What is pre-diabetes?
After you eat, your body breaks down food into glucose, a type of sugar. A hormone called insulin helps your body absorb glucose. If your body can’t make enough insulin or the insulin does not work properly, you may develop diabetesDiabetes is a life-long metabolic disease where the body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use the insulin it makes. This causes high blood sugar levels. Diabetes can cause damage to various organs over time if not properly managed.
Pre-diabetes is a condition that happens before you have type 2 diabetes. If not well managed, diabetes can cause heart attack and stroke. It can also damage the eyes, nerves, and kidneys.
The fact that you don’t have type 2 diabetes yet is good news. It’s not too late to get healthy.
What will my GP do now about my pre-diabetes?
Your 全科医生General Practitioner will work with you to develop a treatment plan.
Your GP will also help you to:
- 进一步了解自己的病情
- 为你的血糖水平设定目标
- 了解如何做出健康的生活方式改变
- 了解低血糖知识，并学会如何防止或管理低血糖
What will my GP do in the future for my pre-diabetes?
Your GP will see you regularly to check your health. It’s important you’re able to manage your pre-diabetes properly.
Every 6-12 months, your GP will check your medicine, weight, height, and blood pressure. You should tell your GP if you notice any new symptoms
Every year, your GP will also check your heart health and may ask you to have some specific tests. Pre-diabetes can cause problems for your heart, kidneys, eyes and feet. Your GP will check for any risks in these areas. If you are at risk, you may need to see a specialist.
What can I do for my pre-diabetes?
Eating a healthy diet and losing weight can help normalise your blood sugar levels and reduce your chance of developing diabetes. Keep visiting your GP as often as you need. If you need to see a specialist, make sure you keep all your appointments.
People with pre-diabetes have a high risk of heart disease. Be sure to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Speak to your GP about booking in regular heart health checks.
You can also take these steps to limit your risk of developing type 2 diabetes:
- 完全按照医嘱服用任何药物并参加所有检查
- 与家庭医生预约，讨论你的进展并跟踪你的血糖
- Consider speaking to a diabetes educator
If you have any of the following symptoms, call your GP as soon as you can:
- 看不清东西
- Pain in your foot/feet
- 鸡眼或溃疡
- Loss of feeling in your foot
- Trouble keeping your blood sugar low
