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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Can I recover from pre-diabetes?

    Related Topics
    Endocrinology Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes
    I am pre diabetic, and have been prescribed a drug to control my blood
    glucose, I have also commenced a new eating plan/ exercise routine.

    If I start taking this medication, is this something I will need to take for the rest of my life or am I able to stop taking it if I get my weight in check and levels lowered.
    • 2 answers
    • Lisa Chen
    • Dr Ashraf Saleh
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    Lisa Chen

    Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE), Dietitian

    I am a member of DAA holding an accredited practicing dietitian (APD) and AN status.I am capable to provide individual consultation and group education to … View Profile

    Diabetes is preventable if you make the same lifestyle changes that are recommeded for pople with Diabetes. This will include healthy eating behavior eps. take care of the consumption of carbohydrate foods, regular physical activity and active lifestyle, and if necessary, medication.

    Whether you are able to cease the medication or not in the future, it epneds on the progresson of the disease and the likeness of developing other health complications. Factors taken into account normally include: age, ethnic, gender, family history of chronic disease, lifestyle, eating behavior, any other disease, pathology test results etc. Your GP will combine all above together to assess the needs of medication. Among the patients that I saw, I would say nearly half and half who are able to stop the medications.

    Or, alternatively, you can start a lifestyle modification before commencing any medication for approx 3 months then have another pathology test to see whether you need medications. Some GP prefer to use this approach for their pre-diabetes patient. However, this is only my suggestion. I think you'd better follow your GP's instruction. Good luck!

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  • Dr Ashraf Saleh

    GP (General Practitioner)

    Special interest in type II diabetes, emergency medicine and dermatology View Profile

    The short answer to your question is yes, your ‘pre-diabetes’ can be reversed. Your body has not progressed to the stage where it is unable to recover from the metabolic problems it has gone through this far. With diet and lifestyle changes (and in some cases, medication), most of your test results should return to normal and you can lead a normal healthy life. These changes should remain lifelong, however, if you want the pre-diabetic condition to not come back to haunt you.

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