Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
My fasting sugar has been 110-120 mg/dL [6.1-6.7 mmol/L] for over two years so I totally avoid refined sugar and exercise regularly. However, I feel tired often and lack energy. I also take Lipitor
for cholesterol and a
beta
blocker
for hypertension. Do I have diabetes? How else can I help not getting full-blown diabetes?
Answer
Your blood sugar values fall into a category that's called
pre-diabetes. At these levels, you are at risk of developing diabetes in the future, and the other disorders you describe (hypertension and hypercholesterolemia) indicate you have the
metabolic syndrome.
The blood sugar levels you describe should not
cause symptoms such as fatigue. Your physicians should look for
alternate causes for fatigue, including side effects of your beta-blocker,
and
possibly
thyroid disorders.
How to avoid diabetes? Just what you are already doing: modify your meal plan and regular exercise. Perhaps you might benefit from reviewing your meal plan with a dietitian who is familiar with diabetes. Also, the
Diabetes Prevention Program
indicated that perhaps adding the drug
metformin
would be of additional assistance.
wwq
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