# Anyone here ever get pre-diabetes blood sugar levels?.... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821 "2019-02-02T02:46:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/1 "2019-02-02T02:46:50Z")
My blood sugar is now at about 105 to 106. My doctor said I was still OK, but I’m creeping up over the last two years (I was at 90 about 3 years ago). I just crossed 100 for the first time. I’m still about 20 away from diabetes (125 is the line). If you’ve gotten to pre-diabetes, were you able to push it back below 100 with just diet & stuff? I hate the thought of changing what I eat, although I guess I have no choice. I don’t want to become a diabetic. Anyone on here deal with this before? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/2 "2019-02-02T02:57:51Z")
Same here - almost a mirror image. My blood sugar used to be in the high 80s. Now it’s in the 97-107 range. I’m hoping cutting carbs out of my diet, and exercise, will do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/3 "2019-02-02T04:38:06Z")
Not me, but my best friend. He was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and thru diet and exercise his numbers went back down below that mark. Caveat: he is maybe 6-2 and weighs about 160. He treats himself to two beers and one pizza per week, that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/4 "2019-02-02T04:59:39Z")
I’m different I guess, I’ve officially been pre-diabetic for nearly fifteen years. I constantly run on the high end of the normal range. Blood sugar typically runs between 100 and 110. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/5 "2019-02-02T05:29:29Z")
I have been running just over 100 for the past several years. Both of my older brothers are diabetic so I expect I may be crossing that line before long. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/6 "2019-02-02T06:13:37Z")
A few years ago I was creeping up over 100 and made something of an effort to limit my carbs. I didn’t cut them out, just chose less pasta and more salads for lunch. No warning signs since. I recognize this may not work for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/7 "2019-02-02T14:10:19Z")
Yep. I was creeping up towards the diabetic line for a while. I have (so far) managed to keep mine in check by diet. I have also been exercising off and on, though lately it’s been more off than on. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/8 "2019-02-02T14:32:48Z")
Yes. Lost thirty pounds and got my numbers back on line. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/9 "2019-02-02T17:12:43Z")
I was pre-diabetic for a few years and didn’t do anything about it. Went to full blown diabetes. My fasting glucose was up to 15 mmol/l or so and my A1C was around 8 or 9. I started light exercise and was on metformin for 1 1/2 years or so. Brought my fasting glucose down to 6mmol/l and A1C to 6 or so with that plus slight diatery changes (cut out pop, cut down on bread and cereal). In October I had to go off the metformin to do blood tests for another issue. I was worried about my blood sugar getting out of control so did some poking around. I’d heard of intermittent fasting helping with glucose control so figured I’d try it for the 3 weeks I had to be off metformin. Making no changes in my diet other than the eating window I ended up with a slightly higher fasting glucose of 7.5mmol/l but a lower overall average on my readings. Doctor approved continuing going without metformin and my last A1C was 5.8. Im still eating pasta l, potatoes or rice every day. I have the occasional piece of bread. I stay away from both fast food and restaurant food as much as possible as I find that their food spikes my glucose more than homemade does. I do have the occasional pizza but I’ll have two pieces instead of a whole 12". Little sacrifices but they add up. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t start when the warning signs first presented. I might have been able to indulge a bit more now if I’d done something then. ---
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/10 "2019-02-02T17:16:11Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > A few years ago I was creeping up over 100 and made something of an effort to limit my carbs. I didn’t cut them out, just chose less pasta and more salads for lunch. No warning signs since. I recognize this may not work for everyone. Gonna try to do that myself. More salads, more veggies, more healthy fruits, less junk. I jog 2-3 miles about 2 to 3 times a week. I’m not in bad shape. I just need to cut back on some things in my diet to keep this from becoming diabetes. At least, that’s my current talking points. We’ll see if I can control this with diet. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/11 "2019-02-02T17:56:57Z")
IIRC, pre-diabetes is reversible via diet and exercise, but full-blown Type II diabetes is \*\*not, \*\*right? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/12 "2019-02-02T18:03:24Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > IIRC, pre-diabetes is reversible via diet and exercise, but full-blown Type II diabetes is \*\*not, \*\*right? Type 2 can often be managed with diet and exercise alone (no meds). Type 1 - in which the pancreas makes zero insulin - is not reversible. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/13 "2019-02-02T18:23:13Z")
My wife and I were both there. I exercise and she more watches her diet. If we combined the two we could be even better but ------ we’re old and kinda set in our ways. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/14 "2019-02-02T18:46:22Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > IIRC, pre-diabetes is reversible via diet and exercise, but full-blown Type II diabetes is \*\*not, \*\*right? To keep things in perspective, if you are pre-diabetic, you probably have some damage to your pancreas, and that damage is permanent. If you lose some weight and get your diet under control so that what’s left of your pancreas doesn’t have to work so hard, then your body will be able to regulate its blood sugar properly even with a bit of damage. If you damage your pancreas so much that your blood sugar ends up in the full-blown Type II diabetic range, then getting your diet under control and losing a lot of weight might get you back out of the diabetic range, or it might not. It depends on a lot of things, like how much damage you’ve done to your pancreas and how much of your body’s resistance to insulin is caused by fat accumulation and how much is due to other things like genetics. Personally, I think it is very important to keep in mind that if you “cure” yourself of diabetes (by getting your blood sugar back under control) you are never truly cured, at least not in the sense of having your pancreas recover. Once those insulin-producing cells in your pancreas die off from over-stress, they are gone forever. They never grow back. Ever. In a sense, you will always be diabetic. ---
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/15 "2019-02-02T19:24:26Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > To keep things in perspective, if you are pre-diabetic, you probably have some damage to your pancreas, and that damage is permanent. > > If you lose some weight and get your diet under control so that what’s left of your pancreas doesn’t have to work so hard, then your body will be able to regulate its blood sugar properly even with a bit of damage. > > If you damage your pancreas so much that your blood sugar ends up in the full-blown Type II diabetic range, then getting your diet under control and losing a lot of weight might get you back out of the diabetic range, or it might not. It depends on a lot of things, like how much damage you’ve done to your pancreas and how much of your body’s resistance to insulin is caused by fat accumulation and how much is due to other things like genetics. > > Personally, I think it is very important to keep in mind that if you “cure” yourself of diabetes (by getting your blood sugar back under control) you are never truly cured, at least not in the sense of having your pancreas recover. Once those insulin-producing cells in your pancreas die off from over-stress, they are gone forever. They never grow back. Ever. In a sense, you will always be diabetic. Thanks, good points. Just hope I can keep this from crossing that line. Appreciate everyone’s responses. Gives me hope that I can control this myself. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/16 "2019-02-02T20:40:09Z")
Diagnosed with “Metabolic Syndrome” so I decided to lose weight by not being a compulsive overeater for the first time in my life. Stopped eating/drinking some of the worst things, but for the most part I “simply” exercised more than I felt like while eating less than I felt like. Forever. Lost 60 pounds in less than a year, got my levels down to normal/acceptable. Without feeling particularly deprived of eating pleasure, I’ve kept 50 of those 60 pounds off for four years now. I’m 68. It’s required a lot of attention, but hasn’t been difficult, much to my continuing surprise. It can be done. ---
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/17 "2019-02-03T15:25:13Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Diagnosed with “Metabolic Syndrome” so I decided to lose weight by not being a compulsive overeater for the first time in my life. Stopped eating/drinking some of the worst things, but for the most part I “simply” exercised more than I felt like while eating less than I felt like. Forever. > Lost 60 pounds in less than a year, got my levels down to normal/acceptable. Without feeling particularly deprived of eating pleasure, I’ve kept 50 of those 60 pounds off for four years now. I’m 68. It’s required a lot of attention, but hasn’t been difficult, much to my continuing surprise. > > It can be done. That must be hard to do at any age. But in your 60’s, maybe even harder, as you’ve had a lifetime to develop those overeating habits that you had to overcome. I’m 52. Not looking forward to changing my diet. But I’d rather do it now than after I’ve crossed the magic “125” line. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/18 "2019-02-03T19:33:17Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Same here - almost a mirror image. My blood sugar used to be in the high 80s. Now it’s in the 97-107 range. I’m hoping cutting carbs out of my diet, and exercise, will do the trick. I took my A1c down from 7 to 5.3 doing exactly that, sans exercise. Lost 60 pounds too. So, yes. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/19 "2019-02-03T20:35:49Z")
> [@survinga](#): > > That must be hard to do at any age. But in your 60’s, maybe even harder, as you’ve had a lifetime to develop those overeating habits that you had to overcome. I’m 52. Not looking forward to changing my diet. But I’d rather do it now than after I’ve crossed the magic “125” line. Although it certainly wasn’t easy, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d feared and expected it to be. When the doctor gave me her diagnosis and explained what it meant, I chose to simplify the equation to a choice: For the first time in my life, lose a LOT of weight NOW, or become diabetic. That metaphoric gun to my head gave me will power I’d never had before. I was fortunate that my diet was already fairly healthy- my problem had always been how much I would put away, and how fast. One has to remain vigilant, forever. Four years later I’m still amazed by how much my body wants to regain weight, and how VERY quickly it can do so. I still weigh myself every single morning. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821/20 "2019-02-04T04:00:55Z")
> [@survinga](#): > > My blood sugar is now at about 105 to 106. My doctor said I was still OK, but I’m creeping up over the last two years (I was at 90 about 3 years ago). I just crossed 100 for the first time. I’m still about 20 away from diabetes (125 is the line). > > If you’ve gotten to pre-diabetes, were you able to push it back below 100 with just diet & stuff? I hate the thought of changing what I eat, although I guess I have no choice. I don’t want to become a diabetic. > > Anyone on here deal with this before? Uh, I am not a doctor, but I have had diabetes for years. 125 is quite high for a fasting level. Anything above 100 is considered diabetes: > **[What High Blood Sugar Does to Your Body](https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/how-sugar-affects-diabetes#1)** > > Over time, high blood sugar can lead to many health problems. Learn more about what they are and how to prevent them. I don’t know where you are getting those numbers, but you need to check into that. It sounds like VERY old advice. Many years ago the assumed level was higher than 100, but I don’t think the cutoff was ever as high as 125. All this assumes we are talking about a fasting sugar level. The 2 hour number is useful, but very dependent on what you eat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-get-pre-diabetes-blood-sugar-levels/828821.md?page=2)