I went to my doctor for another reason and he had my chart open. My last blood test from January was there, and I saw my blood glucose level was in the "out of normal range" category showing 6.0 for fasting.
So I asked him about it.
This was over 10 months ago but he never brought it up...either he forgot or he wasn't concerned enough to call at that point.

He put me up no the scale and told me I need to lose weight (I'm 5'9 and about 186-188) but carry basically all of my fat on my stomach. He ordered more blood tests and used the term "pre-diabetic".

He's been on me for my weight for a while but this term gave me a huge panic attack and I freaked out.

I asked him if this number is reversible and he said, "definitely" but told me I gotta stop with my drinking (I told him I down a few a week) and exercise and it'll go back to normal.
This was on Monday night.
I'm somebody who's well versed in drive thru McDonald's, Wendy's, Chinese food, whatever, and having a few drinks. And I grab a cheese burger for lunch at work (though these last few months I've been eating healthier than normal and really cutting back and had already lost a few lbs).

By Tuesday I had really upped my game. Haven't been through a drive thru since. Have been making all of my meals at home or bringing something healthy. Haven't touched alcohol in a week.

I have a Concept 2 rower, I have been hitting it 5,000 M every day or every other day. Doesn't sound like a lot but 22 or so minutes on that thing and you're sweating like a pig.
Got a fitness tracker yesterday, too.

In a week I've gone from around 186-188 to 180 on the scale.
I haven't gone for the blood test yet, I am looking to really bring my numbers down to motivate myself to keep doing it.

I'm very nervous that it's "too late" and I'm going to get the diagnosis for the big "D" that I can't even type.

This was a serious wakeup call for me.

If you have belly fat or are overweight, MOVE! Eat healthier! Lose that weight! Pick up a sport! Get a rower! Do something.

quote:

Originally posted by acidjazz:
I went to my doctor for another reason and he had my chart open. My last blood test from January was there, and I saw my blood glucose level was in the "out of normal range" category showing 6.0 for fasting.
So I asked him about it.
This was over 10 months ago but he never brought it up...either he forgot or he wasn't concerned enough to call at that point.

He put me up no the scale and told me I need to lose weight (I'm 5'9 and about 186-188) but carry basically all of my fat on my stomach. He ordered more blood tests and used the term "pre-diabetic".

He's been on me for my weight for a while but this term gave me a huge panic attack and I freaked out.

I asked him if this number is reversible and he said, "definitely" but told me I gotta stop with my drinking (I told him I down a few a week) and exercise and it'll go back to normal.
This was on Monday night.
I'm somebody who's well versed in drive thru McDonald's, Wendy's, Chinese food, whatever, and having a few drinks. And I grab a cheese burger for lunch at work (though these last few months I've been eating healthier than normal and really cutting back and had already lost a few lbs).

By Tuesday I had really upped my game. Haven't been through a drive thru since. Have been making all of my meals at home or bringing something healthy. Haven't touched alcohol in a week.

I have a Concept 2 rower, I have been hitting it 5,000 M every day or every other day. Doesn't sound like a lot but 22 or so minutes on that thing and you're sweating like a pig.
Got a fitness tracker yesterday, too.

In a week I've gone from around 186-188 to 180 on the scale.
I haven't gone for the blood test yet, I am looking to really bring my numbers down to motivate myself to keep doing it.

I'm very nervous that it's "too late" and I'm going to get the diagnosis for the big "D" that I can't even type.

This was a serious wakeup call for me.

If you have belly fat or are overweight, MOVE! Eat healthier! Lose that weight! Pick up a sport! Get a rower! Do something.

You can reduce your insulin resistance. My A1c was full type 2 diabetic and I lost 150 pounds and I am at a healthy weight now. I completely reversed it and my current A1c is 5.2. Depending on your age and diet it can be reversed. Start by losing 10% of your weight and start moving 30 minutes a day. Change your lifestyle and it can be stopped or reversed in many cases.

You can almost always reverse it with diet and lifestyle changes.

My A1C was elevated, now it’s normal. You have to commit to clean(er) eating and doing physical activity as well.

I’m still 75 lb overweight but like you moving in the right direction.

Please DO NOT fast (without Dr knowing) or crash, that may just induce ketones which isn’t good either.

Another successful type 2 reformed diabetic here. My A1C was 9.5, and now it's 6.5. It's not that hard and it can be done.

quote:

In a week I've gone from around 186-188 to 180 on the scale.

Good for you! That's a really good start and should serve as a good incentive to keep going! What's your target weight?

Eat cleaner, reduce a majority of your carbs. Cardio. I reversed mine between 6 month checkups.

quote:

I'm very nervous that it's "too late" and I'm going to get the diagnosis for the big "D" that I can't even type.

This was a serious wakeup call for me.

I'm glad your Doc's concern was a serious wakeup call for you. I wish all our patients (which these days is most of them) would respond with as much enthusiasm.
It's true diabetes is a terrible disease, but the tendency toward diabetes can be reversed for sure.

Continued good luck with your efforts!

Dr. Goodheart

acidjazz- the number you gave is your A1C, and it's a good way of measuring blood sugar over a period of time (90 days as I recall) but I check my morning fasting glucose with a meter and test strips. That way you can see the effects of what you ate the previous day and the effects of exercise for those days you do it.

For me the biggest variables are what I ate, the amount of food, and whether I exercised. I try for a reading below 100 but mostly it's around 110 to 115.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmanic:

quote:

In a week I've gone from around 186-188 to 180 on the scale.

Good for you! That's a really good start and should serve as a good incentive to keep going! What's your target weight?

I'd like to be 168.
Even when I lose weight, my belly boats after meals, sadly.
I'd like to go down to a 34" measurement around my belly button, right now it's 40

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:

quote:

I'm very nervous that it's "too late" and I'm going to get the diagnosis for the big "D" that I can't even type.

This was a serious wakeup call for me.

I'm glad your Doc's concern was a serious wakeup call for you. I wish all our patients (which these days is most of them) would respond with as much enthusiasm.
It's true diabetes is a terrible disease, but the tendency toward diabetes can be reversed for sure.

Continued good luck with your efforts!

Dr. Goodheart

Thank you doctor.
What does reversal mean in type 2 or pre?
Does the diagnosis go away or do you have it for life or?

My reading has me so confused.

I am diabetic.

So what is your glucose level? Maybe I missed it above.

I have been diabetic for years. I try to keep my glucose below 120. My doctor finally admitted that as long as it is below 120 there will be no problems with it.

I eat healthy, as in no carbs, or very few, lots of fresh veggies, etc.

My A1C is right at 7.0,

Yeah, your A1c is a slow mover. And as a result, a much better indicator of where you are over those 90 days vs the 5 days before a check up.

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
I am diabetic.

So what is your glucose level? Maybe I missed it above.

I have been diabetic for years. I try to keep my glucose below 120. My doctor finally admitted that as long as it is below 120 there will be no problems with it.

I eat healthy, as in no carbs, or very few, lots of fresh veggies, etc.

My A1C is right at 7.0,

The number I saw on the chart was 6.0 but it just said "blood glucose" so no idea if that was just that one time or what. That was back in January. Since then, I have exercised more and whatnot but still not been great.

quote:

The number I saw on the chart was 6.0 but it just said "blood glucose"

often times the actual measured 'blood glucose level' of <xyz> can be inferred to be at an 'A1c' level of <X.Y> average over the measurement period.

Blood glucose fluctuates considerably over 24 hours and is directly related to the exercise and dietary glucose load for the day.

A1c is the measurement of a type of sugar that hangs on to a portion of the heme portion of the red blood cell, over the 90-day life cycle of that cell.

A1c is a far more meaningful index number in the management of diabetic issues. It tells a lot more about the diet/exercise balance over that period than the blood glucose number, which is a more hour-to-hour number.

The amount of oxygen binding to the red blood cell affects such as how fast we heal, how well our various organs function. The A1c index has become the gold standard of diabetic management since about 1990 or so.

If you want to do daily monitoring, Walmart sells proprietary devices (Reli-On) and strips dirt cheap. 20 bucks for a machine, a month of strips for 15 bucks.

Ive never had issues with blood sugar or cholesterol however in mid May 2015 I had an epiphany one Saturday. That was that I needed to get my backside off the cough and start exercising. Started out by simply walking, usually with the dog. However about half way through that summer the dog started having problems keeping up so I changed to taking the dog out for 2.5 miles and then going out on my own for another 3.5 miles. When winter started showing it was coming soon I joined a gym about 1/4 mile from my house and when the weather turned started out using a treadmill. After a while I learned that about 40 years of being a couch potato had left my feet in pretty poor condition so Metatarsal injuries and Plantar Faciitis drove me from a treadmill to an Elliptical Trainer. Hated that machine at first because it will set your thighs on fire at about 5 minutes in. However the motion is easy on the joints and the treadle motion actually helps to alleviate Plantar Faciitis. Last Saturday I did 10 miles in 68 minutes 39 seconds, a new personal best and goal achieved because the total time limit for the Elliptical I was on is 60 minutes with 10 minutes of cool-down for a total of 70 minutes. Average HR was 142 bpm at 156 spm and a 6:52 pace, not too bad for an ex smoker with over 50 pack years of damage to his lungs. Per Garmin my current VO2 Max is 38 which isn't fantastic for my age if I had never smoked but puts me over the top for someone with mild COPD. BTW, the BEST thing do do for COPD is Exercise, as in walking or light jogging if you are capable. Note, start out WITHIN your limits and stay within your limits and I recommend using a gym simply so you'll have folks around you to call for help if you need it.

As for drinking that really isn't a factor in high blood sugar unless it's Beer or Wine. The problem with high blood sugar can most directly traced to too many Carbs in the diet and WAY TOO MUCH sugar. BTW, most breakfast biscuits have 3 ingredients, buttermilk, flour, and baking soda. McDonalds adds a 4th ingredient to this recipe and that 4th ingredient is SUGAR. The absolute worst thing you can put into your stomach is Fast Food.

If you have high blood sugar and want to do something about it then Google DR. Phil Maffetone and Carbohydrate Intolerance. There you will find a 2 week diet that will seem like torture but one that will remove belly fat faster than you would believe possible. IT will also provide a system wide cleanout and really reduce your insulin resistance. Just be aware, it is a Whole Foods diet that is nearly totally carbohydrate free, so no bread, noodles, rice, sugar, or any sweetener for two full weeks. What you can eat are Meat, berries, tree nuts, and just about anything green. You can also have all the bacon you want provide it hasn't been sugar cured. BTW, gook luck finding bacon that didn't have sugar used in the curing process at any typical grocery. Yeah, I have a hunch that Dr. Maffetone hasn't ever actually walked through a Krogers, because a lot, as in most, of prepared meats have been basted in some type of sugar during processing. So meat means raw pork, fish, beef, chicken, or turkey and any sandwich meats are off limits.

PS; my current weight is down to 155 lbs. from a start at 205 and my BMI was 2.2 this AM.

I feel for you. I just went through this wake up call myself, so I’m changing my lifestyle and diet. My first blood test at the end of September had me at 220 LDL cholesterol, a 56 kidney function and abnormally high blood sugar. I got those results and started eating only healthy. I was already walking, but I’m trying to do a little more run-walking to get a little more out of it. I’ve improved all my numbers since then, but it will all go to crap if I don’t keep my eye on the ball.

It is almost impossible, but stay away from salt. You only need 2mg a day, and I shouldn’t have to tell you how much salt and FAT there is in fast food.

Also, stay hydrated, stay hydrated, stay hydrated. Also, dark colas and high caffeine are things to stay away from. Red meat protein is something hard for me to leave, but I’m doing for my health and LIFE.