Blood Test Says Pre-Diabetic? WTH???

[Savoir Faire]

Hello all,

So I visit a new family doctor and she asks when was the last time I had the routine blood tests that check cholesterol, etc. I say "3 years or so," so she calls for the test.

It was one of those early morning fasting tests. Weeks go by and I don't get any results...so I finally call up the clinic and bug them because THEY'RE the one who wanted the tests and they didn't tell me the results1

(I love when doctors do this.)

Finally after much putting on hold, someone who may or may not have been a nurse gets on, does a quick lookover and says, "everything looks good to me."

But...being the crazy person I am, I ask for a copy because I like to keep these things on file and look at them from time to time.

So I'm going thru the papers and it says my gluclose levels are high and I'm considered pre-diabetic. Go back to my old test and back then...they were normal.

Not having the lady on the phone mention this, I go through Dr. Google to see what this result means. I'm figuring it means "Don't eat candy all day, lady." Which I don't.

Google tells me this:

• Studies have shown that most people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years, unless they lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight—about 10 to 15 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds—by making changes in their diet and level of physical activity. People with pre-diabetes also are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

What? I am 31-years-old. I am 5'5 and about 132 pounds. I know I'm not model-thin but definitely don't feel that I'm overweight. I try to limit sugar intake already. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do.

Has anyone on here ever been called pre-diabetic? This makes absolutely no sense to me...no one in my family is diabetic...not even my overweight family members.

I'd love to know your thoughts.

[pacificbliss]

You are at a healthy BMI. Did you fast that day? I would ask the Dr. Could be she overlooked it or could be they dismissed it because you're at a healthy weight. I would still check because weight is not the only factor for pre-diabetes. Inactivity, race, family history, gestational diabetes are just some of the other factors that can affect it.

[Savoir Faire]

Yup, it was fasting. (Totally miserable, I wanted my AM coffee!)

My husband says to find a family doctor...this place was a community health clinic....and while it's a decent place to go when sick... I'm feeling I might want someone who knows a bit more about this to help.

Just doing the math on how much weight I could possibly need to lose totally freaks me out...While I'd look pretty hot in my blue jeans... it just seems I'd be really hungry.

Sorry...trying to mentally sort this out...it was TOTALLY not anywhere on my radar!

[sunnysandiegan]

You are the same height as I am and you weigh one pound LESS than my ideal weight.

I'd either forget about it since no one mentioned it to you or followed up with you.

OR, I would keep digging to find other answers. Weight is not the only indicator and yours is good.

[Tilia]

Type II can be caused by being overweight or old age, but Type I can be caused by genetics.  I developed Type I at age 25.  I didn't realize that my paternal grandfather was Type I.  He died of a heart attack when my dad was 13, in 1970 or so.  It could be somewhere in your family line without you knowing it. 

What was your blood glucose number?

[subtlycrunchy]

Hugs Mama! You could get retested, just to make sure. But, in the meantime, there is plenty you can do to lower your risk for Type 2. Read this wonderful article from Women to Women. Just simple tweaks to your diet and exercise habits can make a huge difference!

Preventing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome

[Auntie Sapphire]

The fasting glucose test only shows a "snapshot". There is another blood test called A1c (glycosylated hemoglobin A1c is the full name) which measures your average glucose over a longer period of time - about 3 months. There are even over-the-counter A1c tests if you don't want to go back to the doctor!