How can you distinguish between insulin resistance and diabetes?

I mean, how can you tell which one you have, assuming you don’t have both.

Insulin resistance IS type 2 diabetes. In many cases, this is how type 2 diabetics start out. They are insulin resistant. In insulin resistance, the pancreas is making lots (many times too much) of insulin, but the body is not using it right. The pancreas is not functioning correctly, plus the body is not using the insulin being produced, so the glucose levels rise in the blood stream. Later in life, most of the time, those that are insulin resistant find that now their pancreas is not able to keep up with insulin production. Type 2 does not always start this way, but in about 82% of the cases, it does. Your doctor will do tests to see if there is a lot of insulin in your body, or not. In cases where the insulin amounts are extremely high, insulinoma may be diagnosed.

4 Responses to “How can you distinguish between insulin resistance and diabetes?”

  • Bolt:

    For abosulte certainty, a doctor can have a c-peptide test done which will measure what, if any, level of insulin is present in the blood stream.
    References :

  • MamaSmurf:

    Insulin resistance IS type 2 diabetes. In many cases, this is how type 2 diabetics start out. They are insulin resistant. In insulin resistance, the pancreas is making lots (many times too much) of insulin, but the body is not using it right. The pancreas is not functioning correctly, plus the body is not using the insulin being produced, so the glucose levels rise in the blood stream. Later in life, most of the time, those that are insulin resistant find that now their pancreas is not able to keep up with insulin production. Type 2 does not always start this way, but in about 82% of the cases, it does. Your doctor will do tests to see if there is a lot of insulin in your body, or not. In cases where the insulin amounts are extremely high, insulinoma may be diagnosed.
    References :
    diabetic 17 years and was insulin resistant in the beginning.

  • noccie:

    You can’t tell, but your endocrinologist can – that’s why they went through all those extra classes!
    References :

  • Beth H:

    Go to a doctor. Get a referral to a specialist, and do the blood tests, glucose tolerance tests. Run the whole gamut. It’s not worth sitting back and waiting.
    References :

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