--if Alan's blood sugar levels are in pre-diabetic (impaired glucose tolerance) ranges, or in diabetic ranges if they are very high (not that probable) or in normoglycemic ranges.

If there's no former test to compare these results to, though, if eh "Scores" in the "impaired tolerance ranges" it will be hard to determine whether he is on the way up to diabetic ranges, or coming down from them. But either way, getting scores in those ranges means he should be cautious about diet and doing exercise--which, in essence, he already is.

Since diabetes/impaired glucose tolerance are both designations based on glucose numbers, and since both are, over time, reversible conditions if one makes the appropriate lifestyle changes (as you yourself are proving, Melody), it may always be difficult to determine if Alan had more severe glucose problems. There's a tendency to consider someone diabetic or impaired in tolerance if they score in the ranges just once, but this is likely an outmoded view--people's ability to assimilate glucose can change, in either direction, over time. For instance, Melody, your diabetes is not as severe as it once was--they have been slowly lowering your meds--and it is conceivable, if you continue to lose weight, exercise, eat well, etc., that at some point you will be scoring at non-diabetic levels, and controlling the condition, merely through those measures, without meds. (A good number of people can control diabetes through just these measures, if their numbers have not been exceedingly high for long periods of time.)

I hope they did the test with insulin levels taken concurrently with glucose levels--these may provide a clue as to how hard Alan's pancreas has to work to control sugar levels, and indicate to what degree he may be insulin resistant, if his glucose levels stay within normal levels.

From what you've described, if Alan does have, or did once have, glucose regulation problems, they're now probably under good control--he's built muscle, lost weight, etc. That doesn't mean if he's had the problem at one point or another it couldn't have contributed to his neuropathy pain, though. It's possible, if he continues to maintain a healthy lifestyle, his symptoms will gradually lessen--good blood sugar control is a good idea even if one's neuropathy is demonstrably caused by something else; big blood sugar swings are crappy for nerves, especially those already damaged. (It's a good idea for anyone generally.)

Thanks hon!!!

Not that I completely understood everything you said, but I'll get there.
Tomorrow we go and see Dr. Fred.

First we'll go to the lab and see if they faxed Dr. Fred the results.

Then we go see Dr. Fred. I can't wait to see what the results of all the tests he took turn out to be.

Guess what? He came home from Yoga class, got me on the bed and tried to make me lay down with my head facing the mattress and my butt up in the air and one leg held way up.!!!!

Don't ask what I did to him. He may never learn to walk again!!!

I mean really!!!!

Next he'll be asking me to stand on my head!!!

mel

I can hardly wait to read it and hope to learn even more about this condition that we all have in one form or another. I have the Numb Toes, etc., series, and refer back to them all the time. Thank you, Bob, for posting this information.