Glucose Intolerance

Question: Glucose intolerance? I am needing advice on what direction to go with my Dr. I have considered finding someone new but am not sure if I'm over reacting. Up until the past few years I have been relatively healthy, very seldom even getting a cold. I know I am getting older (44) but am not satisfied with that being the reason alone. About 2 years ago I became extremely ill. My whole upper abdomen swelled, ran a 104 degree temp for almost 2 wks, lethargic, sudden 15 lb weight loss...this all lasted about 2 months. I had numerous tests run, one test would then lead to another. The final result was inconclusive. What I did know was that my liver, pancreas, and spleen were swollen. Dr. final word was that possible I had pancreatitis due to a gallstone that passed...no stones were seen! I got better, regained weight, but have never felt completely okay. Dr. has sent me twice in the past yr or so for blood work revealing glucose intolerance. Neither time was an official fasting glucose test, although I do recall.. only having coffee. He's only advice "watch your sugar intake" no more info has been given to me. I feel run down constantly, have quickly dropped 15 lbs without diet change and can't regain it. I wear glasses but am experiencing uneven, inconsistent blurry vision. 2 uti in past year...unusual for me, frequent infections...inner ear, sinus, minor stuff but more than normal. I don't fit the norm profile...no family history, causation 44 yr old female, normal blood pressure, normal weight if not slightly under(not counting now), off and on thirst and urination frequency...baffled. In addition to this stuff I have experience great amts of stress in the past year and being treated for it...but I wonder if my health is being overlooked because it is being blamed on stress...suggestions, advice, guidance?? I hate to no trust my Dr but I just don't feel right. Have eye appt on Monday...can he help at all with this? What do I tell him? Sorry so long winded...just frustrated. he has done 2 blood tests...but not even an accurate fasting one. I can't remember the # but he said I was glucose intolerant...which could lead to diabetes.

Answer: The best advise is to check your fasting blood sugar. Its a simple test which will tell you whether you are diabetic or not. If you are not satisfied with your doctor change it and see some endocronologist or a diabetolodist these people are special skills in treating the people with impared glucose tolerance also called borderline diabetes. For more information on glucose intoleranace visist my free site http://www.reddiabetes.com Hope that you will find it helpful

Question: What is glucose intolerance? what are its symptoms? Does diabetes mean the same? Can I avoid after diagnosed? I am having increasing waistline (35), blood pressure (130 - 140), high triglycerides(450), high cholestrol(268) and digestion disorder (more gas generation with any food intake). Are these symptoms of glucose intolerance or diabetes ? I am only 28yrs old. What is the causes ? Can I be able to minimize these by workouts to reduce my waist ? Please help me...

Answer: Impaired glucose tolerance or metabollic syndrome is not diabetes but can be a hallmark for someone on the path to developing this condition. There are five conditions that would lead a physician to believe that you have this condition. One need only have three of the five for the diagnosis. Triple digit fasting blood sugars (100mg/dl or above); your waist circumference would be a qualifier if you are a woman, however the best measure is hip to waist ratio. Your elevated blood pressure, high triglycerides may indicate the IGT as well. Since your trigs were higher than 300 it would be hard for you to determine your HDL but my guess is that it is low. A workout regimen that builds lean muscle mass (lifting as opposed to cardio) would be most beneficial. Work your core muscle groups, because they are larger they will help by a)burning more fuel (triglycerides) b) increase your body's ability to get rid of harmful cholesterol sub-fractions (VLDL, LDL-3) by increasing HDL. Control your refined sugar intake--hard this time of year. Complex carbs, fat, protein in proper measure will help you stave off developing full-blown diabetes.

Question: Is glucose intolerance and insulin resistance the same thing?

Answer: Basicly YES. If the insulin can't open up the pathway for the glucose to get into the muscle, there is no way either will work properly. Saw a website the other day that had a good video on this. Cannot find it now tho. I thought it was on D-Life.

Question: What kinds of food should you and shouldn't you eat if you have glucose intolerance?

Answer: Basically, treating glucose intolerance is a multi pronged approach: Weight reduction, if overweight. Reduction in total intake of fat, and intake of saturated fat. Increasing intake of dietary fibre. Increasing physical activity. If you are taking blood pressure meds in the form of beta blockers, these may be affecting you too. To increase your fiber intake: the RDA is 25 grams go for cereals that have a min of 5 gms, the more the better high fiber whole grain bread brown rice instead of white rice whole grain wheat or whole grain spelt spagetti Read labels, there is so much variation between products. Eat 5-7 servings of fruits and veggies a day. High fiber fruits are apples and pears. No fast food, ever! No McDonalds, Wendys, Burger King, Carls Jr, Etc. These places load their food with unhealty fats. Watch the movie: Supersize me! Exercise by walking at least 30 minutes a day. You will be amazed at the changes this little bit will bring. Good luck!

Question: Is glucose intolerance a sympton of diabetes? I had a glucose tolerance test checking for hypoglycemia. A nurse practiciotner told me I have glucose intorlerance. She then asked, "You get sick only when you eat sugar, right?" I explained I get sick if I don't eat a meal. She would not offer any more suggestions.

Answer: Yes, it could be an indicator of diabetes or pre-diabetes. Definitely follow-up.

Question: What is the diff. between glucose intolerance and diabetes ? My Doc never explains much - he say's - you don't have diabetes

Answer: Basically it is a pre diabetic state see web site below for more information

Question: Is glucose intolerance the same as diabetes?

Answer: Glucose intolerence is not diabetes , but some who show glucose intolerence may be future diadetics.Prolonged hunger or prolonged parenteral feeding can cause glucose intolerence which is corrected after normal food intake is begun.

Question: Diabetes vs. Glucose Intolerance question? I was tested for diabetes after experiencing many of the early/mild symptoms (chronic yeast infections, frequent urination, slight numbness in feet, increased fatigue) but I was tested by a medical student, not a doctor, and I'm not sure she knew what she was doing. Because I've read that you are supposed to fast for 12 hours before being tested, and I didn't fast at all. At the time, I didn't know much about diabetes, so when she told me I didn't have it, I didn't even think to ask what my blood sugar level was exactly. What I'm wondering is: Is it really necessary to fast before being tested? Should I be tested again? Or, could this just be pre-diabetes/glucose intolerance? It seems that when I stop eating sugar for a few weeks, that the symptoms start to dissapear. My yeast infection didn't come back for the first time in years, and I stopped having to urinate every two seconds, and i didn't notice anything else unusual either. Any answers/advice would really help She didn't even ask me to fast. And when I asked her "Aren't you supposed to fast before taking a diabetes test?" She said, "well......kind of, but this will be fine."

Answer: You don't necessarily need to fast for a glucose test. It depends on what kind of test you're doing. Traditionally, the diagnostic test is a fasting blood sugar (you don't eat for 8 hrs before the test), but there are also post-prandial blood sugars (taken 2 hrs after you eat), random blood sugars, and oral glucose tolerance tests (this one is specifically if you're pregnant). Generally fasting blood sugars are taken in the morning before you eat breakfast (or have a coffee loaded with sugar), so if this was the case in your test, you would be ok, since I'm assuming you didn't eat in the middle of the night. As long as eight hours have passed, you're fine. As for the other issues, even if you don't have diabetes, it sounds like your quality of life improves dramatically when you cut sugar out of your diet. Maybe you should think about making a lifestyle change for your benefit regardless of the diagnosis. It's never to late to get healthy! Diabetes Type II is a progressive disease, so you'll still want to know if you are at risk, or in the pre-diabetic stage. How you control the disease now will really affect how bad it is later, and how quickly it progresses. The next time you go see your doctor, ask him what he thinks. He can look up the results of the last test, or re-test you, if you think the conditions weren't accurate. This is your health that you're talking about, so it's in your best interests to get this sorted out....but coming from a medical student, be nice, and try not to blame it all on her!

Question: Pregnant, glucose intolerance??? So I'm 34 weeks along and the doctor said today that my sugar test levels weren't high enough to consider diabetes but where a little higher than they like. They called it glucose intolerance. What does this mean? I am scheduled to birth in a low risk birthing center...Does this mean I am no longer low risk? They say I just have to watch what I eat and up my exercise a bit. This was my 3 hour test. My doctor said it is not diabetes.

Answer: You and baby will be just fine. Unless your sugar levels rise to diabetic levels you should still be considered low risk, but that depends on your Dr. Stay away from sugar, don't eat many breads, pastas, or other starches as your body turns these into sugar quickly. Try to take 2 thirty minute walks a day. These things will help keep your glucose down.

Question: What is known about glucose intolerance in pregnancy, fasting only? I am 33 weeks pregnant, (third pregnancy), recently diagnosed with a glucose intolerance. Basically my fasting results for the GT screening were high but the two hour and three hour are fine. I am managing diet the same way as someone with gestational diabetes. My levels have dropped although the average is still at the very high end of the recommended levels. (5.2/5.3) I have seen two different endocrinologists and they seem to conflict in treatment recommendations. One thinks I need to start insulin asap, the other thinks I can wait to see if levels increase. My midwives will have to transfer my care to an OBGYN, if I start insulin. I am confused about the inconsistency and do not want to take insulin unnecessarily. There do not appear to be any concerns regarding the growth or development of the baby at this time. I can find lots of information on GD but not very much on glucose intolerance. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Answer: Briefly, pregnancy does induce glucose intolerance. Significance varies widely.