Tony learns he has prediabetes, what happens next?

Tony is a 50-year-old man who works at a large, local warehouse. In his free time, he enjoys hosting people at his house and taking his dog to the park.

Tony does not know it, but he is about to find out he is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Continue reading to learn more.

Type 2 diabetes has to do with how well your body controls the amount of sugar, or glucose, in your blood. A hormone called insulin made by the pancreas helps with this control.

Insulin works like a key in a lock to move glucose from your bloodstream into cells. Once inside cells, the glucose is used for energy to drive your body’s many functions.

When people have type 2 diabetes, their bodies do not produce or respond to insulin efficiently. This can cause glucose levels in the bloodstream to rise causing harmful “high blood sugar.”

For your body to control your blood sugar levels with insulin, it needs your cells to be as insulin sensitive as possible. But lifestyle factors and obesity can make cells insulin resistant.

Each week, Tony and his sister Gayle get together for dinner followed by a night of board games and cards. This week, they are at Tony’s house.

An hour after they finish dinner, Gayle pulls out her new blood glucose monitor. “What’s that?” Tony asks. Gayle explains that she was just diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

This means that Gayle has an elevated amount of glucose in her blood during her pregnancy. Having gestational diabetes puts Gayle at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Tony and Gayle talk more about Gayle’s diagnosis before beginning their game night. Tony is a little concerned about his own lifestyle and risk for type 2 diabetes

The next morning Tony decides to make an appointment to see his doctor for a yearly checkup. Because of Tony’s concerns, he will get his blood drawn to test his blood glucose levels.

The doctor tells Tony to fast—or refrain from consuming calories for 8 to 12 hours—before coming in later that week. This will ensure the most accurate results.

At his appointment, Tony receives a full checkup and gets his blood drawn. The next day, the doctor calls him with his results.

“Your blood sugar is a little higher than normal, but it is not high enough to indicate type 2 diabetes. You have prediabetes,” the doctor says.

Tony is a bit confused because he does not feel unwell. “Most people don’t develop any symptoms. Most people are not aware they have it,” the doctor explains.

“Getting regular blood work is the best way to know how your body is doing and what action to take,” the doctor says. Prediabetes does make your risk higher for developing type 2 diabetes, but healthy habits over time can help.”

“The good news is that prediabetes is reversible with lifestyle changes. There are also community programs and groups that can help you make the lifestyle changes and offer support.”