I often hear from patients and family members alike, “I don’t really have diabetes, I only have prediabetes!”
The reality of diabetes is, it creeps on you very slowly and insidiously, and a lot of the time patients realise the gravity of the situation, the damage is already done.
When people develop prediabetes as a result of insulin resistance, their morning fasting sugars start rising slowly, albeit minimally. Blood glucose in the range of 100-125 mg/dl is enough to start causing changes in small blood vessels of kidneys, eyes, and nerves. Also, once diabetes is diagnosed, patients always want to know if the condition is reversible. The answer is, the shorter the duration of the disease, the greater the possibility of reversal of insulin resistance and possibly type 2 diabetes.
Once you have prediabetes, you have a fifty percent chance of developing diabetes. But that also means you have a strong chance of not developing diabetes in the first place! I encourage my family members and patients to take A1cs in the range of 5.7-6.4 very seriously. Fasting blood sugars in the range of 100-125 mg/dl mean something is not quite right. Your lifestyle, diet, exercise regimens, and weights are in order for a review. Take care of the body while you have time. It will make a big difference in your health. Remember, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!