# Borderline diabetic means what ?



## Mick Salt (Feb 1, 2017)

My wife, who had a stroke 7 years ago, has been told she is borderline diabetic. She had a blood test last week & got an arranged phone call from Drs this morning to tell her the news. My wife fell out with the Dr as he wouldn't discuss it over the phone but wants her to go to surgery. She refused and put phone down on him. She says she isn't bothered as he didn't say she WAS diabetic. What are the implications if she ignores this?


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## Grogg1 (Feb 1, 2017)

The implications will be that it will get worse and without treatment can lead to serious complications.

Borderline diabetes mean that your body is not coping as well as it should with the production of insulin and maintaining healthy levels of blood glucose.  At this early stage advice from this website regarding diet and exercise - no she doesn't have to go to a gym or starve herself she just needs to limit some of the foods she eats but can substitute with others i.e. less potatoes and more meat if that's her thing.  Exercise can just be walking upstairs to use the toilet during the day instead of using downstairs loo, small steps.  Park a bit further away from your destination.  I hope this isn't insensitive if your wife has mobility issues as a result of her stroke.

Tell her to go and see her GP, he maybe one of the rare ones who is very supportive and knowledgeable of how to treat diabetes.  Be glad he wants to discuss face to face.


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## grovesy (Feb 1, 2017)

Welcome. 
Border line Diabetes is not a good term, it usually means people have blood tests the show there blood sugar levels are not quite classed as  Diabetic but heading that way. Some suggest losing weight if overweight and exercise to try and put off. Some areas are rolling out programmes to try and prevent developing Diabetes.
Has she got any resultant disability from the stroke?


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## Mick Salt (Feb 1, 2017)

grovesy said:


> Welcome.
> Border line Diabetes is not a good term, it usually means people have blood tests the show there blood sugar levels are not quite classed as  Diabetic but heading that way. Some suggest losing weight if overweight and exercise to try and put off. Some areas are rolling out programmes to try and prevent developing Diabetes.
> Has she got any resultant disability from the stroke?


Yes she has left side weakness. Not much use of left arm & struggles with mobility. We do walk everyday with dog, daily steps between 7 - 10000. She is not overweight & doesn't eat loads.


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## Grogg1 (Feb 1, 2017)

I think she should visit GP.  Is she on medication that's affecting her blood glucose, you can just ask  your pharmacist as they have excellent knowledge of drug interactions.

The fact that you are walking everyday is great and clearly helping as she's "only borderline".  So it's the food she eats, not the quantity, she needs to address.  Many find, myself included, that reducing carbs (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, beer) and increasing protein not only helps reduce blood glucose but it if you are overweight it can help you shift some pounds.  I seem to have plateau and am stuck at 12 stone, but I'm not food deprived or hungry and my BG have fallen (I was in double figures).

Her GP might also give her a monitor or you could self fund one.  The idea is to measure before and 2 hours after meals to see how different food affect you.


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## Amigo (Feb 1, 2017)

Hi Mick, I think it's important for your wife to realise the GP isn't trying to be difficult or impose something on her, it sounds like he simply wants to prevent this developing into full diabetes which is the last thing she wants having suffered a stroke. 

We have what's called Hba1c blood tests which capture how much glucose has basically stuck to the blood cells over a 2/3 month period. Anything over 48 is considered full diabetes and anything over 41 is pre-diabetes. It's a real opportunity to seize control of problems developing. It means she'll need to watch her intake of carbs like potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, cakes, pies, sweets, scones etc. These carbs turn to glucose and it looks like your wife is starting to struggle with insulin control.

Please urge her to see this as an opportunity because that's what is is. Problems can start to develop even with pre-diabetes and high sugar levels put pressure on the vessels. She doesn't need this having already had a stroke. I hope you can persuade her to see that nobody is getting at her. On the contrary, she's got a chance to dodge the diabetes bullet. I wish I'd taken it when I had the chance!


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## grovesy (Feb 1, 2017)

Mick Salt said:


> Yes she has left side weakness. Not much use of left arm & struggles with mobility. We do walk everyday with dog, daily steps between 7 - 10000. She is not overweight & doesn't eat loads.


Glad she can manage a walk.


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## trophywench (Feb 1, 2017)

Hi Mick - I've nothing to add to what's been said already but just wondered something, absolutely totally unrelated to diabetes.  Do you just happen to be a twin by any chance?


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## Lilian (Feb 1, 2017)

You should encourage your wife to see the doctor.    Doctors (the well trained ones that is) can tell a lot by just looking at a patient.    Also he may wish to examine her by looking at her feet, taking her blood pressure, looking into her eyes etc. things that cannot be done over the phone.     He might have various instructions to give her and when face to face he can see whether she does actually understand what he is saying.


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## john pardo (Feb 2, 2017)

Hi and welcome.
I was told borderline and like your wife didn't bother as i wasn't told that i was diabetic, but after my wife and friends told me to go to the docs and i had more tests, i was then told i was diabetic. Always good to find out properly so that they can deal with it.


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## KookyCat (Feb 2, 2017)

I think it's important for your wife to be clear that borderline could mean one of two things, some doctors mean borderline when the blood test is literally just on the first notch considered diabetic, others use it for something known as pre-diabetic when the blood sugar is just under that notch but at the very highest that can be considered normal.  I understand how she feels, if you've just had one major health issue the last thing you want is another, but it's really important to know since uncontrolled blood sugar increases the risk of many things including stroke.  I'm as stubborn as a mule, so sometimes my first reaction to something is just no, but when I calm down I reconsider and am more amenable to reason.  If she's prediabetic she may never develop diabetes, and she could help her chances by making some minor adjustments to her diet.  It's most definitely worth exploring further if she can be persuaded, you know her best, but perhaps give her a minute or two to process it and see how she feels then?


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## Mick Salt (Feb 2, 2017)

trophywench said:


> Hi Mick - I've nothing to add to what's been said already but just wondered something, absolutely totally unrelated to diabetes.  Do you just happen to be a twin by any chance?


No I'm not a twin.


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## Ditto (Feb 2, 2017)

I was pre-diabetic for a year or more then I was diabetic. I feel I could have turned it around but stupidly didn't.


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## Mark Parrott (Feb 2, 2017)

Hi.  Borderline diabetic should be treated as early diagnosis of diabetes and should be taken seriously.  Your wife should see a GP.  This is an opportunity of turning things around & being in control.


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## trophywench (Feb 2, 2017)

Mick Salt said:


> No I'm not a twin.



Clearly - we weren't at school together and I didn't go out with you circa 1965, then!  LOL


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## Mick Salt (Feb 2, 2017)

trophywench said:


> Clearly - we weren't at school together and I didn't go out with you circa 1965, then!  LOL


Be rude of me to mention ages but in 1965 I was 7 !!!!!


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## trophywench (Feb 2, 2017)

Don't rub it in - I was about 15 by then LOL - and they'd be a good year older than me.  Just thought 'Wouldn't it be a co-incidence, if ....


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## Pine Marten (Feb 2, 2017)

Mick Salt said:


> My wife, who had a stroke 7 years ago, has been told she is borderline diabetic. She had a blood test last week & got an arranged phone call from Drs this morning to tell her the news. My wife fell out with the Dr as he wouldn't discuss it over the phone but wants her to go to surgery. She refused and put phone down on him. She says she isn't bothered as he didn't say she WAS diabetic. What are the implications if she ignores this?


Hi Mick. In 2007 my GP said (on reading my notes on his computer screen) 'Oh, I think you're mildly diabetic...' I was sent off for tests, came back with diagnosis, and given some diet sheets which advised eating starchy carbs at every meal - jacket potatoes, rice, bread, pasta - and was left to get on with it. After a few years I put on more weight and was given Metformin. Then - O happy day! - I found this website in 2013 (I think) and began to learn about my condition. Education, education, education, as someone once said - and I'm pleased to say my surgery has improved enormously over the past few years. It's been over a year now since I stopped taking Metformin and I am managing with diet and exercise.

Please try and encourage your wife to see the GP and find out exactly what is going on, then come back here and find out loads of interesting facts! She certainly needs to gain control as soon as she can and make adjustments as necessary. Better safe than sorry


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