Hi everyone -- I was recently diagnosed as Type II and my dad was diagnosed as Pre-diabetic. I was reading his doctor's report re: his A1C's, bp's and cholesterol test results this morning and they are nearly identical to mine, so I asked if he was given medication and he was given the same dosage of metformin that I was... YET, he wasn't diagnosed as diabetic and doesn't have to test his bg's. I'm confused. Any thoughts on this? I'm particularly interested because I am trying to get health insurance and my costs are way high compared to my dad and all companies are citing my diabetes diagnosis as the cause for the high costs. Very frustrating! Any thoughts on why the difference in the diagnosis between my dad and me (we have different docs obviously, but there has to be a reason beyond that?)
Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

I don't know if it is a specific factor in your case, but the patient history is an important factor in the diabetes diagnosis, as well as the current blood sugar state. Other presentation factors such as weight, lifestyle, and presence of any other symptoms such as tiredness, tingling in the hands or feet, frequent urination, etc. At low sugar deviations, it's a judgement call... if you're not sick and your sugar is 350, it ain't.

It is easier for a doctor to say "pre-diabetes" than "diabetes".... because saying "diabetes" usually brings a commitment to long-term medication, testing, consultation, etc., where "pre-diabetes" only calls for diet, exercise, lifestyle modifications which are beneficial even to a nondiabetic.

In your father's case, the doctor has felt compelled to prescribe metformin, perhaps as an aid to his/her further diagnosis. Metformin is usually well-tolerated by most people, and has a low incidence of side effects. It is a pretty "safe" differential "tool" to give him/her more data points next time.

Diabetes is diagnosed based on the fasting blood sugar. A fasting blood sugar between 100 and 126 is pre-diabetes. A fasting blood sugar over 126 is diabetes.

My dad and I had the same symptoms and essentially the same blood sugar (unmedicated, fasting, in the 300's). I have a strong feeling we have the same thing, though of course I am younger... I am hoping to get him into a class but am worried that the pre-diabetic diagnosis is his excuse not to do anything about it (or test, etc.) Yesterday he told someone that I had a problem and he didn't... uuugh.

If your father's fasting bs was in the 300s he beyond a shadow of a doubt has diabetes.

If your father's fasting bs was in the 300s he beyond a shadow of a doubt has diabetes.

Quite correct.

I agree with Blondy...your dad IS diabetic.

His doctor is not doing him any favors by giving him the impression that he doesn't need to take this seriously. He absolutely should be testing his blood sugar levels.

Back in the dark ages, when I was diagnosed with T2, they gave you some medication, gave you a diet, and sent you on your way with no other instructions. We were not advised to get a monitor and test. As a result of that, combined with the types of medications that were used back then, I graduated to insulin within 5 years of my diagnosis and am now on an insulin pump. When I hear about doctors who do not send their newly diagnosed patients for diabetes education, nutrition counseling, and who do not even recommend meters, I want to scream. This is a recipe for future disaster!!!

Even one fasting of 300 or more is enough to diagnose diabetes! If you father's doctor doesn't take this seriously, you may want to recommend that he get a new doctor.

Ruth

P.S. My best friend's mother was told she was pre-diabetic for years...no one put her on meds, just told her to "watch your sugar intake." Long story short...she recently died of complications of diabetes, after suffering for many years with severe neuropathy of her hands and feet.

I thought so too... how do I approach the doctor about this? I had my Mom directly ask the nurse they're dealing with if my Dad was T2 and the nurse told her no... how can this be?

Thanks everyone for the help thinking through this... it is very frustrating to say the least.

:)

Agree with Ruth.

WHAT!!!!!!

Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system. A fasting test of 300 is diabetes. That is the bottom line. In some cases with doctors it is a matter of ageism. They figure an older person doesn't have that much time left, so why bother them with all the work of having a disease. Very often older people do not get treated as aggressively as those who are younger. In many cases a great number of years are shaved off their lives because they didn't know what their options were. You need to talk to the doc and state that you know that he has diabetes and you (both) want him treated accordingly. The sad truth is that unchecked numbers in that range can lead to so many very painful complications.

Good luck to you both.

Cora

I have to agree with what's been said. With those blood sugar numbers, your father has diabetes. You need to show him an article which states the blood sugar levels to be considered diabetic, and what the consequences will be if he doesn't treat it agressively now. And I can't think of an easy way to say it; those consequences are grim. You need to convince him that he needs a new doctor. Any doctor who would tell someone with blood sugar levels in the 300s that they are prediabetic is not competent to practice medicine.

You guys are wonderful... thanks for helping me know that I'm not crazy. I do think the approach is to talk with the doc and with my Dad. Does anyone know of a good article (as suggested above) that I might share with my parents that will enlighten them re: my Dad's condition. Isn't it funny that his numbers were the same and they put him on the same meds, but no education, etc. etc. and they really did misinform him. Any and all suggestions on reading materials (short is best with him, he's not much of a reader) would be very much appreciated!
Thanks again to everyone for being such a supportive group!:angel:

Emerson,
There's no question that you need to talk with your Dad, but as for talking with the doc...I suspect your father may be better off finding a new doctor. There is something VERY wrong with a doctor who, upon finding a fasting blood sugar level of 300, would call it "pre-diabetes."

Ruth