November 28, 2004
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 blood glucose is consistantly above 110, and occasionally above 120. After meals it varies from 140-180 depending on quantity of food, carbs, etc. Five years ago it was always 99. My weight is 130 pounds; 5'3 female, BMI approx 123; % of fat taken on several different scales at health clubs is consistantly around 31%. I have low to very low triglycerides (40-60), total cholesterol 168, HDL and LDL are good; low CVD ratio. In other words very healthy for a 54 year old. My doctor tells me to stop worrying about diabetes. (I test FBG daily). I know I don't have Syndrome X or insulin resistance, but I keep saying that I amMy question is: how vigilant should I be and is diabetes in my future given the high FBG? What else can I be doing to prevent it? Is the low triglycerides a sign of autoimmune diabetes sneaking up? What other tests do I need? By the way, I was just diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis.
Answer
The only risk factor you have for diabetes from your description is the slightly high blood sugar. Other factors that might affect your risk are:- any history of diabetes with pregnancy (if you had children);
- family history of diabetes;
- whether you carry your weight more in the abdomen than in the hips;
- any history of high blood pressure.
Autoimmune thyroiditis is not uncommon in women your age and is not likely related in any way to your blood sugar.
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