Fear of Prediabetes

Is prediabetes scaring you to death? about your future? If the prospect of becoming a full-blown insulin-dependent diabetic scares you, believe it or not, that’s a good thing; you should be afraid! It’s an even better thing if you use your fear of prediabetes to motivate you to take steps to pull yourself back from a diagnosis of prediabetes.

When you get your diagnosis, you’re standing on the threshold of what could be the beginning of the end for you or the beginning of a new life. It can be turned around. We did it for my husband Rob about nine years ago, and I’ve played a part in helping others come back from prediabetes as well. I say “played a part” as I can advise and guide, but you’re the one who makes the changes and does the work.

About Your Fear

Let’s address the psychological stuff that comes with being prediabetic: fear of the future, expense of treatment for diabetes, expectation of shortened life span and suffering with all the chronic diseases that may accompany diabetes. There is confusion about what to do next, and there is folly in thinking prescription meds are the answer and will make it all ok. They won’t.

No doubt your mind is racing with the fear of diabetes, the wondering what to do, and is there anything you can do to save yourself? Odds are, if you went to a traditional doctor, you left the office armed with testing materials like strips, a glucose meter and little knifey sticky things called lancets to prick your finger and draw blood twice a day to test your glucose levels. Sure your fingertips will always be sore, but that’s the price you pay, right?

If you left with the promise you can get one of those glucose meters to stick on your arm that you can read with your smart phone, that’s easier, but the road you’re going down is still the same.

Odds are too that you left with the promise your rising glucose levels can be controlled with pills in the beginning; prescriptions like Metformin don’t require you to inject yourself with insulin. Not yet anyway.

What about this drug Metformin? It seems to be the drug of choice when you first get on this ride. Metformin, like any drug, has side effects. Here’s a list of just some of the ones you may experience: You will be advised if you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking metformin and call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness, weakness, or discomfort; nausea; vomiting; stomach pain; decreased appetite; deep and rapid breathing or shortness of breath; dizziness; lightheadedness; fast or slow heartbeat; flushing of the skin; muscle pain; or feeling cold, especially in your hands or feet. In case you’d like to read more about these and more side effects, here’s where I found this list: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a696005.html

What about cost? Monetary cost, that is. Diabetes is expensive! Sure, Medicare covers some of the cost, but the price of insulin has become obscenely high. Wouldn’t you rather spend money on a fun vacation than on the insulin you will require to stay alive? Before you start writing me angry emails about how not everyone can crank it back, let me say I’m aware of that. However, a great deal of the time, it’s a lot about choice.

What you do with the emotional part; what about your fear of prediabetes? How you use this fear going forward will make a huge difference in your outcome.

Your Outcome

What about the outcome of becoming diabetic? What’s most probably in store for you down the road? Odds are if you went to a traditional doctor, you left his office armed with little or no information about how to manage or crank back this mess you now find yourself in other than taking the drugs you have been prescribed.

If it sounds harsh to call it a mess, it shouldn’t be sugar-coated. You need to be aware diabetes often leads to shortened life span, heart disease, limb loss and blindness among other problems. It’s good to be aware as well there are lifestyle changes you can make that can help you back off a diagnosis like this. You should be told, but odds are you weren’t.

The fact is that being aware you’re now prediabetic and you are using your fear of prediabetes and taking action to back off that diagnosis (again, in many instances, it can be done) can actually become a good thing if you use your diagnosis to make positive changes to your lifestyle. I want to encourage you to use any fear you are experiencing to galvanize you into taking action right now.

You can read more about how to do this on my blog: ThinStrongHealthy.com. In fact, here’s a link to a post I wrote about symptoms of Diabetes and Prediabetes.

You are always welcome to email me with any questions you have. I love hearing from you!

Helping You Achieve Major Wellness!

Cheryl A Major, CNWC

I’m author, health coach, and entrepreneur Cheryl A Major, and I would love to connect with you! If you’re new to the world of creating better health, both mental and physical for yourself, please check out my training on how to get sugar out of your diet. Crack Your Sugar Habit is where to check it out. Learn how sugar, as yummy as it may taste to you now, affects your mental and physical health and how to go about reducing or eliminating it from your diet.