Type 2 & Pre-Diabetes Questions and Answers
Introduction
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I have some possible nerve damage, but I'm
not overweight, could I have pre-diabetes?
I have
a medical condition and a family history of diabetes, help.
My Type
2 (Adult onset) diabetic partner has nasty mood swings
Can
someone be diagnosed as prediabetic if they aren't overweight??
I just had a nerve study done and the MD is leaning towards
prediabetes, I haven't gotten the follow up blood work yet, but I am
freaked out by this. I went in for tingling in my right foot in the
peroneal nerve area, after the test, it turned out both feet had this
issue.. I know its premature, but I worry over everything.. My mom is
the only one on both sides that has Diabetes and its Type 2 because she
is overweight.
I'm only 26, just under 5'5" and weight is typically 120. My BP is
normal between 95/60 and 115/75. Initial blood work hasn't shown
anything to be worried about.
I don't eat a "perfect diet", but I do eat healthy.. I try for organic
if possible, I eat fruits and veggies every day, no beef, but
supplement that with chicken and tuna.. I splurge every now and then
with ice cream or another sweet, but its by no means a daily occurrence
or even a weekly.. I eat pasta and grains, but try to keep it as whole
wheat as possible.
I don't understand, I don't fit any of the typical molds for pre
diabetes and yet its the most likely underlying cause of the issues I'm
having with my peroneal nerves of my feet..
What are my chances of actually having this condition or developing it
down the road???
Hello Scott,
The first answer is Yes, you can be diagnosed with pre-diabetes even if you are not overweight. Being overweight increases the risk factor.
Testing for pre-diabetes is very quick and simple. We outline the procedure on this page.
A blood glucose meter can give you a result in 5 seconds, no need to send blood samples away and wait for results. You should insist on this test as soon as possible to put your mind at rest.
Given your age, weight and diet, it would be very unlikely (but not impossible) that you have pre-diabetes. In our view it is unlikely that a pre-diabetes condition could of caused your nerve damage, as complications like that take a long time to develop, with consistently high blood glucose levels. Have you any of the other symptoms like increased thirst?
Research has not established a gene responsible for diabetes, but as with obesity, having a family history does increase the risk factor.
As to your weight, if you look here You will see that your BMI is around 20 which is verging on underweight.
Its impossible to put a figure on your chances of getting diabetes, but you are doing all the right things to minimize your risk, unlike most people. You don't mention exercise, if you don't do anything, maybe you should think about that.
Lastly, there are some natural remedies on the market, you could have a look at this for example
Hope that helps, good luck.
Best wishes
The DiabetesRevealed Team
Hi,
I'm not a diabetic yet. The medication I'm taking for my liver and other illnesses are causing me terrible problems. The specialist has put me on the steroid predisalone, that's fine but the other tablet they have put me on to stop the side affects of the steroid can cause anemia and insulin diabetes.
There are 14 diabetics on my mums side and 9 on my dads, I'm taking my blood sugar every morning faithfully and it rangers from 5.2 to 5.8, I would rather prevent the diabetes than have it. That's why I must find out how much carb and sugar a diabetic can have.
I can't eat fat because of my liver. I have tried to ask to see a diabetic dietitian but they can't help because I'm not a diabetic, I have also got to buy my lancets and strips and I have bought a Mini Freestyle meter. Everyone I ask says the same I don't know, even some diabetics don't know.
Please can you help me I'm getting desperate. Some times I only eat 75 grams of carbs and 8.9 sugar a day. Help.
Thanks Cath
AHello Cath,
Don't panic! You are doing the right thing by testing, but at this stage of looking for prediabetes, we suggest less frequently is absolutely fine, say every 2 or 3 days. If you are not seeing any changes, once a week or even less should be ok. Keep a log of your readings in a diary so you can see any trends.
You don't say what type of diabetes your relatives have, there is an increased risk of getting diabetes if you have a family history, but other factors are just as important, if not more so:
Weight - make sure you Body mass index is in the good range, check out our page here
Diet - Clearly you have a specific medical condition that dictates your dietary requirements. You may want to consider a GI diet, take a look here there are lots of books and other sources of information on GI diets available.
Exercise - Do you exercise at all? Everyone can benefit from more exercise, especially those at increased risk of developing diabetes like yourself. Start today, just walk more, use stairs not lifts, etc.. ideally join a gym and get an exercise programme. Sensible exercise will help control your glucose levels, take a look at our exercise section here.
Smoking - if you smoke,
stop.
Alcohol - cut down
Your question "how much carbohydrate and sugar can a diabetic have" is not really the right question to ask and there is no simple answer, it varies according to age, activity levels etc.. Rather, it is all about balancing your diet and making sure you get enough of all the food types that your body needs. We discuss this here .
A sensible diet, with lots of fruit and vegetables, lean meats and low GI carbohydrate is the best suggestion we can give you.
By getting your weight, diet and exercise right, there is nothing more you can do to prevent diabetes developing.
Cath, this is clearly causing you a lot of stress and anxiety, really do look at your weight, diet and especially exercise. You should check with your GP with any diet and exercise changes.
Best wishes
The DiabetesRevealed Team
Hello,
My partner has Type 2 diabetes, he is extremely moody and generally
unpleasant to be with.
Is this a symptom of diabetes and if so, is there anything than can help eleviate his foul moods?
Regards
Mandie
AHello Mandie,
Sorry to hear of your problems - this is a pretty common problem, with Type 1 diabetics too. Mood swings often result when blood glucose control is poor, for instance if they are quite low, or running high. Do you know how well your partner's blood glucose levels are controlled? It could well be worth a visit to the doctor to get re-checked, some Type 2 oral medications can stop working after a while for no apparent reason.
Our section on complications gives you more detail on what can happen if glucose levels are not well controlled.
So what can you do? Well, aside from the medication, diet and exercise are the most important aspects. Have a browse through our diet section, we would draw particular attention to the GI page - making a few changes from high to low GI foods could help things alot.
Exercise is of course beneficial to everyone - so how about starting something together? Walking is a good start! Exercise not only helps make controlling diabetes easier, but has been shown to improve mood and general wellbeing too.
Finally, on a more personal note, if he does have poorly controlled diabetes, it could be affecting his sexual health (something most men never admit to), leading to frustration and anger. Check out this page if you are concerned. There are some devices that may help, but again, getting blood glucose control right is the single most important thing.
Summary is - get his
blood glucose levels checked out professionally, then
focus on improved diet and exercise. Diabetics are not all moody
unpleasant people, so things should improve for you both.
Best wishes
The DiabetesRevealed Team
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