JoAnne Zoller Wagner’s diagnosis as prediabetic wasn’t enough to compel her to change her habits and lose 30 pounds.
But nine months later, doctors told the Pasadena, Md., woman that her condition had worsened. She had Type 2 diabetes. That scared her into action.
Now, two years later, Wagner has slimmed down. She exercises regularly and her blood sugar levels are back in the healthy, normal range.
But doctors caution that, for some diabetics, lowering blood sugar may be only temporary. Stress, weight gain and other factors can push it back to unhealthy levels.
"Blood sugars can come down to normal. Then the issue is how long does that last?” said Dr. Sue Kirkman, vice president of clinical affairs for the diabetes association.
In other cases, patients are diagnosed so late that blood sugar levels can’t be brought back to normal, even with weight loss, she said. As the disease progresses, even those who made diet and lifestyle changes might eventually have to go on medications.
That’s one reason Wagner and some other diabetics who’ve managed their disease through diet and exercise also are reluctant to consider themselves "cured.”
"American culture, our environment, is not conducive to having good health,” Wagner said.
by the associated press
