You can do an A1c test yourself. Quite accurate in my experience.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Fa...dingMethod=p13n

This might be a good idea.

I don't agree with the "reversal" thing - I have diabetes and I will always have it, whether it's in control or not - BUT while I would never, ever advocate lying to your doctor or foregoing care, I will say I was turned down for life insurance and short-term disability insurance (long story) several years ago when my A1c was in normal range. Once you have that diabetes diagnosis things can definitely get harder.

But they can get easier, too; for instance, you may be able to get insurance to help cover the cost of testing supplies and you'll have access to meds if you need them. It's also helpful to have someone keeping tabs on your heart, kidneys, etc., and help you see changes before you would notice them on your own. Assuming your doctor is your partner and not a jerk.

Uncontrolled diabetes is life limiting; as long as you are able to control your BG (read: keep it in non-diabetic range, not just the ADA standard) on your own you may not need medical support. But you can never forget it's there and never stop managing it. If it takes an official diagnosis to drive that point home to yourself, then go get one.

I say this with love and confidence that you can make the changes you need to make in your life. But I also spent several years with my head in the sand and I know how much easier that is to do.

Good luck, and good for you for catching this on your own!!

Thanks Julia. I have been thinking about how to handle this when I go to the doctor. To say nothing will upset DH, but I don't want to get trapped in the system if I don't have to. I am trying to think of how to approach this without having her order a test that will probably show diabetes. In my mind I already have it. How bad is it? Is it bad enough to need medicine? If she orders medicine and I refuse it, what kind of battle will I face? If I can keep my blood glucose under 100 with carb control, is that enough to protect my body? How will I know if things aren't deteriorating inside without tests?



It is so much to think about. My appt is on the 21st. Right now I think that I am able to do this with diet and exercise. Without starches at my meals, I go no higher than 103 after eating. I usually start around 93-99. Is this good enough? Could something like Metformin make it better? Or can I do better with more time on plan?


So many questions????????????????????????????????????????

Absolutely! 100-126 is only "Pre-diabetes", over 126 for more than one FBG in your doctor's office would set off alarms. That's when a doctor might add an Hba1c or order a full-blown OGGT. 93-99 should only get a "better start watching your diet and exercise" warning. Those are not numbers to require medicine. There are practice guidelines your doctor will follow, based on ADA, but as Julia said we can do even better by restricting diet.

Yes! Your insulin resistance will slowly heal and you will see lower BG over time. Dr. Fung would argue that fasting would speed along the healing.

In addition to using a home HBa1c kit, you can also check the DirectToConsumer Labs in your area (4 states dont allow them). It's $30-40 at those labs, but being anaylzed by the same companies that do your doctors bloodwork.

You probably wouldn't get a diagnosis of diabetes (but I'm not a doctor!), but even if you did, your BG doesn't seem high enough for even the most conservative doctor to want to prescribe metformin. A statin, however, is a real possibility. Doctors tend to get worried about a link between diabetes & heart disease. I had to turn down a statin prescription from my doctor. So far, no repercussions.

You really don't want a medication if you can avoid it. Metformin has some nasty side effects, which is why I can't take it. What I've found is that by not taking a medication, I've accepted more responsibility for my diet & all-around life-style. I've learned more than the medication-taking diabetics I know, and my BG & general health is now better than theirs. Of course, I can't rationalize pigging out on high carb goodies like so many of them (I'm taking meds - I can eat what I want!), but I can live with that. Literally.




Keep asking questions!

May, I'm of two minds about this. You've been following the CAD for a while, and while you're learning that it's a disaster for you, you haven't stay VLC long enough to lower your A1C. So, THAT could be elevated, and be an issue for future care/LTC insurance, etc.

OTOH, if you want to know what your recent long-term BGs look like, you could order an A1C from one of the internet labs that have doctors on staff, and referral labs all across the country.

That may calm your husband, too. I'm assuming that he's a reasonable man, and if you show him that you have a reasonable plan to get and keep your BGs under control, he will stop worrying so much.

Especially if you discuss the negative ramifications of being dx'ed as diabetic.

Bonnie,
I had a reading over 200 after eating a plain bagel. It took 4 hours to get under 100. If I take a GTT or an A1C (as Micki pointed out) I probably will get a diabetic dx.

Thank you JEY, you give me hope! I am thrilled that I can get under 100 just by eliminating starch and sugar. I am glad to know that I can get even better as time goes by.

Micki, You have good points. I have been trying to see both sides of this. I am trying to find a concise way to share with DH what problems may occur with medical/life insurance if I get diagnosed...plus cost and side effects from possible medicines.

*As a side note: Does anyone know if the Relion Ultima is more accurate than the Relion Prime?

I don't think it is, the pharmacist at WM suggested the Relion Prime for me.

Found a concise story recently updated with ACA that will scare your DH into understanding that it is not in your interest to add an unnecessary diagnosis or medication to your Pharmacy records. Most people do not know this until it happens to them.
Don't think your kindly neighborhood pharmacist is your friend...your information has been sold and will be used against you.

https://www.verywell.com/prescripti...e-costs-2615274

My DH had one slightly elevated PSA with a BHP diagnosis. Never had another one but doctor suggested staying on proscar as "insurance" That one drug on his record for the previous five years, meant his insurance premium went from tier 1 to 2 (from something like $300/mo to $600?). Me with a cancer diagnosis and taking tamoxifen was just plain uninsurable (tier 7). Thankfully our state had a high risk pool.

Wow! This is scary. We basically have no privacy.

May, please have DH also read this great new post by Dr. Fung:
https://intensivedietarymanagement....ck-start-guide/

The ACA didn't do this, though, Janet. Every time you sign that release of information form at your doctor's office, you are not only giving them permission to share your information with your insurance company.

You are also giving your insurance company permission to share your information with every.other.stinking insurance company in the country, through their central clearing house.

Really, I'd rather have what every other first world country has--national healthcare. But the richest country in the world, the only superpower that's left, "can't afford it."

We're too busy making sure that the .01% can keep more of their income than the bottom 99%.

You're right, but as the article states, ACA only means now insurers could not refuse me, but they sure could charge higher premiums. Why rather than being depressed about getting older I was thrilled to fall into Medicare.
As data mining power continues to increase, watch all those loyalty cards too. CVS's "extra reward" is that the company gets a list of every OTC med you buy to add to the prescription list.

Ohhhh. I'm glad I buy nearly zero OTC meds. And supplements are all from either Herbalife or AmazonLife.