Do I Have Prediabetes?

Are you overweight or obese?

Do you have a family history of diabetes?

If you are a woman who has already given birth, have you had diabetes during pregnancy (called gestational diabetes) or had a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds at birth?

Do you have high blood pressure (above 140/90 mm Hg) or or high levels of HDL cholesterol or triglycerides?

Do you have darkened skin on certain parts of the body, such as your neck, armpits, elbows, knees and knuckles?

Do you have increased thirst?

Do you have frequent urination?

Do you have increased hunger and do you lose weight, despite eating more?

Do you have fatigue (you have a low energy level for no apparent reason)?

Do you have blurred vision?

Do you have tingling or numbness in your toes or feet?

Have you noticed that your cuts heal more slowly?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have prediabetes. Prediabetes is a medical condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels, but not high enough to diagnose diabetes. People with prediabetes cannot process sugar properly. The cells in your body use sugar as their main source of energy. The pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, which transports sugar into the cells and reduces its amount in the blood. When either the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the cells become resistant to it, the amount of sugar in the blood begins to rise. If left untreated, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have prediabetes. Prediabetes is a medical condition that is also known as borderline diabetes. Prediabetes represents a high level of blood sugar, but not as high as in diabetes. Prediabetes is often related to obesity, physical inactivity, aging, inadequate sleep, the use of certain medications and smoking. Prediabetes is becoming more common. About 84 million Americans have prediabetes, but as many as 9 out of 10 people do not know it. A diagnosis is based on several blood tests including a gyrated hemoglobin (A1C) test, a fasting blood sugar test and an oral glucose tolerance test.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which the blood sugar level is higher than normal. Prediabetes occurs when your body does not use insulin properly (the hormone produced by the pancreas), so sugar accumulates in your blood.