Not sure what to make of all of this...

[felinefan67]

As many of you here know, I found this forum after my fasting blood sugar read 102, 101, & 102 for about a three-week stretch in late March ( 3 seperate mornings over St. Pat's and Easter). It was previously ( times in the Fall) tested at 99, 99, (lab test 99), and 99 w/ Dad's meter). After I saw the above 100 readings I freaked out and started to exercise and diet.

For the past THREE weeks (at least) my fasting blood sugar has been 74, 84, and 79 (three seperate mornings about 1-2 weeks apart). My 2 hour post meal readings (taken twice in the last month) were 84 and 109.

My doc and one other "older doc" dismissed my fears and said essentially, "don't worry about it, your numbers are fine." My doctor doesn't believe in "pre-diabetes as term.


Now I am wondering just WHAT am I ? I was tested by the lab last fall at 99. Assuming I test THIS Fall at 99 or below and have a new lower HBA1C (My one and only was 5.8) what will I be considered?? A normal (non pre-diabetic, or Diabetic) who had a couple of "abnormal" FBG levels, OR am I barely there pre-diabetic who managed to gain control quickly and revert to normal numbers for now??? meaning will my numbers eventually go up again??

Some docs say I am a diabetic already, others aren't concerned at all. This is so frustrating!


All of this is maddening to me because even though I know what I am doing is good for me and I will keep it up (diet and exercise) but IF I am considered "normal" by medical standards, does that mean I can indulge in occssional junk food/sweets/carbs??

I really miss pizza, nachos. beer (all things I have avoided almost 100% since my scare. I do have the odd piece of chocolate or bite sized candy bar now and then, will that hurt me??

[fgummett]

Did you test your FBGs with a meter? They can be 20% or more off, so as I think has been stated previously, there is essentially no difference between a meter reading of 99 and 102 :)

Keep up the healthy living :)

[felinefan67]

Did you test your FBGs with a meter? They can be 20% or more off, so as I think has been stated previously, there is essentially no difference between a meter reading of 99 and 102 :)

Keep up the healthy living :)

Yes with my dad's home meter, an accu-check (supposedly extremely accurate) and the lab results from the doctor last fall kind of backed that up. My lab results were also 99. SO, I assumed that the 102 readings were exactly what they were?

Thanks! I will never go back to the way I lived previously but I can't see totally abstaining from "forbidden foods" either!

[Ronin]

Hi Felinefan!

As to meters: they are not 100% "accurate" but they are accurate to themselves. Meaning, as long as you use the same meter the relative results will show readings that are correct relative to the accuracy of that meter. Therefore, lower or higher readings do reflect what is happening with your BG levels.

Is Pre-D a legitimate diagnosis? We've had more than a few threads on this topic already (and will have more in the future). There are three basic camps:

1. Pre-D is pure bull so ignore it

2. Pre-D is legitimate and taking steps will reduce your probabaility for developing diabetes

3. Pre-D is actually diabetes so you have to take action now

Pick whatever one works for you. My personal take is that it is both a legitimate diagnosis and "Fair-Warning" that will allow you to delay the onset of actual diabetes (I'm in the genetic camp although there is a lot of data supporting the environmental school of thought).

As to "Forbiden Foods" that is always a point of contention. What I have found to work is to reduce portion sizes of those foods that you know will elevate your BG levels. We Americans tend to go with portion sizes that are way too big from the start.

Finally, diabetes is not a death sentance. Thousands upon thousands of people live a full life with diabetes. The best thing that can come of your situation will be that you will change your life style and never develop bad diabetic symptoms. Diet, exercise, and occasionally medications work.

[xMenace]

There's no such thing as an accurate glucose meter. Yours and the doctors are both quite variable. Those 100's could be 85's.

Your sugars really are fine. Please go enjoy some pizza and beer! I am tonight. :D

[felinefan67]

Thanks for the thoughts on the matter so far. I guess I'll wait until the Fall for another blood test at the hospital. If my HBA1C is lower than 5.8 and my fasting is lower than 95, I'll be ecstatic! but still careful from now on.

I have reduced my portion sizes, sugar intake (can't seem to avoid it altogether), severely limit my carbs (100g or so daily) and I exercise at LEAST 1/2 hr daily. I've seen my fasting go down almost 20 points in less than a month (along with 15+ lbs of weight). For that I'm grateful.

I should just keep on doin' what I'm doin' and relax and have some of my favorite foods/drinks once in a while and not worry so much. As long as my yearly blood tests come out in the normal range, I guess I'm doing as good as I can hope to and will have to deal with whatever happens in the future when and IF it happens.

[xMenace]

Thanks for the thoughts on the matter so far. I guess I'll wait until the Fall for another blood test at the hospital. If my HBA1C is lower than 5.8 and my fasting is lower than 95, I'll be ecstatic! but still careful from now on.

I have reduced my portion sizes, sugar intake (can't seem to avoid it altogether), severely limit my carbs (100g or so daily) and I exercise at LEAST 1/2 hr daily. I've seen my fasting go down almost 20 points in less than a month (along with 15+ lbs of weight). For that I'm grateful.

I should just keep on doin' what I'm doin' and relax and have some of my favorite foods/drinks once in a while and not worry so much. As long as my yearly blood tests come out in the normal range, I guess I'm doing as good as I can hope to and will have to deal with whatever happens in the future when and IF it happens.

If the general population did this, the world would be a much happier place.

One thing I'm sure of: if you do progress, you'll have little to no trouble with complications. There's people walking around with blood like maple syrup that don't take it as seriously as you do/will. This is a thumbs up. :thumbsup:

[fgummett]

As to meters: they are not 100% "accurate" but they are accurate to themselves. Meaning, as long as you use the same meter the relative results will show readings that are correct relative to the accuracy of that meter. Therefore, lower or higher readings do reflect what is happening with your BG levels.
I would agree with this statement in principal but only so far as every blood test needs to be administered in the same way... I have a Contour meter that I generally trust but I know from experience that if I use too small a sample or even a large sample that has been unduly "milked" from my finger the reading can be way off and I usually retest. I would further suggest that someone who perhaps does not have that many finger-sticks (several years worth) under their belt may not always test in the prescribed manner. The lab test may not be 100% either but at least they are using a consistent sample of venous blood. :)

[Lizzie G]

As many of you here know, I found this forum after my fasting blood sugar read 102, 101, & 102 for about a three-week stretch in late March ( 3 seperate mornings over St. Pat's and Easter). It was previously ( times in the Fall) tested at 99, 99, (lab test 99), and 99 w/ Dad's meter). After I saw the above 100 readings I freaked out and started to exercise and diet.

For the past THREE weeks (at least) my fasting blood sugar has been 74, 84, and 79 (three seperate mornings about 1-2 weeks apart). My 2 hour post meal readings (taken twice in the last month) were 84 and 109.

My doc and one other "older doc" dismissed my fears and said essentially, "don't worry about it, your numbers are fine." My doctor doesn't believe in "pre-diabetes as term.


Now I am wondering just WHAT am I ? I was tested by the lab last fall at 99. Assuming I test THIS Fall at 99 or below and have a new lower HBA1C (My one and only was 5.8) what will I be considered?? A normal (non pre-diabetic, or Diabetic) who had a couple of "abnormal" FBG levels, OR am I barely there pre-diabetic who managed to gain control quickly and revert to normal numbers for now??? meaning will my numbers eventually go up again??

Some docs say I am a diabetic already, others aren't concerned at all. This is so frustrating!


All of this is maddening to me because even though I know what I am doing is good for me and I will keep it up (diet and exercise) but IF I am considered "normal" by medical standards, does that mean I can indulge in occssional junk food/sweets/carbs??

I really miss pizza, nachos. beer (all things I have avoided almost 100% since my scare. I do have the odd piece of chocolate or bite sized candy bar now and then, will that hurt me??

You need to check with your hospital what their 'reference range' is when testing HbA1c, they vary between labs but 5.8 is at the high end of most normal ranges, but still within. Your fasting blood glucose levels are perfectly normal though and it sounds like you just need to watch what you eat (like everyone should) and take some exercise to make sure you dont develop insulin resistant (ie type 2) diabetes. Everyone's insulin resistance varies due to a variety of factors, the ones which you can control are basically exercise and body weight, and it sounds like your HbA1C will probably drop more comfortably into the normal range if you dont lose your focus, but it really doesnt sound like you should be too worried, just try to keep up with the positive changes you have made. re chocolates and candies, chocolate is better than sugary sweets. 85% cocoa chocolate is good at only 11% sugar, however, milk chocolate whilst high in sugar % has an identical GI to brown bread, and i know it is irreponsible of me to advertise this on a web site aimed at helping people improve their health and weight, but the effect chocolate and wholewheat bread have on my system is basically the same.....:o