--which is yearly at this point--I request that the scrip be written that it be a five hour test with glucose AND concurrent insulin levels taken at baseline, one-half hour, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, 3 hours, etc.

Yes, I do feel like a pincushion, but I'm used to it at this point.

The reasoning behind this is one not only want s to see how the glucsoe levels rise and fall, but how insulin levels do, too. The pattern of inmsulin increase to raised blood glucose--and how far down the glucose levels are driven by insulin spiking--are important clues to the degree of insulin resistance one has, and insulin resistance is the first harbinger of impaired tolerance.

I generally show a fairly normal blood sugar rise to the glucose beverage, but my pancreas tends to overreact to it with a big release of insulin, which tends to drive my blood sugar down fairly low--into the 60's--around the 2-3 hour area. The insulin then recedes and I stabilize to a fasting level in the high 80's - low 90's in the fourth-fifth hours. This is a fairly common pattern in those of us insuin resitant--wide swings. This is not a good thing.

I suspect if it were not for the weightlifting and R-lipoic acid, my fasting glucose would be higher. I am endeavoring to fight off impaired tolerance through diet (eating small balanced meals fairly frequently), exercise (lot of swimming this summer) and supplements. (I do take some of Mrs. D's recommended inositol, but am wondering if it's time for cinnamon or chormium supplements to be added--both have demonstrable glucose normalizing properties. Unfortunately, you're supposed to take the cinnamon without the added sugar.)