware, a fasting level of 5.6 and 6.5 at 2 hours after a glucose tolerance test would be considered 'normal', although your previous fasting results of 6.1 and 6.3 would put you into the prediabetic/impaired fasting glucose range.

As you probably have learned by now <6.1 is normal for fasting, and <7.8 is normal after a glucose test. However, I'd still proceed as 'prediabetic' and make some changes re diet and exercise and/or increased physical activity to see if you can stay below the diagnostic thresholds for both prediabetes and T2. If you have some weight to shift then maybe you can keep those numbers down.

Always remember—knowledge is power. Diabetes and even prediabetes can't be 'reversed' in the sense that you will return to normal, be cured and eat what you like forever. I wish! But you are at least aware you have a problem with blood sugar and you need to keep those levels in check.

Invest in a blood glucose meter. Don't rely on the NHS to prescribe test strips etc, they probably won't even entertain the thought if you are 'only' pre-d. Invest in your health NOW, whilst you are in the position to make changes. Learn what foods you can tolerate, and keep adjusting your quantities, especially carbs, until you are consistently below 7.8 at 2 hours after the start of a meal, and testing immediately beforehand. How often you test is up to you, but if you are testing a meal then do so before and 2 hours after. Once you know what you can tolerate you can test a lot less.

It's an expensive process but it could improve your quality of life in later years. Diabetic complication s are not nice, and studies have shown that problems can start in the pre-d phase and long before progression to T2.

My own situation is that I have impaired glucose tolerance ie higher than normal BG after meals, but 'normal' fasting and Hba1c. My GPs won't refer me for the OGTT, but I will persevere because I know where the problem lies. If your fasting is <6.1 NICE says no! Unlike you, I have no extra weight to lose, so see that extra bit of weight you are carrying as a good thing (yes, really!) because losing it may well bring positive long term changes to your BG levels.




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Thank you so much for the detailed information, its a lot more than I had from my doctor...it's all new to me and trying my best to understand carbs, sugar and fats I will get it eventually lol
The hardest thing for me is the sweet stuff having withdrawal symptoms already and only been a week :(
I will get a meter not sure what type I need though..any thoughts on that?
Still not really understanding the sugar part as have been told to eat fruit, that is full of sugar as is a cream cake lol (know which I prefer)....thank you again for the help and advice :)
 
I think the signs are good. You have your sugar habit to give up, and that will help. By all means eat fruit in moderation. I can manage 1 portion a day, but avoid bananas, mangoes, grapes, and tropical fruits, so stick to berries or the occasional apple if you can tolerate it. Fruit does contain sugar—so eat sparingly—but fruit also contains soluble fibre, vitamin c and other antioxidants which Belgian buns most definitely do not!

Your sugar habit should pass. Just remind yourself that you do not want to poison yourself with all that stuff. Most 'cravings' are psychological, in my opinion. You are not 'addicted' to sugary carbs. Chances are you associate those foods with comfort, reward, etc. Culturally, we 'love' people with food, so work on rewarding yourself with non-food treats. Eating these foods is a habit, nothing more, and you'll break that habit if you choose to.

Any meter will do. Check out the cost of the test strips as they can be pricey. SD Codefree (buy on Amazon) is the cheapest to run, but slightly less reliable than the more expensive ones but regard your meter numbers as a ballpark figure, not as an absolute. That applies to all meters. Use it to check trends and patterns, and to identify what spikes you then adjust your meals accordingly.

Out with the sugar! Out with the hidden sugars (check those labels)! Out with the refined carbs (anything white, bread, pasta, rice, etc) and see if you can tolerate whole grain carbs in moderation. You're meter will tell you! That's a start. You'll get there.


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Once again thank you for the valuable advice, will have to try a little harder I think to dump the sugar lol..fab forum and a great help to people like me who had no idea where to start :)
 
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