# Newly diagnosed IGT



## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi all. Am completely new to this so am desperately trying to find my way around the site! I have recently (May 2011) been diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance. I do not know my HBAc1 reading, but after the glucose tolerance test was told that my readings, although not yet in the diabetic range, were high therefore IGT was diagnosed. My dad was a type 1 diabetic, so have been warned that I will most likely go on to develop Type 2 diabetes. I have bought a glood glucose meter and am testing to find out what spikes my blood sugar levels. My readings seem ok through the day (5.5, 5.8) but are around 6-6.5 in the mornings. I have taken myself in hand and have lost over a stone in weight since May (a couple more to go!), joined a gym and am on a low GI diet. Although I don't expect miracles, I am hoping to delay the onset of full blown diabetes. With a dad who had and managed Type 1 well all of his life, I do have a good idea of the do's and dont's but I'd love to be in touch with others who have been diagnosed with IGT. I have been looking at the forum for some time now and am impressed at the great support out there! This has encouraged me to join and I'm looking forward to any advice/support/shared experience anyone can offer.


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## Mark T (Aug 23, 2011)

Welcome to the forum KatieB 

It sounds like you are doing all the right things and have taken control!

However, I always thought that having a Type 1 father would make it more likely for you to be a Type 1 then Type 2 - someone who knows more might be able to correct me on that.

The Gretchen Becker book listing in the useful links page is really helpful! http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=10406


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## Northerner (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Katie, welcome to the forum  It sounds like you are really taking things in hand - congratulations on your weight loss so far, this will definitely be helping to improve your insulin sensitivity and keep your blood sugar levels stable - the exercise will play a big part in this too. Although you are not diagnosed diabetic then you are taking the right approach and acting as if you were. It might be worth getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker which will help you ensure that you are 'covering all bases' - being well-informed is the key to staying motivated and managing things well 

Please ask anything you are unsure of or that concerns you - we will do our best to help, and if you just want to have a chat or a rant, then of course you are welcome to do that too!


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Mark T said:


> Welcome to the forum KatieB
> 
> It sounds like you are doing all the right things and have taken control!
> 
> ...



Thanks for your welcome. It's good to know the support is there! My doctor and diabetic nurse are aware of my family history, so I assume they've advised me accordingly! I'd heard of the Gretchen Becker book and will order a copy to read. It seems well recommended! The support here will, I'm sure, spur me on to keep going! Have just returned from holiday and slipped a little! Put on 41bs but am back on the straight and narrow now!


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Hi Katie, welcome to the forum  It sounds like you are really taking things in hand - congratulations on your weight loss so far, this will definitely be helping to improve your insulin sensitivity and keep your blood sugar levels stable - the exercise will play a big part in this too. Although you are not diagnosed diabetic then you are taking the right approach and acting as if you were. It might be worth getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker which will help you ensure that you are 'covering all bases' - being well-informed is the key to staying motivated and managing things well
> 
> Please ask anything you are unsure of or that concerns you - we will do our best to help, and if you just want to have a chat or a rant, then of course you are welcome to do that too!



Thank you! Am grateful for your support! Will order a copy of the book today and as for your comment about acting as if I have diabetes, I figured this was the best way to deal with the IGT. My husband not too happy though, he keeps saying I'm obsessed and that I haven't got diabetes!! It's a bit frustrating trying to look after myself without becoming a bore to those around me who don't understand!


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## Northerner (Aug 23, 2011)

Katieb said:


> Thank you! Am grateful for your support! Will order a copy of the book today and as for your comment about acting as if I have diabetes, I figured this was the best way to deal with the IGT. My husband not too happy though, he keeps saying I'm obsessed and that I haven't got diabetes!! It's a bit frustrating trying to look after myself without becoming a bore to those around me who don't understand!



Well, you won't bore us  And there's nothing wrong with taking things seriously - avoiding getting a diabetes diagnosis strikes me as being a rather sensible thing to put your energies into!


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## Robster65 (Aug 23, 2011)

HI katie. Welcome 

It's good to hear you're being proactive. Well done for your acheivements.

I'm sure your family will see the health benefits of your change in lifestyle and hopefully will support you fully in the months to come.

Rob


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Well, you won't bore us  And there's nothing wrong with taking things seriously - avoiding getting a diabetes diagnosis strikes me as being a rather sensible thing to put your energies into!



Thank you!!


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Robster65 said:


> HI katie. Welcome
> 
> It's good to hear you're being proactive. Well done for your acheivements.
> 
> ...



Thanks Rob. I hope you're right! And thanks for taking the time to show your support. I don't feel so isolated now.


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## RSVP (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Katie 

Welcome 

I am at the moment waiting on results of tests in regards IGT. 

Interesting seeing your day time numbers mine can be up in the 9/10's 4plus hours after eating but normal first thing  

Anyway up best thing I've found to keep them down is potter as much as possible. This keeps higher numbers at bay at least till you sit & relax 


Take Care 

Sarah


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

RSVP said:


> Hi Katie
> 
> Welcome
> 
> ...



Hi Sarah

My numbers have never gone above 8 after eating, but in all honesty I'm confused as to what is normal/what is not! What is normal in the morning? My GP says below 5.9 is normal after fasting?? That would put me above the normal range - is this what determines IGT? It's all a bit daunting to me! Good luck with the results! Good to talk to someone in a similar position to me. Katie


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## Northerner (Aug 23, 2011)

Katieb said:


> Hi Sarah
> 
> My numbers have never gone above 8 after eating, but in all honesty I'm confused as to what is normal/what is not! What is normal in the morning? My GP says below 5.9 is normal after fasting?? That would put me above the normal range - is this what determines IGT? It's all a bit daunting to me! Good luck with the results! Good to talk to someone in a similar position to me. Katie



Katie, have you done an Oral Glucose Tolerance test (OGTT)? If so, it may be the results of that that led your doctor to diagnose IGT. There is an informative page here about IGT:

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Impaired-Glucose-Tolerance.htm

It also mentions 'Impaired Fasting Glycaemia', which your numbers would seem to relate more closely to.


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## RSVP (Aug 23, 2011)

From what i've read fasting levels would "normally" be under 7mmol/l to be non diabetic.  For IGT between 7.8 & 11.1 mmol/l in a ogtt test.

I've had an odd 5/6 first thing this morning 6.7 but it's so all over the place I don't know. I doubt the tests will come back IGT ( Dr only did Hba & fasting) but sure as eggs is eggs something is going on lol

It's just so person to person dependent. Everybody's metabolism is different so everybody's body reacts to carbs differently. 

I find keeping note of everything I eat has helped me. Also when that sleepy feeling and head ache that comes with the slightly elevated numbers arrives I know why its happened, making it seem not quite as bad.

It's just hard finding the happy medium!

Take Care 

Sarah x


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Katie, have you done an Oral Glucose Tolerance test (OGTT)? If so, it may be the results of that that led your doctor to diagnose IGT. There is an informative page here about IGT:
> 
> http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Impaired-Glucose-Tolerance.htm
> 
> It also mentions 'Impaired Fasting Glycaemia', which your numbers would seem to relate more closely to.



Hi. Yes I did Have the OGTT (horrible!!!) and the diabetic nurse (who gave me the diagnosis) told me I had IGT. She explained that this was one stage on from IFG. I did not ask for my results in terms of numbers. Perhaps I should have?? They have told me I do not have to go back for 12 months for a review. This is why I took it upon myself to read what I could (led me to this site!) and to monitor my own BG. Incidentally, as my numbers are raised but I'm not officially a diabetic, how often do you think I should be testing my BG and what numbers should I be aiming for? I think that my fasting result and post prandial numbers are my best guidelines? Is this right? It confuses me reading what is 'normal' because some sites say readings of around 8 after eating are normal for non-diabetics, but it's the rate at which they return to normal which is the key. Is this true and if so what is normal? It's all double dutch to me! Katie


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

RSVP said:


> From what i've read fasting levels would "normally" be under 7mmol/l to be non diabetic. For IGT between 7.8 & 11.1 mmol/l in a ogtt test.
> 
> I've had an odd 5/6 first thing this morning 6.7 but it's so all over the place I don't know. I doubt the tests will come back IGT ( Dr only did Hba & fasting) but sure as eggs is eggs something is going on lol
> 
> ...


 
Hi Sarah

I think I will start a food diary if you say it helps. Funny you say about the headaches when numbers are up as I can no longer tolerate even one glass of wine without getting one (could just be age tho lol!!). I also get dry, cracked
corners of the mouth and have recently developed rosacea (these plus feeling generally low led me to the dr in the first place). These symptoms are much better when my numbers are controlled.

Sounds to me like you are similar to me in as much as numbers not massively high, but slightly elevated. Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Katie


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## Robster65 (Aug 23, 2011)

Katieb said:


> Hi. Yes I did Have the OGTT (horrible!!!) and the diabetic nurse (who gave me the diagnosis) told me I had IGT. She explained that this was one stage on from IFG. I did not ask for my results in terms of numbers. Perhaps I should have?? They have told me I do not have to go back for 12 months for a review. This is why I took it upon myself to read what I could (led me to this site!) and to monitor my own BG. Incidentally, as my numbers are raised but I'm not officially a diabetic, how often do you think I should be testing my BG and what numbers should I be aiming for? I think that my fasting result and post prandial numbers are my best guidelines? Is this right? It confuses me reading what is 'normal' because some sites say readings of around 8 after eating are normal for non-diabetics, but it's the rate at which they return to normal which is the key. Is this true and if so what is normal? It's all double dutch to me! Katie


 
We looked everywhere and it seems to vary depending on where you look. I'm still not sure what range a non-D can get to. Some say 7.2 is the absolute max but others suggest they can go to double figures momentarily.

There's a lot of speculative info out there so maybe there isn't anything definitive.

Rob


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## Mark T (Aug 23, 2011)

Katieb said:


> ...how often do you think I should be testing my BG and what numbers should I be aiming for?


You are probably self-funding the test strips I guess.  I would guess that you might be able to drop down to once a week.  But first its good to test more often to get a feel for what your body does at different times of the day and after specific meals.

What numbers you should aim for depends on where you read them, but my targets are less then 6 on waking/pre-meal and less than 8 one hour after the meal.

To get a good feel for the post-prandial results you might want to understand how much carbs you have eaten.  You might want to get a book such as Carbs & Cals to help with estimating how much carbohydrates are in different foods, but with a good set of digital scales and a calculator its usually not to hard to figure it from the label on the food.



Katieb said:


> ...It confuses me reading what is 'normal' because some sites say readings of around 8 after eating are normal for non-diabetics, but it's the rate at which they return to normal which is the key.


I've never really believed the "8" for a non-diabetic - although I guess it is feasible if they really did eat a large amount of carbohydrates.  I've never tested my wife over 5.2 and she was 4.8 one hour after eating a large slice of chocolate cake (so unfair!).  A non-diabetic is supposed to have a very tightly regulated blood sugar.


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## Steff (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Katie and a warm welcome to the forum. x


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Robster65 said:


> We looked everywhere and it seems to vary depending on where you look. I'm still not sure what range a non-D can get to. Some say 7.2 is the absolute max but others suggest they can go to double figures momentarily.
> 
> There's a lot of speculative info out there so maybe there isn't anything definitive.
> 
> Rob



That's my experience too! Seems to me like there is very little guidance for those with IGT which is why I follow the guidelines for a T2 diabetic. Regards, Katie


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Steff said:


> Hi Katie and a warm welcome to the forum. x



Thank you. So welcoming and so much support!


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

Mark T said:


> You are probably self-funding the test strips I guess.  I would guess that you might be able to drop down to once a week.  But first its good to test more often to get a feel for what your body does at different times of the day and after specific meals.
> 
> What numbers you should aim for depends on where you read them, but my targets are less then 6 on waking/pre-meal and less than 8 one hour after the meal.
> 
> ...





Hi Mark. Good advice, thank you. I will look into the Carbs & Cals book as I am not great at weighing and measuring as a failed attempt at Weight Watchers proves! I am also concerned about hidden sugars in things like yogurts, ketchups and sauces (I buy the light versions and reduced sugar and salt if available). Are these danger areas?


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## Northerner (Aug 23, 2011)

Katieb said:


> Hi Mark. Good advice, thank you. I will look into the Carbs & Cals book as I am not great at weighing and measuring as a failed attempt at Weight Watchers proves! I am also concerned about hidden sugars in things like yogurts, ketchups and sauces (I buy the light versions and reduced sugar and salt if available). Are these danger areas?



Be careful that the 'light' or 'low-fat' 'fat-free' things aren't loaded with sugar! Also, bear in mind that it's not just sugar but any form of refined carbohydrate that will have a big impact on blood sugar levels. So, fo example, avoid white flour products - white bread actually has a higher glycaemic index (GI) than ordinary sugar!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi KatieB

Welcome to the forums 

As others have suggested it's ALL carbs, not just sugar that you need to be aware of. And as Alan says while some things are gentler on the BGs, others will have an unexpectedly fast action (eg Weetabix), and most things vary from person to person too which is where your meter comes in so handy.

Interesting that you talk about low fat/light versions. You may already have read about the effect of fat on carbohydrate digestion... Higher fat things can have the effect of slowing the absorption (effectively lowering the GI) of a food by delaying the absorption of the carbs. This can be slightly problematic, but it's worth knowing as it can help in certain circumstances.


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## Katieb (Aug 23, 2011)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Hi KatieB
> 
> Welcome to the forums
> 
> ...



Hi Mike. I wondered about the sugar in low fat yogurts etc but never really gave a thought to fats slowing down food absorption. I guess the answer is to test their affect on my BG to see how they affect me. Thanks for the tip!


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## Robster65 (Aug 23, 2011)

A general rule of thumb is to look on the nutrition labels and compare known 'safe' foods with others and check the carb contents per 100g, etc with the 'of which sugars', which generally will tell you whether it's going to act fast or not. Fibre is also a good thing to include to slow down absorption.

If you can also include omega-3 unsaturated fats, there is evidence that they can help to burn off fat, providing you're expending enough energy of course !

Rob


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## teapot8910 (Aug 23, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Katie  x


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